[SOLVED] Various BSOD's frequently throughout the day, DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION caused by ntoskrnl.exe

[pugglock729]

Hello.

I am on Windows 10 version 20H2 currently. I have tried a fresh install of Windows 10 20H2 and Windows 10 21H1 with same results.

For a few months now I have had frequent blue screens like CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED, FAULT_IN_NON_PAGE_AREA, and DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION being the most common and happening repeatedly on startup until I go into safe mode for a bit. So I decided to reinstall Windows 10 as a starting point. After trying many things such as reinstalling drivers (Yes I tried updating the SATA AHCI controller that can be found in Microsoft community forums and made sure I had storachi.sys. I also tried multiple GPU driver versions from AMD for my GPU WHQL, and non WHQL, as well as an older version (yes I used DDU to properly uninstall these drivers). I am still getting DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION on a fresh install of windows with almost nothing on the system. It happened kind of randomly twice while opening battle.net (launcher for warzone) and once after when trying to boot up after this BSOD. At this point I've had this BSOD probably 50-100 times so I'm familiar with it I just go into safe mode and boot back into Windows and I'm able to usually go for hours until it happens again repeatedly. I guess I'm just overly annoyed with it now and ready to look into it. I checked into my SSD health with Crystal Disk info and Western Digital Workstation and all seems good.

I used BlueScreenView and got these results.

https://files.catbox.moe/ysitmt.PNG

https://files.catbox.moe/28rp81.PNG

Here are the only two dump files inside of C:\Windows\Minidump (it's only BSOD twice since I reinstalled Windows 20H2 last night).

https://files.catbox.moe/3dezsk.dmp
https://files.catbox.moe/jnmxv7.dmp

If I have overlooked anything or need to provide any more information I will be glad to! At this point I'm as far as I can get with my knowledge, I've done everything I know to do and I've also searched the internet for any solutions, to no avail. Any help or information will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Colif]

what are specs of the PC? Dumps will show some of it but not all. They don't show Storage drives or PSU

critical process died is an error that can only happen to Microsoft files. It is caused by any one of a number of critical files crashing and windows has no choice but to follow. Its not specific really.
Other 2 errors can be drivers.

But if you have clean installed both times, it would be unlikely to be same drivers twice.

 

[gardenman]

Hi, I ran the dump files through the debugger and got the following information: https://jsfiddle.net/so5fpmhw/show This link is for anyone wanting to help. You do not have to view it. It is safe to "run the fiddle" as the page asks.

Spoiler: Dump File Results

File information:	3dezsk.dmp (Feb 11 2022 - 14:05:38)
Bugcheck:	DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION (133)
Probably caused by:	memory_corruption (Process running at time of crash: System)
Uptime:	0 Day(s), 0 Hour(s), 01 Min(s), and 15 Sec(s)

File information:	jnmxv7.dmp (Feb 11 2022 - 14:03:52)
Bugcheck:	DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION (133)
Probably caused by:	memory_corruption (Process running at time of crash: System)
Uptime:	0 Day(s), 0 Hour(s), 01 Min(s), and 28 Sec(s)

Possible Motherboard page: https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/b450-tomahawk-max/support
You are using the latest stable version of the BIOS for the motherboard.

This information can be used by others to help you. Someone else will post with more information. Please wait for additional answers. Good luck.

 

[pugglock729]

what are specs of the PC? Dumps will show some of it but not all. They don't show Storage drives or PSU

critical process died is an error that can only happen to Microsoft files. It is caused by any one of a number of critical files crashing and windows has no choice but to follow. Its not specific really.
Other 2 errors can be drivers.

But if you have clean installed both times, it would be unlikely to be same drivers twice.

Hi ! Thanks so much for your quick reply. I will list specs below. Just to clarify, yes I did reinstall windows 2-3 times to test this and same issues occurred across different winver as well. However, I did not experience any other BSOD on the fresh installs apart from DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION. It seems critical process died and the others could've been exclusive to my previous Windows install before testing all of this.

DRIVES - WD Blue SSD 1TB , Toshiba 7200rpm HDD 1TB
CPU - AMD Ryzen 5 3600
GPU - AMD Radeon RX 6600
MOBO - MSI B450 Tomahawk Max
RAM - Corsair Vengeance LPX (32gb) @ 3600mhz
PSU - EVGA 650 BQ

 

[Colif]

I had worked out this much from dumps
cpu R5 3600
MB: Tomahawk Max B450
Ram - 32gb Corsair CMK32GX4M2D3600C18

Try updating Synapse
update ethernet drivers - download Win10 Auto Installation Program (NDIS) from under windows header here - https://www.realtek.com/en/componen...0-1000m-gigabit-ethernet-pci-express-software

does it have WIFI or do you have a WIFI Dongle? if Dongle, which one?

Jul 29 2019

rtwlanu.sys

Realtek WLAN USB NDIS Driver https://www.realtek.com/en/

can maybe update chipset drivers - https://www.amd.com/en/support/chipsets/amd-socket-am4/b450

 

[pugglock729]

I had worked out this much from dumps
cpu R5 3600
MB: Tomahawk Max B450
Ram - 32gb Corsair CMK32GX4M2D3600C18

Try updating Synapse
update ethernet drivers - download Win10 Auto Installation Program (NDIS) from under windows header here - https://www.realtek.com/en/componen...0-1000m-gigabit-ethernet-pci-express-software

does it have WIFI or do you have a WIFI Dongle? if Dongle, which one?

Jul 29 2019

rtwlanu.sys

Realtek WLAN USB NDIS Driver https://www.realtek.com/en/

can maybe update chipset drivers - https://www.amd.com/en/support/chipsets/amd-socket-am4/b450

Hi Colif thanks again. I made sure to download the NDIS from Realtek and updated it just now. Synapse is currently the latest version and I've acquired the latest version from the Razer site for my tests, but I use it for my mouse. Also, I don't use ethernet currently but my mobo doesn't have onboard wifi so I have a TP Link Wifi adapter - https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-usb-wifi-adapter-pc/dp/B08D72GSMS
I made sure to update TP Link Driver and my AMD Chipset driver prior to having BSOD as well.

 

[Colif]

http://en.techinfodepot.shoutwiki.com/wiki/TP-LINK_Archer_T3U_Plus
realtek chipset - RTL8812BU
https://www.realtek.com/en/component/zoo/category/rtl8812bu-software
latest is 2018... well, from realtek, Archer might change it slightly to mention them in software. Its common thing for them to do.

I have seen lots of dongles causing errors, not sure about your chipset though. Could try using Ethernet if you can and see if it makes any difference.

I see DPC errors a lot but not enough to work out their causes yet.

 

[pugglock729]

http://en.techinfodepot.shoutwiki.com/wiki/TP-LINK_Archer_T3U_Plus
realtek chipset - RTL8812BU
https://www.realtek.com/en/component/zoo/category/rtl8812bu-software
latest is 2018... well, from realtek, Archer might change it slightly to mention them in software. Its common thing for them to do.

I have seen lots of dongles causing errors, not sure about your chipset though. Could try using Ethernet if you can and see if it makes any difference.

I see DPC errors a lot but not enough to work out their causes yet.

Thank you so much, I really appreciate your time. I will try as you suggested to use ethernet for a period of time and see if anything changes. The BSOD isn't the end of the day I can work around it it's just annoying and there's a bit of anxiety that goes with it for me personally haha!

 

[Colif]

No one wants an error that can happen randomly. I been there, though not with a bsod. Most of the problems I get aren't easily solved. It sort of seems unfair.

 

[Satan-IR]

Does the system Event Viewer shows any erros that somehow correspond with the time of BSODs?

As that might help narrow it down to see what driver is doing it (if in fact it's a driver).

 

[pugglock729]

Does the system Event Viewer shows any erros that somehow correspond with the time of BSODs?

As that might help narrow it down to see what driver is doing it (if in fact it's a driver).

Hello thanks for your input! Just looking into event viewer and doing a small search inside the Windows Logs>System, it seems there are some critical and errors etc around the time of the crashes, however directly after the second crash and not before. I find that odd but I also don't really know what I'm looking at inside event viewer. Would there be a better way for me to share this information for further analysis?

 

[pugglock729]

Looking further into the event viewer, I am seeing errors and critical for BugCheck and Kernel-Power as well as errors for distributed com. I would assume the bugcheck would correspond to atleast one of these BSODs.

 

[Colif]

kernel power is going to be for a restart after a BSOD. At every startup windows runs a report and if it finds it didn't shut down right, it creates event 41 (63). Its a reaction, not a cause.

DCOM are windows database errors. Most people have those.

 

[pugglock729]

kernel power is going to be for a restart after a BSOD. At every startup windows runs a report and if it finds it didn't shut down right, it creates event 41 (63). Its a reaction, not a cause.

DCOM are windows database errors. Most people have those.

Okay that makes sense. As for a cause, it doesn't seem like there is one as far as the DPC. I just want to add more info here - I played games on my old install of windows, I'm a gamer. I played warzone, apex, gta etc. I had issues before with DPC and other bluescreens, but I was still able to play games. I haven't been able to get Apex, Splitgate, or COD Warzone to even run more than 2 minutes before crashing. On my old windows install (prior to looking into this and testing things with new installs) I never had issues running games. Anyways Apex finally finished on my new install and went to play, shortly after opening the game and getting through the intro I BSOD both times trying to open the game. I will add the dumps below.


https://files.catbox.moe/6r7dzr.dmp
https://files.catbox.moe/btr9d0.dmp

 

[Satan-IR]

Looking further into the event viewer, I am seeing errors and critical for BugCheck and Kernel-Power as well as errors for distributed com. I would assume the bugcheck would correspond to atleast one of these BSODs.

Yes those kind of reports as colif already said are because of the shutdown and restart. Database error are quite common too.

 

[pugglock729]

Thank you guys seriously, I really appreciate your contribution of time and effort. Tech support is not cheap and this type of work being done just out of good-doing is greatly appreciated.

 

[Satan-IR]

No problem. You're in good hands and I mean colif. I learn from him all the time and compared to him I'm a newbie especially when it comes to Windows and BSODs and similar issue.

 

[pugglock729]

Hey I don't know if this is useful information but any games I try to play almost instantly crash and even crashed radeon software a few times. I've tried to install older versions and the newest version of the graphics driver (using DDU and AMD cleanup utility to uninstall drivers in safemode + installing drivers offline with driver installations off and service for setting up devices disabled), same results.

 

[gardenman]

I ran the new dump files through the debugger and got the following information: https://jsfiddle.net/4uyg23n8/show This link is for anyone wanting to help. You do not have to view it. It is safe to "run the fiddle" as the page asks.

Spoiler: Dump File Results

File information:	6r7dzr.dmp (Feb 12 2022 - 06:11:33)
Bugcheck:	SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION (3B)
Probably caused by:	memory_corruption (Process running at time of crash: r5apex.exe)
Uptime:	0 Day(s), 12 Hour(s), 34 Min(s), and 18 Sec(s)

File information:	btr9d0.dmp (Feb 12 2022 - 06:18:05)
Bugcheck:	SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION (3B)
Probably caused by:	memory_corruption (Process running at time of crash: r5apex.exe)
Uptime:	0 Day(s), 0 Hour(s), 05 Min(s), and 50 Sec(s)

This information can be used by others to help you. Someone else will post with more information. Please wait for additional answers. Good luck.

 

[pugglock729]

Hi I am not trying to be annoying in anyway or spam the thread, just keeping anyone that's possibly looking into the thread updated on current info - doing some stress testing and seems I have some faulty ram (thousands of errors in just a few passes in memtest86). I'm going to replace ram and then update you guys if this is still an issue.

 

[Colif]

considering 1 error is too many from memtest, its likely it is cause of your BSOD.

No problem. You're in good hands and I mean colif. I learn from him all the time and compared to him I'm a newbie especially when it comes to Windows and BSODs and similar issue.

its nice to have help.

 

[Satan-IR]

Hi I am not trying to be annoying in anyway or spam the thread, just keeping anyone that's possibly looking into the thread updated on current info - doing some stress testing and seems I have some faulty ram (thousands of errors in just a few passes in memtest86). I'm going to replace ram and then update you guys if this is still an issue.

Thanks to gardenman, with the debug run of the dumps. further down both there's common ground:

FOLLOWUP_NAME: memory_corruption
DEBUG_FLR_IMAGE_TIMESTAMP: 0
MEMORY_CORRUPTOR: LARGE
STACK_COMMAND: .cxr 0xfffff905e0a28c80 ; kb
FAILURE_BUCKET_ID: MEMORY_CORRUPTION_LARGE
BUCKET_ID: MEMORY_CORRUPTION_LARGE
PRIMARY_PROBLEM_CLASS: MEMORY_CORRUPTION_LARGE
TARGET_TIME: 2022-02-12T11:18:05.000Z
SUITE_MASK: 272
PRODUCT_TYPE: 1
USER_LCID: 0
FAILURE_ID_HASH_STRING: km:memory_corruption_large
FAILURE_ID_HASH: {e29154ac-69a4-0eb8-172a-a860f73c0a3c}
Followup: memory_corruption

Not always but sometimes this also points to faulty RAM. As colif said above, since memtest found errors RAM is likely the culprit.

 

[pugglock729]

Thank you Calif, Satan, and Gardenman! New ram on the way! Will keep you guys updated I am so very appreciative for your time looking at my dumps you guys are amazing <3

 

[pugglock729]

Hello I am here to update you guys and inform you that you can close the thread. After installing a new ram kit, I’ve not had a BSOD, application crash or hang since. Thank you guys once again very much!