FIX: Wdf_violation BSoD error on Windows 10
- When getting the wdf_violation Blue Screen of Death error, you're entitled to suspect an issue related to your device's drivers.
- The problem causes Windows to crash and stop working and the OS will attempt to restart the PC.
- You can perform a Disk Check and System Repair if the issue was caused by a corrupted file.
Blue Screen of Death errors usually indicate that there’s a hardware problem or one related to your PC’s drivers, and should be taken seriously.
If left unresolved, these crashes will cause permanent damage, primarily to your HDD, but other components can also be affected.
As a result, the storage will slowly lose its integrity until it becomes fully corrupt. Once that happens, the piece of hardware will stop working.
You will lose all your files, and there is no software that can recover them from a corrupt and compromised HDD, so your data will be gone for good. In fact, storage issues can often cause these problems. Make sure to check your HDD regularly for any problems.
We found out that the wdf_violation BSoD error prevents them from starting Windows 10, so let’s see some similar issues, what are the main causes, and how to fix this problem right away.
Similar issues
The wdf_violation issue is not the only one of this type. Here are some similar problems that users have encountered:
- Wdf_violation Windows 10 loop – In some cases, the PC may be in a wdf_violation loop that prevents it from entering Windows 10. To fix the problem, enter Safe Mode and try to delete the problematic driver.
- Wdf_violation Lenovo – This issue was reported by Lenovo users, and if you’re using a Lenovo device, you can try some of our solutions and check if that solves your problem.
- Wdf_violation Windows 10 HP – A number of users reported this inconvenience on HP devices as well. There’s no universal solution for HP computers, so you can try any solution from our article.
- Wdf_violation Windows 8 – This error can appear on any version of Windows, and even if you don’t use Windows 10, you should be able to apply almost all solutions from this article to Windows 8.
- Wdf_violation Razer – Sometimes, this issue can occur due to your hardware or USB peripherals. If that’s the case, disconnect all your USB devices and try to start your PC again.
- Wdf_violation on startup, crash – This problem can occur due to third-party applications on your PC, and in order to fix the issue, it’s advised to find and remove the problematic applications.
Main BSoD causes
Generally, these types of crashes happen due to issues with the device’s hardware, its drivers, or corrupted system files.
When Windows encounters a STOP error also known as a critical failure, the system will crash and stop working. As a last resort, the OS will attempt to restart the PC.
A blue screen occurs when Windows encounters a STOP error. This critical failure causes Windows to crash and stop working. The only thing Windows can do at that point is to restart the PC.
BSoD errors over the years
When the crash occurs, a different message will be displayed to you depending on what Windows version you are using.
Windows XP, Vista, and 7 show a dark-blue screen containing lots of information about the cause of the crash, and some tips on how to solve it.
Starting with Windows 8, and continuing with Windows 10, the blue screens were changed to only display the stop code error at best, and use a lighter blue for the background.
Additionally, a section containing a link and a QR code that can be scanned with your phone was also added to help the user troubleshoot the problem.
Windows 11 also changed the BSoD errors slightly, making the background black instead of blue. The text and QR code are the same.
Regardless of the way they look, these crashes must be solved as soon as possible. That being said, we’ve comprised a list with some working solutions for you to check out.
How do I fix the wdf_violation BSoD error on Windows 10?
1. Remove the problematic software
- Press the Windows Key + S to open search, type in Control Panel and press Enter.
- In the Control Panel window, select Uninstall a program.
- Find the problemativ software, right-click on it and select Uninstall.
- Wait for the process to be over and Restart your computer.
2. Update your drivers
- Press the Windows Key and type in Device Manager.
- Expand Display adapters, then right-click on your GPU.
- Select Update driver.
- Then, select Search automatically for drivers.
3. Use the Check Disk command
- Press the Windows Key to open the Start Menu.
- In the search box, type Command Prompt and start it as administrator.
- After the CMD launches, type in the following command and press Enter:
chkdsk C: /f /r /x
- Replace the X with the letter of your drive you wish to check.
- Let the process complete.
Once you manage to boot the Windows, there are lots of solutions that can prevent the problem from occurring again. The most important one is performing a Disk Check.
Sometimes people aren’t sure what the exact cause is for their crashes. BSoDs can be hard to pinpoint. If a file on your device is causing problems but you aren’t willing to completely restore the system, there are other ways.
For example, Restoro will scan your PC thoroughly for corrupted or problematic files. Once the culprit has been found, the tool will quarantine it and take other safety measures. Most likely, it will attempt to restore the file to an uncorrupted state.
If that isn’t possible, the software will instead replace it with an uncorrupted version from its database that is constantly updated and contains crucial Windows files.
4. Perform a System Repair
- Insert the installation DVD or USB and boot Windows 10 from it.
- In the Windows Setup page, select the Language, Time and currency format, and the Keyboard inputs method, then click Next.
- Now, click on Repair your computer and select Troubleshoot.
- Click on Advanced Options.
- Then, select Startup Repair to initiate the process.
The wdf_violation error will most likely cause the device to be stuck in the startup loop, which means that you won’t be able to access your desktop or any file that could help solve the problem.
If that’s the case, the only option left is to create an installation media, set up the USB boot in the BIOS, then perform a Startup Repair using the CD/USB.
5. Disable USB ports in BIOS
- Restart your computer.
- During the restart, you will briefly see a message telling what key to press to open the BIOS/SETUP.
- Press that key (it might be a different one from the image below, depending on your motherboard’s manufacturer).
- Once the BIOS opens, you’ll need to go to Advanced Tab, then Miscellaneous Devices.
- Next, select External USB Ports and Disable it.
- Save the changes and restart your computer.
NOTE
Any USB device can cause the problem, so you might want to try disconnecting all the peripherals. There are even reports that the issue was caused by cameras.
To fix it, disconnect all the devices and plug them back in one by one to determine which one is the culprit. For other problems related to ports, check out this article dedicated to fixing USB ports that aren’t working.
6. Uninstall the Bluetooth driver in Safe Mode
- Restart your PC a couple of times during the boot sequence.
- Alternatively, click the Power icon on the profile selection screen, press and hold the Shift key and choose Restart from the menu.
- A list of options will now appear. Select Troubleshoot.
- Then Advanced options.
- Next, select Startup Settings.
- Click the Restart button.
- When your PC restarts you’ll see a list of options. Press 4 or F4 to select Safe Mode.
- Press Windows Key + X to open Win + X menu.
- Now choose Device Manager from the list.
- Now locate your Bluetooth driver, right-click, and choose Uninstall device.
- Then, check Delete driver software for this device and click Uninstall to confirm.
Windows has a special segment called Safe Mode, and you can take advantage of it to troubleshoot various issues. It uses the default drivers, therefore it’s perfect if you can’t boot your system.
After entering Safe Mode, you need to find and remove the problematic driver. Many users claim that a Bluetooth driver caused this issue for them, and you can remove it by doing as detailed above.
Then, restart your PC and try to start Windows 10 again. Keep in mind that other drivers can cause this problem, so don’t focus only on the Bluetooth driver.
It’s also worth mentioning that sometimes the driver can automatically reinstall, so you’ll need to block Windows 10 from automatically installing drivers.
In some cases, the wdf_violation error can appear due to problematic software. Certain third-party applications might not be fully compatible with Windows 10, and that can cause errors.
To fix the problem, it’s advised to remove the problematic application from the PC. Keep in mind that you need to remove this app completely in order to permanently fix the problem.
7. Perform a System Restore
- Press the Windows Key + S to open search,and enter system restore.
- Choose Create a restore point from the list of results.
- In the System Properties window click System Restore.
- When the System Restore window opens, click Next.
- If available, check Show more restore points option and select the desired restore point.
- Now click Next to proceed.
- Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the restoration process.
Another tool that can help you fix the wdf_violation BSoD error is System Restore. In case you’re not familiar, your system automatically creates restore points after installing new software or an update.
You can use these restore points to restore your system and fix problems such as this one.
What safety measures should I take in case of repeated BSoDs?
Unfortunately, nobody can predict problems like these. You always have to be on guard and keep in mind that the number one safety measure is regularly saving your work. Doesn’t matter if you are designing something, writing an article, or playing a game.
Take your time and save the changes you made once in a while. This will reassure you that you won’t lose too much of the progress made during work.
Creating restore points is also a good idea. If your data gets corrupted in any way you can always go back to a restore point before the corruption occurred.
If you are unlucky enough to get a blue screen that compromises the system’s files, you will lose documents that might be really important.
That’s why backing up the data is mandatory in case of an emergency. There are plenty of tools that will create regular backups and upload them into an external cloud to keep your data safe.
Wdf_violation BSoD errors can be rather problematic on Windows 10 and should be treated as a serious matter, but we hope that some of our solutions were helpful to you.
Please tell us in a comment below if you solved the issue following our suggestions or if there are some others that we should include in our list.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
It indicates that Windows encountered a problem with a device driver that is based on the Windows Driver Framework. Follow our quick guide on how to fix the issues related to wdf_violation.
-
There are many things you can do. We recommend that you check out this article dedicated to fixing BSoD errors on Windows 10.
-
Blue screen errors stop all activity on the computer in order to protect it. It might cause data corruption so you need to identify the reason for the problem. Check our BSoD error codes collection and fix any BSoD issues.
