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How to Fix the Clock Watchdog

Timeout Error in Windows
Running into the Clock Watchdog Timeout Error in
Windows? Here's how you Fx it once and for all.
BY GAVIN PHILLIPS UPDATED JUN 28, 2022

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Hitting a Windows bluescreen of death is never a

nice feeling. Is it a simple system error? Or is the
bluescreen error the sign of something more
serious?

The Clock Watchdog Timeout Error is one of those

cryptic bluescreen crash messages. If you're
experiencing a clock watchdog timeout error,
here's how you should Fx it.

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What Is the Clock Watchdog Timeout

Error?

A CLOCK_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT error relates to

your system hardware, speciFcally indicating an
issue with how your system and processor are
communicating.

When you ask your computer to do something, the

operating system tells the CPU, "interrupting" the
processor to tell it what's happening. This is a
system-level process known as a "system
interrupt" and is a completely normal Windows
function. However, if the system spends too long
at the interrupt phase, known as the interrupt
request level (IRQL), you'll encounter a bluescreen
error.

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There are a few bluescreen error messages that

can occur when this occurs, and the clock
watchdog timeout error is one of the most
common. The clock refers to the CPU, while the
watchdog is the process monitoring the interrupt.
Funnily enough, the watchdog has its own stop
code error, which is just as frustrating!

How to Fix the Clock Watchdog Timeout

Error

You can Fx a clock watchdog timeout error fairly

easily, but it does depend on which bit of hardware
is causing the error. Most Fxes revolve around
checking your hardware and drivers, as these are
the components attempting to communicate with
your CPU.

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Here is a list of the most common Fxes for this

issue.

1. Restart Your System

The most basic and easy Fx is to restart your

system. A clock watchdog timeout error isn't
necessarily the indicator that your system is
failing. It might be a bug that you can resolve with
a quick and easy restart.

2. Check and Reseat Your Hardware

Your second Fx is one that can Fx many Windows

issues, and that's to reseat your system hardware.
If something has become loose in your PC case, it
can create system errors. That could mean a loose
cable, out-of-place drive, unseated RAM, or
anything else in between. The following video
explains how to reseat your hardware and check
everything is secure:

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Clean Your Computer

While you're in there, give your computer a clean.

Dust build-up will kill your hardware. It is one of the
worst things for your computer, and it builds up
over time. Remember, your PC is like any other bit
of hardware you own. Take care of it, and it'll last
longer.

3. Update Windows 10 or Windows 11

Next up, check if there are any pending Windows

10 or Windows 11 updates. A pending Windows
update may contain a bug Fx that your system is
waiting for.

On Windows 10: Press Windows Key + I, then

head to Update & Security > Windows Update.
If an update is available, download and install
it.
On Windows 11: Press Windows Key + I, then
select Windows Update from the left-hand
menu. If an update is available, download and
install it.

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4. Update Drivers

Updating your system drivers features in almost all

Windows bluescreen error Fx lists. There's a good
reason for that. If a system driver becomes
corrupt or buggy, it can cause its associated
hardware to throw up error messages, such as the
clock watchdog timeout error.

It isn't always clear if a driver error is causing an

issue. Windows 10 and Windows 11 take care of
your driver updates automatically, but things can
slip through the net, and that can lead to the clock
watchdog timeout error. You can check for driver
errors manually via the Device Manager.

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Type device manager in the Start Menu search bar

and select the Best Match. Check down the list for
any yellow error indicators. If there aren't any, it is
unlikely a driver is the source of the issue.
However, if you want to double-check, you can
attempt to update each driver manually.

windows 10 device manager update drivers

For example, Unfurl the Disk drives section, then

right-click the driver for your SSD and select
Update driver. Select Search automatically for
updated driver software to let Windows automate
the update process for you.

5. Uninstall New Software

Have you installed any new applications recently?

Did your clock watchdog timeout error start after
installing the new software? If so, you should
remove the new software, reboot your system, and
check if the error continues.

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Input programs in your Start Menu search bar and

select the Best Match. Switch the Sort by
dropdown menu to Install date, sorting the list of
programs by the installation date. Uninstall any
programs installed recently, then reboot your
system.

6. Run SFC and CHKDSK

The Windows Fle system works well. That is until

it doesn't, and errors start appearing. One way to
Fx errors relating to system Fles is to repair them
using Windows inbuilt System File Check (SFC).
This integrated system tool scans for and Fxes
errors automatically.

Before running the SFC command, it is important

to check it is working properly. To do this, we use
the Deployment Image Servicing and Management
tool, or DISM.

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Like SFC, DISM is an integrated Windows utility

with many functions. In this case, the DISM
Restorehealth command ensures that our next Fx
will work properly.

Work through the following steps.

1. Type Command Prompt (Admin) in the Start

menu search bar, then right-click and select
Run as administrator to open an elevated
Command Prompt.
2. Type the following command and press Enter:
DISM /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth
3. Wait for the command to complete. The
process can take up to 20 minutes, depending
on your system's health. The process seems
stuck at certain times, but wait for it to
complete.
4. When the process completes, type sfc
/scannow and press Enter.

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CHKDSK is another Windows system tool that

checks your Fle structure. Unlike SFC, CHKDSK
scans your entire drive for errors, whereas SFC
scans your Windows system Fles speciFcally. Like
SFC, run the CHKDSK scan from the Command
Prompt to Fx your machine.

1. Type command prompt in your Start menu

search bar, then right-click the best match and
select Run as administrator. (Alternatively,
press Windows Key + X, then select Command
Prompt (Admin) from the menu.)
2. Next, type chkdsk /r and press Enter. The
command will scan your system for errors and
Fx any issues along the way.

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7. Run the Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool

You can use the integrated Windows Memory

Diagnostic to check if your RAM is causing the
error (available on both Windows 10 and Windows
11). The Windows Memory Diagnostic scans your
RAM, checking for errors that could cause your
system to crash. You cannot run it within
Windows. You have to start the tool, then restart
your system to allow the tool to scan your RAM.

Type Windows Memory Diagnostic into your Start

menu search bar and select the Best Match.

Now, you can set the tool to run immediately or run

the next time you restart your system. As you're
attempting to Fx the clock watchdog timeout
bluescreen error, run the tool immediately, but
save any work Frst.

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The Windows Memory Diagnostic will run

automatically after reboot.

The log Fle, however, isn't apparent after you boot

back into Windows. Press Windows key + X and
select Event Viewer from the power menu. In the
Event Viewer, select Event Viewer (Local) >
Windows Logs > System.

Then, in the right-hand column, select Find and

type MemoryDiagnostic into the box. Hit Find
Next. Your diagnostic results will display at the
bottom of the window.

From there, you need to investigate any speciFc

errors the Windows Memory Diagnostic throws up.

8. Remove Overclock Settings

If you have overclocked your system hardware to

squeeze out some extra performance, you might
encounter the clock watchdog timeout error. Given
the nature of overclocking your system, there are
no speciFc instructions on offer in this tutorial.
That's because overclocking is unique to your
hardware, and you'll have to roll your system back
using speciFc applications or system settings.

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