If you’ve been using windows for some time, you may have crashed into the Blue Screen of Death at some point. The error it shows is the DPC Watchdog Violation Error. DPC holds for Deferred Procedure Call and Watchdog indicates the bug checker, which mainly has the objective of monitoring Windows programs and also the overall performance of your system.
In most cases, if you are seeing this ‘Violation’ report, it may be because your Watchdog is confounded i.e. a DPC has been working for too long or PC is adhered at an interrupt request level (IRQL) of DISPATCH_LEVEL.
Why the Error Occurs?
When your system or device has an outdated driver(s) or has wrongly installed drivers, then it crashes into BSD. Whereas some cases show that incompatible hardware on the OS is the reason for this error. For example, if the Windows on your PC no longer supports the external hard drive or installing a new hardware device on some old system of yours, may begin to show Violation error as well.
How to Fix DPC Watchdog Violation Error?
Here we have a list of Fixing Methods that you may use to remove the Violation error.
Method 1: Changing SATA ACHI controller driver
This is the first method that we recommend and also the most popular one among the Windows Users.
Step 1) Simultaneously press the Windows logo key 
and X Key and then select Device Manager.
Step 2) Now Open the IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers.
Step 3) Perform a Right-click on SATA ACHI controller and select Properties.
To check whether the control driver selected is correct: select the Driver tab, then choose Driver Details.
Step 4) Check whether iaStorA.sys is registered as Driver. Select OK to exit.
If you’re seeing storachi.sys listed here, move on to Method 2 for steps ahead.
Step 5) Select ‘Driver tab’, then choose Update Driver.
Step 6) Select the option of ‘Browse my computer for driver software’.
Step 7) Select ‘Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer’ as shown below.
Step 8) Select Standard SATA AHCI Controller, then select Next. Finish the rest of the procedure as instructed.
Step 9) Restart the System for the setting to get applied to the system.
Method 2: Updating Possible Drivers
There is a need to update your driver if there is a storachi.sys property listed in the SATA ACHI controller driver’s properties.
outdated drivers for your hardware devices may be contributing to DPC Watchdog Violation. Thus, checking the installed and outdated versions of drivers is important.
Manual driver update – You can update your drivers manually by going to the manufacturer’s website and searching for the most recent correct driver. If you don’t have the time, patience or computer skills to update your drivers manually, you can, instead, do it automatically with Driver Easy.
Automatic driver update – Driver Easy will automatically recognize your system and find the correct drivers for it. You don’t need to know exactly what system your computer is running, you don’t need to risk downloading and installing the wrong driver, and you don’t need to worry about making a mistake when installing.
Step 1) Download and install Driver Easy.
Step 2) Run Driver Easy and Select the Scan Now button. Driver Easy will then scan your computer and detect any problem drivers.
Step 3) Select the Update button next to all checked devices to automatically download and install their driver with the best version.
Or Select Update All to automatically download and install the correct version of all the drivers that are missing or out of date on your system.
Method 3: Checking hardware and software compatibility
As stated, conflicting hardware devices with OS of PC and/or incompatible software programs could be one of the reasons for as well.
Checking hardware compatibility
If you have external hard drive or a USB flash drive or some other external devices connected to your system, firstly detach them all (leaving mouse and keyboard connected), then restart the system.
If the error stops, plug your external devices back, only one at a time, then restart your PC. If you get the error again after a certain device, you have got the culprit already. You can either replace this device completely from your PC or update its driver as instructed in Method 2.
Checking software compatibility
Often there are chances that when you recently installed some new software, it made some changes to your PC, and might be the reason why your system ran into the error. You can try to check the recently updated and installed software.
Check the software causing problems, try uninstalling them. After you have done this and restarted check for the DPC Error again. If you find the changes odd, you may go to the previous stage of your system and compare the settings and changes., to help you go back to the previous stage of your PC by doing System Restore.
Method 4: Performing a disk check
Most of the BSoDs are the result of a disk problem. Thus, making sure of the disk state is good.
Step 1) Firstly, hit the Windows logo key, and type cmd. Now, Right-click Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.
When proposed with the administrator permission, select Yes to advance.
Step 2) On your keyboard, Type chkdsk /f /r, then click Enter.
Step 3) Next, Hit the Y key.
Method 5: Running Event Viewer
This process does not give you a resolution, but you may locate the culprit driver or device that is producing the DPC Watchdog Violation Blue Screen of Death.
Step 1) Simultaneously press the Windows logo key and X Key and then select Event Viewer.
Step 2) Select Windows Logs on the left side of the panel, and then System.
Step 3) you will be able to some entries in the central part of the panel. Mark the ones checked by Error or Warning, then you should be able to see the detailed information of what exactly went wrong at a certain time range.
Wrapping Up!
Well, it does not seem too difficult to fix the error if the steps given above are followed as mentioned. Further, if you get stuck in any of the methods feel free to comment. We are ready to help.
