SOLVED wdf_violation

[prmaws]

I awoke this morning to a "sad face" and the notice that I have a wdf_violation on my pc. I upgraded to Windows 10 a week ago and now this. I cannot start the computer. I tried to us the F8 key and that failed miserably. I am currently loading ISO files from https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/techbench to a disc based upon what I read on a previous thread. The only problem is that I am not sure what to do with that disc once I am done nor just what this will let me do. Anyone out there that can tell me?

I had not gotten around to creating a recovery disc so I do not have that to fall back on.

I assume that I will get my computer back and operational in the long run but when I do I am going back to Windows 8.1 if I can figure out how to do that. In researching this issue I find that it is very common with Windows 10. How can a company put out a product like this that ties up a person's computer and not provide good support for such problems? It gets harder and harder to stay with Microsoft when they release junk like this and do not provide solid support.

 

[Aputernut]

The problem stems from ITunes, and compatibility issues, W10 fails are happening with Norton software as well and would be best to uninstall before installing the new W10 OS, then later download and install, hopefully an updated more compatible version for W10.

 

[prmaws]

The problem stems from ITunes, and compatibility issues, W10 fails are happening with Norton software as well and would be best to uninstall before installing the new W10 OS, then later download and install, hopefully an updated more compatible version for W10.

Thank you for that but it does not help me to get my computer running so that I can remove ITunes or reload Windows 8.1. Right now that is what I need help with. I will not be staying with Windows 10... that is for certain!

 

[BigFeet]

Can you get to the login screen? If so click the power button in the lower right hand corner, and select restart while holding the shift key. After windows reboots a screen will pop up. Select troubleshoot, then select advanced options, then select startup settings. Select restart when prompted. When the PC restarts you'll have a startup settings screen. Select 4 to boot to safe mode. From there you should be able to uninstall itunes.

Scroll down to option 2 to see details of how to boot to safe mode.
http://www.7tutorials.com/4-ways-boot-safe-mode-windows-10

Good luck..

 

[Aputernut]

Your making a foolish mistake by not staying with W10 it's awesome and your are blaming your problem on W10 when in fact it's the fact you did not take precautions before doing the install. I installed it on 4 of my PC's in my home and all installs went smooth as butta! and I luv it! so does my DH who is not nearly as puter savvy as I am, he's very handy but I am the techy one here. The first one I did was the reserved copy, the other 3, I went to the windows download site because I could not wait too anxious!, my first one was W8.1 had 2 other PC's W8.1's and one W7. Now all happily are running W10. and No Problems. I had AVG as my anti virus, and so I uninstalled nothing prior to installs. And of course I save pics. files etc. to flash drives anyway also to online storage/cloud even before W10 was even thought about by MS. And I have no image back ups either. (after installs all was intact, lost nothing) Well you have one yr. to decide, then after that it will cost you, and don't forget W7 support will go away..W10 support runs for 10 yrs. is what I've been told. Just noticed you said W8.1 you will have support longer on 8.1. But W10 is still amazing!

 

[prmaws]

Can you get to the login screen? If so click the power button in the lower right hand corner, and select restart while holding the shift key. After windows reboots a screen will pop up. Select troubleshoot, then select advanced options, then select startup settings. Select restart when prompted. When the PC restarts you'll have a startup settings screen. Select 4 to boot to safe mode. From there you should be able to uninstall itunes.

Scroll down to option 2 to see details of how to boot to safe mode.
http://www.7tutorials.com/4-ways-boot-safe-mode-windows-10

Good luck..

Thanks for the input. I had tried all the safe mode reboots suggested by Microsoft and none of them worked. Microsoft finally called me back and I got a great support person who said that the problem was with drivers in the computer. She got me rebooted by having me 1) turn the computer on, 2) immediately unplug the computer for 5 seconds, then 3) restarting the computer. It took two attempts to get this to work and when it did she walked me through the steps to recover 8.1. Now the system is working. She suggested that I contact the PC manufacturer (HP) and see if or when their drivers will be updated to Windows 10 compatibility. I'll do that tomorrow since I lost half of the day today working on this problem. I will simply wait another six months or so before attempting to use Windows 10 again whether or not HP and Microsoft say it is okay to do so.

 

[prmaws]

Your making a foolish mistake by not staying with W10 it's awesome and your are blaming your problem on W10 when in fact it's the fact you did not take precautions before doing the install. I installed it on 4 of my PC's in my home and all installs went smooth as butta! and I luv it! so does my DH who is not nearly as puter savvy as I am, he's very handy but I am the techy one here. The first one I did was the reserved copy, the other 3, I went to the windows download site because I could not wait too anxious!, my first one was W8.1 had 2 other PC's W8.1's and one W7. Now all happily are running W10. and No Problems. I had AVG as my anti virus, and so I uninstalled nothing prior to installs. And of course I save pics. files etc. to flash drives anyway also to online storage/cloud even before W10 was even thought about by MS. And I have no image back ups either. (after installs all was intact, lost nothing) Well you have one yr. to decide, then after that it will cost you, and don't forget W7 support will go away..W10 support runs for 10 yrs. is what I've been told. Just noticed you said W8.1 you will have support longer on 8.1. But W10 is still amazing!

Foolish? Hmm, I just lost half a day trying to fix a problem that I don't think should have been there to begin with. I used Windows 10 for about a week and liked it but if it makes my system freeze up and costs me hours of frustration it is not a good system. When they work out the bugs I'll go back but until then to do so would really be foolish.

 

[Aputernut]

All of my 4 PC's on my home network are HP's so what's the problem??? I don't see or have any,. I never buy anything but HP. there are no bugs in W10.

 

[Trouble]

there are no bugs in W10.

Sure there are.....
Microsoft just likes to call them "features"

 

[BigFeet]

All of my 4 PC's on my home network are HP's so what's the problem??? I don't see or have any,. I never buy anything but HP. there are no bugs in W10.

That's the funniest thing I've read this year. You're right there are no bugs. Unless you consider the malware and keylogger in Windows 10 to be bugs.

 

[BigFeet]

Thanks for the input. I had tried all the safe mode reboots suggested by Microsoft and none of them worked. Microsoft finally called me back and I got a great support person who said that the problem was with drivers in the computer. She got me rebooted by having me 1) turn the computer on, 2) immediately unplug the computer for 5 seconds, then 3) restarting the computer. It took two attempts to get this to work and when it did she walked me through the steps to recover 8.1. Now the system is working. She suggested that I contact the PC manufacturer (HP) and see if or when their drivers will be updated to Windows 10 compatibility. I'll do that tomorrow since I lost half of the day today working on this problem. I will simply wait another six months or so before attempting to use Windows 10 again whether or not HP and Microsoft say it is okay to do so.

Glad you got it straightened out. I would suggest anyone who has an "off the shelf" PC to take proper precautions before upgrading. Most PC manufactures are extremely slow updating proprietary drivers.

 

[hatewin]

Thanks for the input. I had tried all the safe mode reboots suggested by Microsoft and none of them worked. Microsoft finally called me back and I got a great support person who said that the problem was with drivers in the computer. She got me rebooted by having me 1) turn the computer on, 2) immediately unplug the computer for 5 seconds, then 3) restarting the computer. It took two attempts to get this to work and when it did she walked me through the steps to recover 8.1. Now the system is working. She suggested that I contact the PC manufacturer (HP) and see if or when their drivers will be updated to Windows 10 compatibility. I'll do that tomorrow since I lost half of the day today working on this problem. I will simply wait another six months or so before attempting to use Windows 10 again whether or not HP and Microsoft say it is okay to do so.

After crash after crash, I decided I was going to go back to 8.1 but being a procrastinator I never did. Now I get the smiley face of death, but unplug and restart does not work. Nothing works! Help?

 

[Justngn]

Thanks for the input. I had tried all the safe mode reboots suggested by Microsoft and none of them worked. Microsoft finally called me back and I got a great support person who said that the problem was with drivers in the computer. She got me rebooted by having me 1) turn the computer on, 2) immediately unplug the computer for 5 seconds, then 3) restarting the computer. It took two attempts to get this to work and when it did she walked me through the steps to recover 8.1. Now the system is working. She suggested that I contact the PC manufacturer (HP) and see if or when their drivers will be updated to Windows 10 compatibility. I'll do that tomorrow since I lost half of the day today working on this problem. I will simply wait another six months or so before attempting to use Windows 10 again whether or not HP and Microsoft say it is okay to do so.

I agree with you. I hv brightness issue after I "upgrade" to W10. Now I'm facing the wdf_violation error too. I can't even enter into any safe mode. Tried all methods including this one that you shared. Called HP Helpdesk they ask me to send the PC for repair and was quoted ridiculously. I wonder who is the problem, W10 or HP?

 

[PghPammy]

I just got this error and I'm on an HP Envy. I 'upgraded' in late Nov and after one blip, which I seemed to recover from by pluggin in my Recovery thumb drive, it's been doing fine until tonight. I don't know if that was what really recovered whatever the previous issue was to be honest because it was my 8.1 Recovery and I never went back to 8.1. But anyway, tonite I heard the fan going on and off and when I went to investigate, nothing on the screen just like before. I tried forcing a hard reboot a couple times, like before, then tried the recovery thumb like before. It looked like it was going to come up, but got stuck at the HP screen when the circle stopped spinning. A couple more attempts and then I got the WDF_Viotion error....after nothing at all. Black a screen. If I can get this back to 8.1 I'm not trying 10 again. This is ridiculous.

 

[PghPammy]

I just got this error and I'm on an HP Envy. I 'upgraded' in late Nov and after one blip, which I seemed to recover from by pluggin in my Recovery thumb drive, it's been doing fine until tonight. I don't know if that was what really recovered whatever the previous issue was to be honest because it was my 8.1 Recovery and I never went back to 8.1. But anyway, tonite I heard the fan going on and off and when I went to investigate, nothing on the screen just like before. I tried forcing a hard reboot a couple times, like before, then tried the recovery thumb like before. It looked like it was going to come up, but got stuck at the HP screen when the circle stopped spinning. A couple more attempts and then I got the WDF_Viotion error....after nothing at all. Black a screen. If I can get this back to 8.1 I'm not trying 10 again. This is ridiculous.

Update: Eventually I was able to get it to boot up with the 8.1 Recovery Thumb Drive connected and once again, it 'seem' Win 10 is ok. At this point, I'd like to try to figure out what's causing this to happen. I looked at recent updates and it seems to be triggered by Win 10 updates and I'm guessing that it's during reboots after updating that the error gets triggered. I've also read horror stories of ppl trying to go back to prev versions of Win and how Microsoft will be forcing ppl to Win 10 this year. Maybe it's time for a Mac?

 

[PghPammy]

Update: Eventually I was able to get it to boot up with the 8.1 Recovery Thumb Drive connected and once again, it 'seem' Win 10 is ok. At this point, I'd like to try to figure out what's causing this to happen. I looked at recent updates and it seems to be triggered by Win 10 updates and I'm guessing that it's during reboots after updating that the error gets triggered. I've also read horror stories of ppl trying to go back to prev versions of Win and how Microsoft will be forcing ppl to Win 10 this year. Maybe it's time for a Mac?

Update 2: it looks like perhaps both instances of my problem might have been cause by multiple failures (both last month around tge first time I had a problem and last nite) of the Windows Update of the Malicious Software Removal Tool. It finally successfully updated late last night. I'm not tech illiterate, but I've been retired out of the field for a decade. Does this sound likely? I can't figure out a way to stop auto updates or pick & choose what gets updated like you could do in previous versions of Windows.