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DPC Watchdog Violation at same point in boot process
Hello blue screen gurus. I could use some help.
The problem: Can't boot normally - computer freezes (drive light goes off and stays off) at point where desktop icons are filling in. Happens every time at about the same point
Facts: Dell XPS desktop about six years old, core i7, started on Win 7, upgraded to Win 10x64 about a month before the free install expired. Been working fine 'til now. The last thing I'd done was switch a USB game controller from one port to another, initiated Restart, and retired for night. In morning, BSOD reporting the DPC Watchdog Violation. I had not rebooted for several weeks before that. My WinVer is 1607 (Founders has not reached me yet.) Through the "abnormal shutdown route", I can get to Safe Mode which is entirely stable.
Things I've done (from safe mode), with observations:
- Unplugged all usb devices except mouse and keyboard.
- Did an uninstall on each of the usb drivers.
- Ran SFC /scannow. No error.
- Ran chkdsk C: /f /r No event log found (filtered for chkdsk and wininit)
- Tried system restore, but got error (due to known AppXStaging issue)
- Switched the SATA driver to windows generic.
- Switched the video driver to windows generic.
- After doing one of the last two - don't remember which - the BSOD stopped appearing on normal boot, but the the computer simply dies at the same point each time. Mouse cursor moves, and becomes "busy" when floated over the (empty) task bar, but the drive light stays out. Can only boot from power button.
- Uninstalled Panda antivirus, at least as far as it would go from safe mode. Not sure if the required reboot completely cleared it, and couldn't run the generic removal tool from the Panda site in Safe Mode.
- Tried to start Windows Security service but it wont start in Safe Mode (even though the services on which it depends are said to be running.) Now I'm not sure if it's safe to do a safe mode with internet.
- Spoke with three different people at Microsoft Support. None appeared familiar with DPC Watchdog and had to look it up. They went through simple scripts with me, but in end referred me either to a Win 10 reinstall or a service technician. I'm really trying to avoid either of those. Got my eye on a new computer, and if I'm going to have to reinstall all my stuff - much of it with licenses - would rather only go through that once.
- I set the dump facility to full kernel dump, and I know you guys would like to see that. I'm prepared to teach myself how to install and use the debugger, but here's the thing: in my Windows directory, the file MEMORY.DMP is dated a year ago July. ie. It appears no dump is occurring. Is that a clue?
- I have a second internal hard drive (non bootable) and am running chkdsk /f /r on it now, just in case. Don't expect that to change the picture. EDIT - No file structure issue and no bad sector, and the log does appear in the Event Editor, which leaves me wondering harder why chkdsk C: /f/r did NOT leave an event log?
I'm prepared to accept that the boot drive is bad despite above efforts - I have Acronis and Macrium backups - but would that explain why the freeze occurs in just about the same spot each time?
Needless to say this is frustrating. I'd appreciate any help or advice. Be glad to supply additional info if instructed on how to acquire it. Many thanks, -Ron
EDIT - I just thought of something else in case it's relevant. There's a front panel on the Dell with several USB ports and an SD card reader. The ports stopped working couple years ago, so I've just been using those on the top or back of the case. But only recently, probably after the last normal boot, the card reader quit working also. Is there something I should do to ensure the boot process is not trying to "read from that bus" (or whatever the proper terminology)?
Last edited by rkl122; 04 Jun 2017 at 18:26.