Question "DPC Watchdog Violation" and no Safe Mode ?

[LoneSoldier84]

Hi all,

I've spent a long time trying to work this out and I can't get any further without help. Thank you for reading and trying to help.

Problem started:

..I was playing Anno 1800 and the graphics went all pixelated so you couldn't see anything other than massive streaks across the screen and black space with everything frozen including mouse etc

..restarted by pressing main button

..half dozen times or so I could boot and then get Anno loaded but it would crash to desktop right on loading the game into the playing mode graphics/audio

..then it started doing this DPC watchdog violation error

..then it stopped booting and giving the same DPC watchdog violation error at the start of the boot sequence before it made it to the windows login screen

..I disconnected two extra and different RAM sticks and took them out and same problem

..then took out video card

..was able to get to safe mode windows during booting sequence

..then reconnected only the video card and could get into safe mode again during boot sequence

..other than safe mode it would do DPC watchdog error 100% of the time

..now I can't get into safe mode because the prompt isn't coming up saying automatically repairing etc which let me get to safe mode

..so I can't get to safe mode now and 100% of the time it gives a DPC watchdog error during the early boot sequence before the windows login screen

Any help you can give would be greatly appreciated even if it's just a random idea of what I could do. I was trying to check and update video drivers next now that I plugged in an ethernet cable for the internet connection since wifi didn't work in safe mode.

Thank you!

 

[CodeConnoisseur]

You can't get into recovery at all? What is it doing then? Do you have another computer? See if you can get any entries from C:\Windows\Minidump or a C:\Windows\MEMORY.DMP on a flash drive via recovery command prompt (use the copy command) or boot from a live USB e.g. Ubuntu then upload them to a cloud storage service (Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, etc.) and share the link(s) here.

 

[LoneSoldier84]

Ok. Thank you. I will try that. For the moment:

...even when reinstalling windows from USB:

Output:

..USB worked to get to recovery options blue screen

..no startup settings option anywhere there. Options are:

Continue>

Use a device>

Use another OS>

Turn off PC >

Troubleshoot > startup repair or command prompt or uninstall updates or uefi firmware settings or system restore or system image recovery (under each of these there is also no startup settings)

That is the full list with options under trouble shoot expanded there.

I've selected to install Windows again from the USB.

I did it such that it moved the old install to windows.old.

I am on the desktop now without safe mode after the install has finished.

The video card is still inserted (I thought if it didn't work I could just reinstall windows again with it out but it did get to the desktop now).

Update:

Via dxdiag:

Video card is listed as:

Microsoft basic display driver
manufacturer is standard display types
and chip type is nvidia.

And in notes under it says:

"There is a problem with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 Ti device. For more information, search for “graphics device driver error code 43”."

Currently installing clean drivers as:

GeForce Security Update Driver
Version: 474.82 WHQL
Release Date: 2024.2.22

...while installing drivers it has rebooted during the install and locked up and gone blue screen DPC watchdog violation again

 

[Metal Messiah.]

..I was playing Anno 1800 and the graphics went all pixelated so you couldn't see anything other than massive streaks across the screen and black space with everything frozen including mouse etc

First of all, you should always post FULL and complete PC specs while asking for any PC troubleshooting issue.

Anyway, that sounds like a GPU VRAM corruption issue to me. The card must be faulty, though the only way to fully confirm this is by installing the GPU on some other system, using a different PSU model.

Can you TEST the Video card on some other PC ?

And in notes under it says:

"There is a problem with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 Ti device. For more information, search for “graphics device driver error code 43”."

The above Error code 43 can be reported anytime when Windows does not recognize a device – whether it's a USB port, Hard drive, video card/GPU, or any other piece of hardware connected to the computer.

Most of the time, error code 43 means that a device driver is either missing, corrupt, and/or outdated (so Windows has problems communicating properly with the hardware), or the hardware is faulty and needs to be replaced.

This error code points out that the hardware might also be defective, which is the GPU. But before we jump to any conclusion, check the card on some other PC as well.

What's the make/model number of your MOBO ? Can you properly boot your current system/OS, by using the 'Integrated Graphics processor' of your current Motherboard, assuming your board supports it ?

Do you still get the same problem ?

Code 43 can mostly happens either if drivers fail or the hardware fails. Other option is that your GPU or motherboard slot failed. If your motherboard has more then one PCIe x16 slot, you can move GPU to another slot to rule out motherboard failure.

Or you should test GPU in another machine to confirm that problem lies with the card.

 

[LoneSoldier84]

First, I just want to say thank you. Your help here is amazing. And I know that word is cliche and overused. But that's the best word to express what that is. Thank you.



Images:

 

[LoneSoldier84]

1. Can you TEST the Video card on some other PC ?

- on Monday I can drop the card off at a repair shop and ask they test the card. I don't have anything I could do it on, no.

2. What's the make/model number of your MOBO ?

-ASUS Z97-P

3. Can you properly boot your current system/OS, by using the 'Integrated Graphics processor' of your current Motherboard, assuming your board supports it ?

- As of this moment, I can boot into windows with these drivers installed:

Geforce Driver Results | NVIDIA

Geforce Driver Results | NVIDIA

www.nvidia.com

...when I update them from these (I had newer drivers as I recall before this all happened and it was fine for ages) it DPC watchdog violates.
...so that is without safe mode. it boots into windows regularly now in that way. that was after USB windows re-install/etc. currently have updated all other drivers with driver easy tool and windows updates all up to date.

4. Do you still get the same problem ?
- still DPC watchdog violations when I update drivers from that one. if I leave it as it is right now, I can't get second monitor working, and the resolution isn't working great etc. and it says this for video card/driver situation (basic adapter etc and not full video card listed there in top left)

it says that even though the nvidia installer said it installed the nvidia drivers from that link above:
461.09-desktop-win10-64bit-international-dch-whql

 

[Metal Messiah.]

3. Can you properly boot your current system/OS, by using the 'Integrated Graphics processor' of your current Motherboard, assuming your board supports it ?

- As of this moment, I can boot into windows with these drivers installed:

Geforce Driver Results | NVIDIA

Geforce Driver Results | NVIDIA

www.nvidia.com

...when I update them from these (I had newer drivers as I recall before this all happened and it was fine for ages) it DPC watchdog violates.
...so that is without safe mode. it boots into windows regularly now in that way. that was after USB windows re-install/etc. currently have updated all other drivers with driver easy tool and windows updates all up to date.

Just to clarify this, if you are booting via the CPU's onboard graphics, iGPU, then you shouldn't be installing/needing any Nvidia GPU drivers. If using the current Nvidia GTX GPU, then yes.

But I was talking about booting the PC via the iGPU.

Try booting the system with only the integrated graphics, and check whether the whole system/OS behaves normally or not, without any DPC errors, or any other blue screen errors ?

Your current i5 4460 CPU has support for onboard graphics. You would be needing the "Intel Graphics Accelerator Drivers" from Asus's support website:

Z97-P - Support

www.asus.com

Also, it appears that your system is still running a very older version of the BIOS, which is 2601 (2014/12/11). The latest version is 2907, dated 2016/03/25. But this is for a different troubleshooting part, as updating BIOS does not appear to be mandatory, at least for the time being.

But do update it when everything is working fine.

 

[LoneSoldier84]

Yeah, the video card was still in when doing all that. It works good for everything but the video settings when specific drivers are installed. With those drivers installed, it all seems to run okay except it is showing a basic adapter for video card drivers with the nvidia chip showing in device manager. It can't do a second monitor and all video settings aren't there.

No matter what I seem to do, it won't stop showing basic adapter there. When I install any other nvidia drivers other than that exact one, it starts DPC violations again.

With the GPU in, in that way, it is all normal except showing basic video adapter. No blue screens or DPC violations. Is it still worth trying the iGPU in this case?

With the GPU, I may try a "does it float" test in water soon. XD

For the iGPU, I will update the iGPU drivers.

For the BIOS, I spent ages trying to find newer BIOS. I didn't see the second set of tabs on the ASUS site which have the BIOS and firmware under them. I thought they just didn't have any newer BIOS for this motherboard. Doh! This is updated now to the newer one.

I've been given a few steers now that the video card is in fact not working (unless I've missed something else it could be). This would mean I have to buy a new one (very unexpected and not budgeted for).

I suppose the only way to know for sure would be to try the GPU in another machine. I think I should do that before buying a new one or I risk getting a new GPU and still having the same problem as far as I know.

Thank you again for your attention and help. I'll let you know the results of the "does it float" test. XD

 

[LoneSoldier84]

I have now decided to update a bunch of the machine's hardware. The motherboard and video card will be replaced (along with cpu and ram).

Decided on:
RX6800
7600X
32GB ram
MSI MAG X670E TOMAHAWK

 

[Metal Messiah.]

So what happened to the previous GPU ? Did you test it ?

 

[LoneSoldier84]

It's still in the machine now. The new parts are coming tomorrow. Once the old parts are set aside, I would like to keep them somewhere safe until I can source a cheap or free tower to put them into to start setting up a backup machine that runs off the iGPU as you mentioned.

But if I can, I would like to get a solid answer on the 780 TI though because if it can be saved then it would be great to have a backup computer with the 780 TI in it. I don't want to plug it into the new motherboard though as I have a feeling that it could damage it somehow. With everything going on for me right now, testing of the 780 TI will be delayed a bit. It will be kept safe until it can be tested though. And I will be sure to post an update after it is tested.

Also, I've swapped the processor in that list of replacement parts for a 7800x3d.