DisplayLink causing blue screens (dpc_watchdog_violation) on Microsoft Surface Pro 2 Tablet

Hello,

Have you guys come across a problem with the Plugable UD-3000 docking station causing blue screens with Microsoft Surface Pro 2 tablets? I have just started experiencing these. The error with the blue screen is DPC_Watchdog_Violation. Rather than regurgitate, it looks like this is becoming an issue and has been researched with Microsoft Support here: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/wi….

Any ideas? I have installed the latest DisplayLink software v7.5.54609. Surface Pro 2 with Windows 8.1.

Thanks.

Hi Mike,

Thanks for posting this problem! Sorry for the frustration. That Microsoft thread has great detail.

We hadn’t seen this yet (perhaps because this is with the new DisplayLink 7.5 M2 driver version). But we’ll want to make sure DisplayLink is aware of that thread. We’ll open a bug with them to track it.

To try to find a workaround while DisplayLink looks at this – could you uninstall the DisplayLink drivers and install one major version back (7.4 M4), available towards the bottom of the page here:
http://displaylink.com/support/downlo…

Since the 7.4 series has been good for several months of deployments, I’m assuming this older version won’t have the issue. If it does, we’ll know it’s some other aspect of the system (Windows or Intel driver) that’s a contributing factor.

Would you be able to give that a try and let us know?

Thanks for your patience!
Bernie

Thanks for the reply Bernie. I have followed your advice and I am running the 7.4 M4 build of the Display Link software. So far so good. Hopefully this keeps up. I’ll keep you posted.

Mike

Hi Mike,

That’s great news. Thank you!

Could you help with one other things – we’ve opened a bug with DisplayLink (Ticket #2014041642000055) and have a dialog going with them, but need some more information about your system to track down what might be contributing to the DPC timeout (since we only have these two reports of it so far).

Would you be able to run DisplayLink’s debug tool and email the .zip it generates to support@plugable.com? Here’s how: http://www.displaylink.com/support/ti…

If you mail it to us (and include a link to this thread so we have context), we can attach to our open issue with DisplayLink. Thanks so much for your help!

Bernie

Did you get to the bottom of this issue? I have a client that’s experiencing similar symptoms, I can’t get to her until Friday, but I’ll try what you’ve suggested above. Would like to hear there’s a better fix than a rollback of the driver though. 

I have a Surface Pro 2 that is experiencing the same problems. Has there been any update on this issue?

Hey Guys,

I posted this over at DisplayLink’s support forums here: http://www.displaylink.org/forum/show…. Unfortunately they have not be able to resolve this to date. Not sure they have any idea what to do at this point based upon their lack of response.

I can say that this has plagued both the original Surface Pro and the Surface Pro 2 but, the Surface Pro 3 works great! Not sure what that means given Microsoft changed the video in the Pro 3.

Mike

I had a similar problem with a Surface Pro. I am using the DisplayLink Plugable docking station. The Surface Pro Although not plugged in at the time flickered a time or two trying to boot up and then went blue screen and I couldn’t get it to re-boot. I returned to Best Buy under warranty. They couldn’t get it to respond and eventually replaced it with an upgrade to a Surface Pro 2. I have operated it since March 2014 with no problems till this morning. After shutting it down yesterday evening, I came in to my office and booted up. It went to a blue screen with no other indications or signs. I unplugged it from the DisplayLink and went to battery and still nothing. About 15 minutes later after holding the switch for about 15 seconds it finally booted and have had no problems since. it would be good to know if this is a DisplayLink problem or a Surface problem. I was thinking of purchasing a Pro 3 but am having second thoughts with this occurance. I have not added any software or had any upgrades that I know of, this was just out of the blue?

Thanks for posting William. I’m not sure. It may be an unrelated one-time issue since it only happened once since March, but we’d like to check.  Would you be able to generate debug logs and email to us?  Here’s how:  http://plugable.com/support/plugdebug and just also include a link to this page so we can connect your logs up with this post. Apologies and thanks for letting us know!  Bernie