When your computer screen suddenly turns blue while you’re working on something essential, it’s not nice. The device then displays an error message that reads Clock Watchdog Timeout. The Blue Screen Of Death, or simply BSOD, is as deadly dangerous as it appears.
The device shuts itself off and resumes as soon as the warning appears. Because the files are particularly prone to being corrupt, this could result in the loss of some crucial documents that you were working on at the time.
Such an error necessitates a complete reboot, which is inconvenient. Nonetheless, there are various solutions to this fatal error. This article seeks to provide a comprehensive overview of the problem’s causes and solutions.
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What Does Clock Watchdog Timeout Stand For?
The Blue Screen of Death, or BSOD, is the screen that appears when your device experiences a major malfunction. This notice causes the computer to freeze and requires a complete reboot to get it back up and running.
The computer is unable to handle the fault and issues a warning before restarting automatically. Importantly, the true issue begins when BSOD occurs frequently, making normal computer use difficult.
If you are working on essential files when the problem occurs, those files are likely to be lost when the system restarts. Because BSODs generally appear out of nowhere, the user will be caught off guard. It merely leaves the user befuddled, with his vital information lost for good.
BSOD can occur for a variety of causes, and determining the exact cause requires a proper diagnosis. Overheating, overloading or overclocking, damaged RAM or hard disc, and incompatible drivers are all possible culprits. It can also be caused by a virus assault or modifications in the registry.
Improper system shutdown, including forced shutdown, could potentially be the cause. If the problem is caused by malfunctioning hardware, it must be repaired or replaced. This necessitates a more thorough examination of the dump files.
If, on the other hand, the issue was caused by software, you must repair, uninstall, or upgrade the defective software.
How To Recover Windows 10 Clock Watchdog Timeout
Even if the problem appears to be irreversible, there are a number of options for resolving it. The following are some successful techniques for resolving the Clock Watchdog Timeout issue:
1. Stop Overclocking Your CPU
To begin, you must understand that this BSOD is frequently triggered by difficulties with the processor. As a result, you should check to see if your CPU is overclocked. Setting the frequency and speed of your processor to a higher value than the factory defaults is known as overclocking. Almost every CPU has a speed rating.
Pushing this grade any farther can result in a fun speed boost, but it’s a high-risk approach. However, you must proceed with caution because overheating can result in the system catching fire. It has the potential to permanently damage your computer and void warranties.
Getting your processor’s rate and frequency back to normal is mostly dependent on the programme you used to overclock it in the first place. While Intel and AMD have their own overclocking applications, there are a plethora of others to choose from.
2. External Devices and Drivers
It might cause system instability if the drivers are outdated and external devices such as a keyboard, mouse, printer, or webcam are incorrectly installed. In fact, BSOD issues are most commonly caused by this.
If the external devices are damaged, the error will continue to occur on a regular basis. This, however, is readily remedied by following the procedures below:
Step 1: To begin, go to the Start menu and type Device Manager into the Search field.
Step 2: Next, go to Device Manager and select View.
Step 3: Allow the option “Show hidden devices” to be enabled.
Step 4: Look for devices with error warnings near their names in the Device Manager.
Step 5: To expand the menu and continue searching, click on the arrow next to their name.
Step 6: Almost all hardware-caused BSODs have a fault with the Universal Serial Bus controllers, resulting in an Unknown USB Device error (Device Descriptor Request Failed).
Step 7: Shut down your computer and remove all USB devices one by one.
Step 8: While removing the hardware component that caused the BSOD, the previously displayed error will vanish.
Step 9: Reconnect all devices and deselect the “Show hidden devices” option if the error persists. Then, see if an Unknown USB Device appears. If it appears, disconnect each device one at a time until it vanishes.
Step 10: By doing so, you’ll be able to figure out which hardware is causing problems.
Step 11: Locate the problematic hardware in the USB controller by disconnecting it. Then select Uninstall from the context menu by right-clicking on it.
Step 12: Restart your computer to determine whether the Clock Watchdog Timeout problem has been resolved.
3. Using External Speakers to Play Your Music
When Windows changes between the two sets of speakers on a device with both internal and external speakers, an issue is likely to occur. While the speakers are being swapped, issues may emerge, but they are readily resolved.
However, you may not be able to use the internal speakers after detaching the other pair. Follow these procedures to resolve the problem:
Step 1: To begin, open your taskbar and right-click the Volume icon. Then choose Playback devices from the drop-down menu.
Step 2: To open the sound settings, stay in the Playback tab.
Step 3: Right-click on the speaker pair you wish to disable and select Disable from the menu.
Step 4: Make sure the other speaker is operational before proceeding. If you don’t, you won’t be able to play sound with either of the disabled speakers.
Step 5: Finally, restart the computer to verify whether the Clock Watchdog Timeout issue persists.
4. Update The BIOS
A microprocessor’s BIOS, or Basic Input Output System, is the programme that allows it to start up. The first software loaded by the system is the embedded software on the motherboard. As a result, from the moment you power on your computer, it may utilise all connected devices such as a mouse, keyboard, and CD drive.
In the event that your BIOS settings are unstable, your computer will be unable to function normally. In such cases, you should attempt updating BIOS, which can help you resolve most of the issues and improve the system’s performance. Follow the instructions below to upgrade your BIOS:
Step 1: First and foremost, you must determine which BIOS version is currently active in the machine. To find out, go to the Start menu and type msinfo into the Search box.
Step 2: Copy the BIOS version that appears below the Processor model for future reference.
Step 3: Determine whether your system was pre-assembled or assembled by hand by mixing individual components. This information is necessary since a BIOS designed for one component will not work with other components. If you use the improper BIOS to rewrite it, you’ll end up with a lot of problems.
Step 4: Prepare your PC for the upgrade. To avoid dangers, ensure sure your laptop’s battery is fully charged and plugged in to charge. Use an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) if it’s a computer to ensure the system doesn’t shut down during the process. During the update, make sure the system does not run out of power.
Step 5: The procedure for installing BIOS varies depending on the desktop manufacturer. You must go to your manufacturer’s website and update your system as necessary. To begin the BIOS update, enter your model number and choose the appropriate option.
5. Check To See If Your CPU Is Faulty
You must repair or replace the Central Processing Unit if it is damaged and continues to display faults. A defective CPU has the potential to harm the entire system. As a result, to get your PC to work normally, check to verify if the CPU is in good working order.
If you have any doubts, you should seek expert assistance. Obtain the services of an IT professional who can determine whether or not the equipment is malfunctioning. If the unit needs to be replaced, request the model that is most suited to your system.
6. Providing A Kernel Memory Dump
During a system crash, the Kernel Memory Dump saves the memory used by the kernel. It’s just approximately a third the size of the physical memory on the system. With the help of a Windows debugger, IT experts may view Kernel Memory Dump, which shows where the mistake is.
To solve this problem, follow the steps below:
Step 1: In the search bar, type Command Prompt and right-click it. Then choose the Run as administrator option.
Step 2: You’ll see a command that says exe/standard/all. Copy the command and paste it into the Command Prompt, then press Enter.
Step 3: The BSOD will be activated, and a log file will be saved in the Minidump folder on Local disc C.
Step 4: Go to the Get Debugging Tools for Windows part of the WinDbg section and download the SDK file.
Step 5: If you don’t want anything else but debugging tools, make sure you’ve unchecked everything else.
Step 6: Run the tool by typing windbg into the command prompt. Then locate and run the tool.
Step 7: Open Crash Dump from File and navigate to Local Disk C to locate the minidump file.
Step 8: Look for the line that says “Probably caused by” near the bottom of this file. This is an indication that indicates the driver who is most likely the source of the problem.
Step 9: Go to Device Manager and select Uninstall device to uninstall this driver.
Step 10: You can update it by selecting the Update driver button to save time.
7. Reset BIOS To Factory Settings
You can simply reset BIOS to its default settings if your Basic Input Output System is up to date or if you are not confident enough to install it yourself. If you are unsure how to install BIOS, it is best not to do anything hasty that could cause further damage to your system.
Step 1: Turn on your computer and press F8 to enter BIOS mode. Because you cannot use a mouse in BIOS, you must be conversant with the control keys.
Step 2: To set the defaults, press F9 and then enter.
Step 3: If it still doesn’t work, go to the Exit tab and select Load Setup Defaults from the drop-down menu. Then press the enter key.
Step 4: Choose Exit Saving Changes and restart your computer.
Step 5: Restart your computer and see whether the Blue Screen Of Death occurs.
8. Remove Virtual Image Managers
Optical and virtual discs are created using virtual image tools like Daemon Tools and Alcohol 120 percent. The majority of these tools have a BSOD link. As a result, if a BSOD problem occurs, it is safer to remove them or replace the present one with an alternative.
Follow these methods to uninstall virtual image managers:
Step 1: Select Settings from the Start menu.
Step 2: Go to the Apps area and find the programme you want to remove. Then select uninstall.
Step 3: On the screen, instructions will appear. To finish the process, follow the steps.
9. Avoid Overheating Your Computer
One of the most common causes of system failure is overheating. If you run a PC with a poor cooling system for an extended period of time, it will most likely freeze or crash.
Step 1: Allowing the system to breathe is the first step in preventing overheating. Remove anything that is obstructing the system’s ventilation.
Step 2: Clean your computer’s internal fans, which may be dirty.
Step 3: Replace the internal fan of the CPU with a more powerful one.
Step 4: Don’t overclock your system to the point where it overheats.
Install a water cooling kit if the heat build-up is uncontrollably high.
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Conclusion
The Blue Screen of Death is inconvenient, especially when we are working on something critical. Worse, if the machine restarts, you may lose your important files. BSODs can happen for a variety of causes, and there are a lot of solutions to fix Clock Watchdog Timeout.
Even without professional assistance, you may try most of the methods on your own. I’ve tried to explain each solution in depth in this article. I hope you found this information useful.
