You're experiencing frequent interruptions while playing certain games.
You're experiencing frequent interruptions while playing certain games.
I've added a new SSD to my computer and since installation I've noticed frequent blue screens while playing games. It seems to occur only with certain titles like ACC and Call of Duty MW3. The ME3 Remake version triggered this issue. Other problems include DCP watchdog violations, unexpected kernel traps, and page fault errors in non-page areas. These events happen exclusively during gaming sessions. My system specs are an i7-8700K with 1080 Ti, 32GB RAM. I use a Kingston SATA SSD for Windows/ACC and MW3, along with a Seagate 2TB HDD. For more details, check the provided links.
Four of the crashes relate to DPC_Watchdog_Violations. In simple terms, DPCs act like a CPU's timetable. Tasks and drivers reserve specific time slots, then place them in a queue for execution on one of the CPU cores. When a driver or process fails to follow this schedule, it triggers a BSOD. Determining exactly which driver is responsible can be challenging, so I examine all DPC queues rather than focusing on just the one Windows highlights. I’m pretty sure I’ve found the source, but it’s unusual, so I’ll review each dump to clarify my reasoning about these four incidents.
Dump 1: Only a single CPU thread has an entry in the queue, and it points to a generic USB driver—just a standard Windows one without targeting a specific device. So far, nothing unusual, except for the presence of USB-related activity.
Dump 2: This is where things get odd. The queue is empty except for commands used by the OS to update the DPC list. It essentially requests the CPU refresh its schedule, and then the crash occurs. The USB theory doesn’t hold up here.
Dump 3: Again, only one thread shows a queue. No drivers are involved; it’s just the kernel running normal commands before the crash. No clear culprits beyond a generic USB situation.
Dump 4: This is the most intriguing. The OS suspects the CPU timer is misaligned, which is a major problem. It generates a WHEA report and then a BSOD. The process stalls in execution, resulting in a DPC_Watchdog_Violation crash instead of a more common WHEA_Uncorrectable_Error crash. This leads me to suspect the CPU itself might be faulty. I’ll investigate other factors that could affect the CPU, especially if you’re overclocking or undervolting.
Note: If the crash happens during a BIOS update, it may permanently damage your motherboard. Ensure your board has Flashback protection and consider using an updated BIOS file (available for some models). Overheating is another risk—verify CPU temperatures and check thermal paste condition. Issues with the motherboard or power supply are less frequent but possible.