DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION (0x00000133): Windows Blue Screen Fix

Quick answer

The Windows stop code DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION (0x00000133) means: A driver or device took too long to finish its work, often a storage or SSD driver or firmware. If it happened once, restart and keep an eye on it. If the blue screen repeats, follow the steps below; it is usually fixed by updating or removing a driver or program.

Before you start: note the stop code shown on the blue screen. If Windows will not start normally, it usually opens Automatic Repair after two failed starts; from there choose Advanced options to reach Safe Mode or System Restore.

Is it serious? Can I keep using my PC?

Severity: Medium

If it happened once, restart and keep an eye on it. If the blue screen repeats, follow the steps below; it is usually fixed by updating or removing a driver or program.

Common causes

Faulty, outdated or incompatible driver
Outdated BIOS/UEFI or SSD firmware
Failing or corrupted disk or SSD

How to fix it

Restart the PC. If the blue screen happened only once and does not return, no further action is usually needed
Find the faulting driver: check Event Viewer and the dump files in C:\Windows\Minidump
Update or roll back the driver of the faulting device in Device Manager (look for yellow warning icons)
Install the latest Windows updates
Update the BIOS/UEFI and SSD firmware from the manufacturer
Check the disk with "chkdsk C: /f" and check the drive's health

Frequently asked questions

What does DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION mean?

The Windows stop code DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION (0x00000133) means: A driver or device took too long to finish its work, often a storage or SSD driver or firmware.

Is DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION serious?

Severity: Medium. If it happened once, restart and keep an eye on it. If the blue screen repeats, follow the steps below; it is usually fixed by updating or removing a driver or program.

How do I fix DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION?

Start with these steps: Restart the PC. If the blue screen happened only once and does not return, no further action is usually needed; Find the faulting driver: check Event Viewer and the dump files in C:\Windows\Minidump; Update or roll back the driver of the faulting device in Device Manager (look for yellow warning icons); Install the latest Windows updates; Update the BIOS/UEFI and SSD firmware from the manufacturer.

Related codes

0x19 BAD_POOL_HEADERThe memory pool used by Windows has become corrupted, usually by a faulty driver.0x50 PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREAWindows tried to use memory that does not exist or is not available, often due to a driver, security software or faulty RAM.0xA IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUALA driver or system process tried to access memory it was not allowed to use, usually because of a faulty driver.0x1A MEMORY_MANAGEMENTA serious memory management error occurred, often caused by faulty RAM or a driver.0x1E KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLEDA program running in the Windows kernel caused an error that it did not handle.0x24 NTFS_FILE_SYSTEMA problem occurred in the NTFS file system driver, usually because of disk or file system corruption.0x3B SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTIONAn error occurred while a system service was running, often caused by a driver (frequently graphics) or security software.0x3F NO_MORE_SYSTEM_PTESWindows ran out of system page table entries, usually because a driver is not releasing memory.0x7E SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLEDA system thread caused an error that was not handled, usually because of a driver.