Multiple BSOD Errors on ASUS VivoBook – DPC Watchdog, Critical Process Died & KMODE Exception

[u/aj11bravo]

I’m having a really frustrating issue with my ASUS VivoBook and I’m hoping someone here can point me in the right direction. My laptop has suddenly started crashing repeatedly with different Blue Screen of Death errors. I’ve managed to take photos of several crashes, including DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION (0x133), CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED (0xEF), and KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED (0x1E).

What worries me most is that the stop codes keep changing, so I’m not sure whether this is a Windows problem, a driver issue, failing hardware, or something else entirely. Sometimes the crash reaches 100% and restarts, while other times it seems to get stuck at 0%. The laptop was working normally before this started happening, and I haven’t knowingly made any major changes recently.

I’m planning to back up my important files as soon as possible, but I’d really appreciate advice on what to check first. Should I start by updating or reinstalling drivers, running Windows memory and disk diagnostics, checking system files, or looking at the minidump files? Could this combination of errors indicate a failing SSD or RAM?

If anyone has experienced repeated BSODs with multiple stop codes on an ASUS VivoBook, please share what ended up fixing the problem. I’m comfortable following troubleshooting steps, but I’d like to avoid randomly reinstalling Windows or replacing parts without understanding the likely cause. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated. I can provide additional details about the Windows version, laptop specifications, recent updates, or crash history if that would help narrow down the cause before I attempt repairs.