Need Help With DRC Watchdog Violation Error - Laptop locking Up On Startup Nitro 5Acer Nitro AN515-5

EVERY time I do a windows 10 update my Nitro 5 freezes up and I have to do a hard reset one or two times.

This happens EVERY TIME I have done a windows update over the past 2 years (probably 10 times in that 2 year period)!

Each time, after 2-3 hard resets (shutting off computer with on/off switch), it finally stops freezing up and works properly.

I am worried each time that it may not come back up...luckily it has so far.....but it is nerve-wracking!

Have seen several possible fixes on YouTube and elsewhere but not sure which one/s to try as many of the fixes are apparently outdated (my PC purchased in Oct 18) and/or many don't apply to my laptop as the drivers they propose replacing are not even being used on my later PC.

Performance is not much of an issue for me just want to get it running so that it is usable.

Any thoughts on how to correct this? I like this computer very much when it is working properly!

PC Specs:

Processor Manufacturer Intel®

Processor Type Core™ i5

Processor Generation 8th Gen

Processor Model i5-8300H

Processor Core Quad-core (4 Core™)

Processor Speed 2.30 GHz

Maximum Turbo Speed 4 GHz

Cache 8 MB

64-bit Processing Yes

Chipset Manufacturer Intel®

Chipset Model HM370

Memory Standard Memory 8 GB

Maximum Memory 32 GB

Memory Technology DDR4 SDRAM

Number of Total Memory Slots 2

Memory Card Reader Yes

Memory Card Supported SD

Memory Card Supported SDXC

Storage Drive Type SSD

Total Solid State Drive Capacity 256 GB

Optical Drive Type No

Screen Size 15.6"

Display Screen Type LCD

Display Screen Technology ComfyView

Display Screen Technology In-plane Switching (IPS) Technology

Aspect Ratio 16:9

Screen Mode Full HD

Screen Resolution 1920 x 1080

Backlight Technology LED

HDCP Supported Yes

Graphics Controller Manufacturer NVIDIA®

Graphics Controller Model GeForce® GTX 1050 Ti

Graphics Memory Capacity Up to 4 GB

Graphics Memory Technology GDDR5

Graphics Memory Accessibility Dedicated

TV Card No

Network & Communication Wireless LAN Yes

Wireless LAN Standard IEEE 802.11ac

Ethernet Technology Gigabit Ethernet

Bluetooth Yes

Built-in Devices Front Camera/Webcam Yes

Front Camera/Webcam Video Resolution 1280 x 720

Microphone Yes

Number of Microphones 2

Finger Print Reader No

Speakers Yes

Number of Speakers 2

Sound Mode Stereo

Interfaces/Ports HDMI Yes

Total Number of USB Ports 4

Number of USB 2.0 Ports 2

Number of USB 3.0 Ports 1

Number of USB 3.1 Gen 1 Ports 1

USB Type-C Yes

USB Type-C Detail

USB Type-C port: USB 3.1 Gen 1 (up to 5 Gbps)

Network (RJ-45) Yes

Headphone/Microphone Combo Port Yes

Software Operating System Platform

Windows Operating System Windows 10 Home

Operating System Architecture 64-bit

Input Devices Keyboard Yes

Numeric Pad Yes

Keyboard Backlight Yes

Keyboard Localization English

Pointing Device Type TouchPad

TouchPad Features Multi-touch Gesture

Battery Information Number of Cells 4-cell

Battery Chemistry Lithium Ion (Li-Ion)

Battery Capacity 3320 mAh

Power Description Maximum Power Supply Wattage 135 W

Certifications & Standards ACPI 5.0

Accepted answers

All comments

Commodore_1995#

This error can occur for several reasons such as: problems with drivers, windows, bios and can even be related for some ssds, see: https://www.crucial.com/support/articles-faq-ssd/watchdogviolationerror

1RobComputer

Thanks for the follow-up. I purchased my laptop in Oct 2018, so I am not sure I have the Critical P1 SSDs. Also I am unable to find out how to enter my bios settings as I have a later version of windows 10 and apparently the bios setting are somewhere under System and Security. Am a bit nervous about accidentally erasing or resetting something! So far I have updated my intel drivers (4 total) to see if that will help. Any further thoughts would be appreciated and thanks in advance for your help.

Commodore_1995#

Go to the cortana and type INFORMATION SYSTEM and the send a screenshot:

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6029997/uploads/editor/6p/t601t4r8sovk.png

1RobComputer

Hi....here is the Bios info:

BIOS Version/Date Insyde Corp. V1.19, 7/13/2018

Commodore_1995#

What is the exact model? Example PH315-52-58VH.

1RobComputer

Acer Nitro AN515-53

Commodore_1995#

As it is a sporadic problem, I think it is not worrying. Now, does the event viewer register an error when the dpc watchdog appears? Does the same problem occur when updating the bios to version 1.28?

1RobComputer

Hi -

I could not find anything in the event viewer related to this watchdog error, but I am not that familiar with working with the event viewer, and may have not seen the error.

I have not updated my bios to 1.28 yet, as I don't know how to do it. Do you think that would help? Also is there a YouTube video about how to do it safely so that I do not destroy my computer?

Thanks very much for you help so far, it is much appreciated.

Commodore_1995#

Maybe. But I would try to update the drivers first, to see if it solves the problem.

1RobComputer

I have already updated all 4 intel drivers....and there was no improvement.

This morning I had to do 2 hard resets on the computer (was really worried that it might not open at all!!!).

I had heard that hard wired connections may cause the problem and I tried disconnecting the 2 hard wired connections that I have to my computer**.

Doing this seems to help as I was able to shut down and start up again without a problem after disconnecting them. So perhaps this will prove to be an answer that will help. Perhaps the Seagate is causing this issue? Perhaps the ethernet connection to the router is the problem? I am guessing the Seagate would be the bigger issue.

Will keep you informed. And again, thanks for your willingness to help.

** They are:
1) Ethernet connection to router
2) Seagate expansion portable drive

1RobComputer

Problem is worse than ever. Had to hard reset 3 times today to get computer up. Apparently hard line connections didn't have anything to do with the problem after all. Modify bios settings next you think?

Commodore_1995#

Can you check if the same problem occurs by changing the slot ram?

1RobComputer

I have done the following so far, all of which have been known to cause the error:

Plugged and unplugged all incoming cables to see if a damaged cable is causing the error. The only cables to the laptop are: 1) ethernet cable to Router, and 2) Seagate Portable Drive cable. The error occurs even when all cables are unplugged so this is not the cause.
Updated all the intel drivers, including the SSD driver, which has in particular, been known to cause the error.
Ran chkdsk in DOS to fix any corrupt files. Results of chkdsk said that corrupt files were found and repaired.
Turned off “Link State Power Management” which has been known to cause the error.

I am not knowledgeable enough to work on the slot ram but am wondering if updating the bios may be a good next step to take. But not sure how update the bios safely. Is there a way to do this in windows, or is there a windows tool to update bios? In other words should I go from bios 1.19 (my current one) to 1.28 (the latest one)? Or is there something else that may be causing the watchdog error?

1RobComputer

Update.......Just found a YouTube Video (below) that shows how to update Acer bios. Did so. Now at 1.28. We'll see what happens.

https://www.google.com/search?q=how+to+update+bios+acer+computer&rlz=1C1JZAP_enUS826US826&oq=how+to+update+bios+acer+computer&aqs=chrome..69i57j0i22i30j0i390l2.7754j0j15&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#kpvalbx=_fRM9YOr1EJyr0PEPiIqbgAE27

1RobComputer

From last time there is some improvement. I don't have to reboot the laptop manually, but it does reboot ITSELF when starting up. Still looking for a permanent fix.

Next I ran the Windows memory diagnostic tool....no problems were found.

I don't think I have the Optane memory (only SSDs) but there is a driver update* on the Acer web site listed under my model number (model Nitro 5 AN515-53-55G9).

* It is listed as: IRST (Intel® Rapid Storage Technology) Driver Hot Fix 16.7.8.1024

Should I download this driver?

Wondering if the problem might be hardware related now.

Been doing this on START-UP 0NLY since purchase in Dec 2018.

Commodore_1995#

Can you check the health of your hard drive and ssd with crystaldiskinfo?

Commodore_1995#

Does your model come with an intel 760p ssd? There is a firmware update:

Firmware

Intel

Intel 760P SSD Firmware update

04C

9.9 MB

2019/01/04

download

1RobComputer

Does your model come with an intel 760p ssd? There is a firmware update:

Firmware

Intel

Intel 760P SSD Firmware update

04C

9.9 MB

2019/01/04

download

I think I got the above update installed although it popped out of dos in just a few seconds before I could confirm that the download had occurred. Will see what happens. Thanks.

If no improvement will try crystaldiskinfo next.

Commodore_1995#

Is the problem still occurring?

1RobComputer

Yes....

1) it always happens only on start up, never when just using the compute normally....only on start up.

2) it seems to mostly (or only) to happen when left to sit unused overnight....thus it happens mainly when first turned on for use in the morning.

If it is turned on and off during the day it seems to not to happen very often or at all.

Perhaps it is not happening when the computer is warmed up and being used, but it is happening after it has been sitting overnight and is cooled down totally?

Am planning to run crystaldiskinfo next.

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