DPC_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT (0x00000102)
What is this error?
A Deferred Procedure Call (DPC) routine exceeded the watchdog timeout. A driver took too long in a time-critical operation.
Common causes
- SSD/NVMe driver issue
- network adapter driver bug
- GPU driver issue
- storage firmware bug
- driver deadlock
How to fix it
- Update storage and network drivers
- update SSD firmware
- disable ASPM
- check for driver conflicts
Too many steps? Crashless can diagnose this automatically — checks your drivers, temps, VRAM, and 400+ known error patterns.
Get free AI diagnosis Detailed analysis
Bug check 0x00000102 (DPC_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT) means a kernel DPC routine ran for too long. DPCs are time-critical operations — if one takes too long, the system hangs and crashes.
Often caused by storage drivers (NVMe/AHCI) or network adapter drivers, not just GPU drivers.
How to fix it:
- Update SSD/NVMe firmware from the manufacturer (Samsung Magician, WD Dashboard, etc.)
- Update storage controller drivers from your motherboard manufacturer's website
- Update network adapter drivers — especially Killer, Intel, or Realtek drivers
- Disable Link State Power Management: Power Options > Advanced > PCI Express > Link State Power Management > Off
- Disable ASPM in BIOS if the option is available
- Check the minidump for the specific driver stuck in DPC
- Update all chipset drivers from the motherboard manufacturer
- Run 'sfc /scannow' and 'DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth'
When to seek help
If this error keeps happening after trying the fixes above, it may point to a deeper hardware or system issue. Consider professional help if:
- The crash occurs across multiple games or applications
- You see the same error after a clean Windows install
- Your PC is less than a year old (could be a warranty issue)
- You smell burning or hear unusual sounds from your PC
Or let Crashless do the deep analysis for you -- our AI checks drivers, temps, event logs, and 400+ known patterns automatically.
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