how to fix often blue screen error while using vs code?

Question

On Sat 5/23/2026 5:45:00 PM your computer crashed or a problem was reported

Crash dump file:	C:\Windows\Minidump\052326-16609-01.dmp (Minidump)
Crash dump file:	C:\Windows\Minidump\052326-16609-01.dmp (Minidump)
Bugcheck code:	0x133(0x1, 0x1E00, 0xFFFFF8072ACFB320, 0x0)
Bugcheck name:	DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION
Bug check description:	The DPC watchdog detected a prolonged run time at an IRQL of DISPATCH_LEVEL or above. This could be caused by either a non-responding driver or non-responding hardware. This bug check can also occur because of overheated CPUs (thermal issue).
Analysis:	This is likely caused by a hardware problem, but there is a possibility that this is caused by a misbehaving driver. This bugcheck indicates that a timeout has occurred. This may be caused by a hardware failure such as a thermal issue or a bug in a driver for a hardware device. Read this article on thermal issues A full memory dump will likely provide more useful information on the cause of this particular bugcheck.

Answer 1

Please upload any minidump files you have, I will check those to see if they provide any insight into a potential cause of the system crashes.

Please do not upload a very large Memory.dmp file.

Open Windows File Explorer.

Navigate to C:\Windows\Minidump

Copy any minidump files onto your Desktop, then zip those up.

Upload the zip file to the Cloud (OneDrive... etc.), then choose to share those and get a share link.

Then post the link here to the zip file, so I can take a look for you.

Answer 2

The DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION (0x133) indicates that Windows detected a long‑running operation at a high interrupt level, usually due to a faulty/blocked driver or hardware issue, sometimes aggravated by thermal problems. Visual Studio Code itself runs in user mode and is unlikely to be the root cause; it more likely triggers an underlying driver or hardware problem.

Follow these steps on Windows 10 to troubleshoot recurring blue screens:

1. Remove or disconnect any recently added hardware
   • Shut down the PC and unplug any new USB devices, external drives, docks, or other peripherals added around the time the crashes started.
   • If internal hardware (RAM, SSD, PCIe card) was recently installed, temporarily remove or reseat it and test again.
2. Boot into Safe Mode and check stability
   • If crashes make normal boot difficult, start Windows 10 in Safe Mode (see “Start your PC in safe mode in Windows 10” from the referenced article).
   • Use the system in Safe Mode for a while. If the blue screen does not occur there, this strongly points to a third‑party driver or software component.
3. Check Device Manager for driver issues
   • Right‑click Start → Device Manager.
   • Look for any devices with a yellow exclamation mark (!).
   • For such devices, right‑click → Update driver.
   • If updating does not help, temporarily Disable or Uninstall the device and test.
4. Update storage, chipset, and GPU drivers
   • Because DPC watchdog violations are often related to storage or other low‑level drivers, ensure the latest drivers from the PC or motherboard manufacturer are installed for:
     • SATA/NVMe storage controller
     • Chipset drivers
     • Graphics adapter
   • After updating, monitor whether blue screens still occur when using VS Code.
5. Check for Windows updates
   • Go to Start → Settings → Update & Security → Windows Update → “Check for Windows updates”.
   • Install all available updates, including optional driver updates if offered.
6. Check for thermal or hardware issues
   • Ensure fans and vents are not blocked and the system is not overheating, especially under light workloads when VS Code is running.
   • Run the hardware diagnostics supplied by the system or motherboard manufacturer to test CPU, memory, and storage.
7. Run Windows Memory Diagnostics
   • Open Control Panel, search for “Memory”, then select “Diagnose your computer’s memory problems”.
   • Let the test run and then check Event Viewer → Windows Logs → System for the “MemoryDiagnostics-Results” entry.
8. Scan for disk corruption or malware
   • Run a full antivirus scan to rule out malware that might corrupt drivers or system files.
   • Check disks for errors using the manufacturer’s tools or built‑in diagnostics.
9. Analyze crash dumps for the exact driver
   • If crashes persist, configure the system to generate memory dumps and use WinDbg to analyze them:
     • Ensure the system is set to create at least a small memory dump (minidump) or a complete memory dump.
     • Use the Windows debuggers (WinDbg) and the !analyze extension to identify the faulting driver or module, as described in the references.
   • If a specific third‑party driver is consistently implicated, update, roll back, or uninstall that driver.
10. Use Driver Verifier (advanced)

• As a more advanced step, run Driver Verifier (verifier from an elevated command prompt) to stress‑test non‑Microsoft drivers.
• Configure it to verify only suspected third‑party drivers to avoid unnecessary overhead.
• If Driver Verifier quickly triggers a blue screen, analyze the new dump to see which driver fails.

If the system remains stable under all other workloads and only crashes with VS Code open, still treat VS Code as the trigger rather than the cause: focus on low‑level drivers (storage, GPU, antivirus, USB, virtualization) that are active when editing files, using extensions, or accessing source control.

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References:

• Troubleshooting Windows unexpected restarts and stop code errors
• Bug checks (stop code errors)
• Advanced troubleshooting for stop code errors
• How to read the small memory dump file that is created by Windows if a crash occurs
• Analyze bug check (stop code error) data