Stop code 0x133: find the driver behind it, then work through the fixes in order.
DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION is a Windows stop code (0x133) that appears when a driver takes too long to finish its work and Windows restarts to stop the PC from freezing. It shows up on Windows 10 and Windows 11, often during gaming, file copies or right after a new device or update.
Microsoft’s own documentation is blunt about the cause. In most cases it is faulty driver code that does not finish its job in time. Storage drivers, SSD firmware and new USB hardware come up most often.
Below: what the error means in plain words, a table that sends you to the right fix for your symptom, how to see which driver crashed, eight fixes in order, and a video walkthrough. Still stuck after trying them? Reach out to us directly.
What Does DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION Mean?
A DPC (deferred procedure call) is a short job a driver hands to Windows to finish a moment later, such as wrapping up a disk read or a network packet. Windows runs these jobs at a high priority, so while one runs, almost nothing else on that processor core can.
To stop one bad driver from freezing the whole PC, Windows runs a watchdog, a timer that checks those jobs finish quickly. Microsoft’s guideline for drivers is under 100 microseconds per job, and the real limit is set much higher. When a driver blows past it, the watchdog stops Windows with stop code 0x133.
There are two versions, and Microsoft’s debugger shows which one you hit as the first parameter: 0 means one single job ran too long, and 1 means the system spent too long on these jobs overall. You do not need to know which to fix it, but the first one is easier to trace to a single driver.
Is my PC broken? Usually not. This is a timing failure in software, most often a driver. The crash itself does not damage hardware, though you lose unsaved work, so save often until it is fixed.
What Causes DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION?
Knowing the likely cause lets you skip straight to the fix that matches it.
A driver that is buggy or outdated
The most common cause by far. Graphics, network, audio and Bluetooth drivers can all trigger it, especially right after a driver update.
The storage controller driver
On PCs with a SATA SSD, older Intel storage drivers (files named iaStorA.sys or iaStorAC.sys) are a commonly reported trigger. Switching to Microsoft’s standard driver often stops the crashes.
Old SSD firmware
Firmware is the small program inside the drive. An old version can stall when Windows asks it for data, which looks like a slow driver to the watchdog.
New hardware or a USB device
A new dock, hub, headset, capture card or external drive brings its own driver. If the crashes started when it arrived, it is the first suspect.
Security software
Antivirus and VPN tools hook deep into Windows. Two of them running at once, or one out-of-date version, can hold things up long enough to trip the watchdog.
Damaged system files or a bad update
A Windows update that did not finish cleanly, or files damaged by a power cut, can leave drivers working with broken parts of Windows.
Start Here: Which Fix Matches Your Symptom?
Find the row that sounds like your PC and jump to that fix. If nothing matches, go in order from Fix 1.
Can’t reach the desktop? Use Safe Mode first
If the crash hits before you can do anything, start Windows in Safe Mode. It loads only the basic drivers, so the crash usually stays away long enough to work through the fixes below.
- From the desktop: open Settings > System > Recovery and select Restart now next to Advanced startup. On Windows 10 it is Settings > Update & Security > Recovery.
- From the sign-in screen: hold Shift while you select Power > Restart.
- If Windows won’t start at all: turn the PC on and hold the power button as soon as the logo appears, twice in a row. On the third start, Windows opens the recovery screen by itself.
- Then: select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart, and press 5 for Safe Mode with Networking.
Find Out Which Driver Crashed
Guessing wastes hours. Windows usually records the file that caused the crash, and you have three places to look, from quickest to most detailed.
1. Read the crash screen
The crash screen (blue on Windows 10, black on recent Windows 11 versions) shows the stop code and, when Windows knows it, a What failed line with a file name such as iaStorA.sys or nvlddmkm.sys. Take a photo of it with your phone. A web search for that file name tells you which driver it belongs to.
2. Check Reliability Monitor
Type reliability in the Start menu and open View reliability history. Each red X in the Windows failures row is a crash. Select that day, then the entry, and choose View technical details. A DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION shows as a BlueScreen event with code 133.
You can also open Event Viewer, go to Windows Logs > System, and look for errors around the time of the crash. Microsoft suggests this step to find the device or driver involved.
3. Open the crash dump in WinDbg (optional, most detail)
When Windows crashes it saves a small file called a minidump in C:\Windows\Minidump. WinDbg is Microsoft’s free tool for reading it. Install it from the Microsoft Store or with this command in Terminal:
winget install Microsoft.WinDbg- Open WinDbg as administrator, then select File > Open dump file and pick the newest file in C:\Windows\Minidump.
- Type the command below in the box at the bottom and press Enter. The first run takes a minute while it downloads symbols (labels that make the dump readable).
- Look for the lines MODULE_NAME and IMAGE_NAME. That is the driver to update, roll back or remove.
!analyze -vHow to Fix DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION on Windows 10/11
Work through these in order and restart after each one. Most people are done by Fix 4.
Unplug new hardware and USB devices
Microsoft’s first step for any repeating stop code is to remove the hardware you added most recently. Shut down, unplug everything you do not need to boot: docks, USB hubs, external drives, headsets, capture cards, game controllers. Leave the keyboard and mouse.
- Use the PC for a while. If the crashes stop, plug devices back in one at a time, a day apart if the crash is rare.
- When the crash returns, the last device you plugged in is the cause. Update its driver from the maker’s site or replace it.
Update or roll back the driver named on the crash screen
If the crash screen, Reliability Monitor or WinDbg named a file, that driver is the one to fix. Microsoft’s advice: disable it to confirm, then get an update from the maker.
- Right-click Start and open Device Manager. Find the device that the file belongs to.
- If the crashes started after a driver update, right-click the device, choose Properties > Driver, and select Roll Back Driver.
- Otherwise, get the newest driver from the PC or part maker’s website, not just Windows Update. Laptop makers often ship tested drivers on their support page.
Graphics driver named (nvlddmkm.sys, atikmpag.sys, amdkmdag.sys)? Download the latest driver from NVIDIA, AMD or Intel and choose the clean install option. Our NVIDIA driver guide walks through it.
Switch the SATA controller to Microsoft’s standard driver
This is the fix the video below shows, and the one that works most often on PCs with a SATA SSD and an older Intel storage driver. It replaces that driver with Microsoft’s own, called Standard SATA AHCI Controller.
- In Device Manager, expand IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers. If you see an entry with SATA AHCI in its name from Intel, right-click it and choose Properties.
- On the Driver tab, select Update Driver, then Browse my computer for drivers, then Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer.
- Choose Standard SATA AHCI Controller, select Next, and restart when Windows asks.
Don’t see that category? Many newer PCs use an NVMe SSD, which shows under Storage controllers instead, and this fix does not apply. Skip it, and skip it too if your drives are set up as RAID or use Intel Optane, which need Intel’s driver.
Update your SSD firmware
Drive makers release firmware updates that fix stalls and freezes. Each brand has a free app that checks your drive and installs the update for you.
- Find your drive’s brand in Device Manager under Disk drives.
- Install the maker’s tool: Samsung Magician, Crucial Storage Executive, or the Western Digital Dashboard. Kingston, SK hynix, Sabrent and others have their own on their support sites.
- Back up first, then run the firmware update and do not turn the PC off until it finishes.
Install Windows, chipset and BIOS updates
Windows updates often include fixed drivers, and the chipset driver controls how your processor talks to storage and USB. Bring all three up to date.
- Open Settings > Windows Update and select Check for updates. Also open Advanced options > Optional updates and install any driver updates listed.
- Get the chipset driver from your PC or motherboard maker: for example Dell, HP or Lenovo.
- Check for a BIOS update on the same support page and follow the maker’s instructions exactly, on mains power.
Repair system files and check the drive
These built-in tools find and replace damaged Windows files and check the drive for errors. Right-click Start, choose Terminal (Admin), and run these one at a time:
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
sfc /scannow
chkdsk C: /scanDISM repairs the files that SFC copies from, so run it first. Each can sit on one percentage for a while; let it finish. Restart when all three are done.
Remove extra security software and try a clean boot
If you have a third-party antivirus or VPN, uninstall it for a day and let Microsoft Defender take over. Two antivirus programs at once is a known recipe for crashes.
To test other startup apps, do a clean boot: it starts Windows with only Microsoft services. If the crashes stop, turn your apps back on a few at a time to find the one causing it.
Undo a recent change, or reinstall Windows
If the crashes started right after an update or a new program, take the PC back to before it.
- Uninstall the update: Settings > Windows Update > Update history > Uninstall updates. Pick the newest one.
- Use System Restore: in Settings > System > Recovery, or from the recovery screen under Troubleshoot > Advanced options.
- Reinstall Windows and keep everything: on Windows 11, Settings > System > Recovery > Fix problems using Windows Update > Reinstall now replaces Windows files but keeps your apps, files and settings.
- Last resort, Reset this PC: on the same page. Choose Keep my files. It removes your apps, so note what you need first.
Still crashing after a reset with nothing extra installed? Then it is almost certainly hardware: the SSD, a cable or the motherboard. Back up and test with another drive, or take it to a repair shop.
Video Walkthrough
This walkthrough from MDTechVideos shows Fix 3, switching the storage controller to the Standard SATA AHCI Controller driver in Device Manager. It was recorded on Windows 10, and the steps are the same on Windows 11.
How to Stop It Coming Back
Get drivers from the maker
Windows Update is fine for most things, but for graphics, storage and chipset drivers the PC or part maker’s site is usually newer and better tested.
Keep one antivirus
Microsoft Defender is built in. If you add another, uninstall the first rather than running both.
Check the SSD app now and then
Open your drive maker’s tool every few months to check for firmware updates and drive health.
Make a restore point before big changes
Before a new driver or a big program, create a restore point. If crashes start, you can go straight back.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION a hardware or software problem?
Why does DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION happen while gaming?
Can DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION delete my files?
What is the difference between DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION and CLOCK_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT?
Will reinstalling Windows fix DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION?
Support and Community
- Bug Check 0x133 DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION on Microsoft Learn, Microsoft’s technical reference for this stop code.
- Troubleshoot unexpected restarts and stop code errors on Microsoft Support.
- WinDbg download and documentation on Microsoft Learn, for reading crash dumps.
- r/techsupport on Reddit, where you can post your WinDbg output and get help reading it.
More Blue Screen Fixes
- How to fix DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL
- How to fix WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR
- How to fix CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED
- How to fix PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA
- How to fix error 0xc0000005
- How to fix Code 43
- All Windows error code guides
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