FIX: ATTEMPTED_SWITCH_FROM_DPC Error in Windows

You have definitely seen the annoying blue screen of death that does not allow you to do anything. The technical term for this error is attempted switch from DPC, which happens in all Windows versions from XP to 11.

There are several reasons for this error, including a faulty application, faulty hardware driver, or damaged memory. Fixing this error could be as simple as restarting the system or installing the latest update. But it might also require more drastic measures such as hardware change.

However, it makes more sense to try the more straightforward solutions for the attempted switch from DPC error before jumping the gun.

Why does the attempted switch from DPC error happen?

DPC stands for Delayed Procedure Call. In simple terms, the attempted switch from DPC error happens when your computer tries to shut down while startup. Since this action is impossible, the DPC triggers the error and the blue screen of death that you will see on the screen.

The simplest of which is that you have installed a new application that is faulty somehow. If this is the case, you can reinstall the software to see if the problem is fixed.

There also might be an issue with your memory. A portion of your memory might be lost, or it might be infected by a virus or malware.

Sometimes the drivers for different hardware conflict with each other, resulting in the blue screen of death.

How Can I Fix the Attempted Switch from the DPC Error?

If your PC boots up, the only thing you need to do is to follow the steps below. If not, you should access Safe Mode in order to be able to perform these steps. You can check out our article on How to start Windows 11 in Safe Mode if you don’t know how to access this mode.

1. Update Windows

Sometimes all it takes is to update your Windows 11 to its latest version. These updates eliminate the bugs that might have existed in the older version. However, sometimes people pause or stop their updates in order to save time and internet usage, so if you start to see this error, maybe it’s time to reconsider and download an update.

On the other hand, if you see the attempted switch from DPC error just after updating your Windows, it’s safe to assume that something in the new update is incompatible with your system. In this case, you can uninstall the latest update by following these steps:

• Open the Start menu and select Settings.
• Next, find Windows Update at the end of the list and click on Update history.

• Click on Uninstall updates option; after that, uninstall each of the updates one by one.

2. Perform a Disk Check

Disk check is one of the regular maintenance operations you must do every once in a while. In this process, the system checks all the system files and their metadata in order to see if there are any physical and logical errors.

• Go to This PC, right-click on each disk individually and click on Properties.
• Then find the Tools tab and click on the Check option.

• As we said in the first step, you should do this to all of your hard drives.

3. Run Memory Diagnostic

If checking your disks did not reveal any beneficial results, you should start checking other parts of your system. The first item on the list is memory. In order to check your memory on Windows 11, you will have to take the following steps:

• Click on the Start menu, type Memory diagnostic, and hit Enter to open Windows Memory diagnostic tool.
• Next, select Restart now and check for problems.

4. Update Drivers

As mentioned before, sometimes the different drivers might clash and get into conflicts. This is one of the potential reasons for getting the attempted switch from DPC error. The solution? Reinstall all your drivers to ensure they are installed correctly and have the latest version.

• Right-click on the Start menu, then choose Device Manager.
• Now, right-click on the device and select Update driver.

• On the pop-up menu, click on the Search automatically for drivers option.
• Repeat the process for all the other devices and their drivers

On the other hand, if you don’t want to go through the trouble of updating all the drivers one by one. Another option is to update all your drivers together through the Windows Update.

5. Check for Viruses and Malware

A potential reason for the attempted switch from DPC error is that your system has been infected by a virus or malware. If you have a third-party anti-virus program installed on your windows, it’s time to thoroughly scan your system. On the other hand, Windows 11 has an efficient protection system that you can use.

• Open your Windows Settings by pressing Windows + I keys.
• On the left pane select Privacy and Security then on the right menu, click on Windows Security.
• After that, select Open Windows Security.

• Choose Virus and Threat Protection then click on Scan options.

• Now, set it to Full scan and select Scan now. Scanning might take a few minutes, but when it’s done, you will receive a notification that you need to take some actions or your system is clean and there are no threats.

Sometimes, it’s the third-party Windows protection software that cause the blue screen of death to appear on your screen. Especially if you are using the McAfee Antivirus Tool, you need to do a clean uninstall to wipe all the software components from your system.

6. Perform an SFC

Another reason for the attempted switch from DPC error is the existence of some corrupt files in your system. That’s why an SFC can help you find and repair your files. SFC stands for System File Check and is built in in the newer versions of windows including windows 11. In order to perform this check, you need to use windows terminal. Follow these steps to do an SFC:

• Right-click on the Start menu and select Windows Terminal (Admin).
• Type the following command and press Enter:
  SFC /scannow

• The scanning process will start and might take several minutes.
• When the process is finished, you will receive a message that the process has finished and some files have been repaired. You might need to reboot your system.

7. System Restore

If none of the solutions above managed to get rid of the attempted switch from DPC error or the blue screen of death, you might resort to restoring your windows to a previous point. This method works if you have a general idea of when the issue started so that you can revert the windows to a date before that time.

• Press Windows + R keys to open Run app then type rstrui and hit Enter.
• When System Restore window pops-up click on Next.
• Then select the date your PC was working without any issues.

• Follow the on-screen steps to start the process.

This process should help you get rid of the annoying blue screen error. But if none of these solutions to the attempted switch from DPC error work, you will have to reinstall your Windows or take your computer to a repair shop for a hardware check.

Not that, System Restore is not enabled by default for Windows 11. Therefore, if you have not already enabled it, there is no restoration point for your Windows to revert to.

If you don’t know how to enable this feature, follow the steps below:

• Click on Start menu, type Create a restore point and hit Enter.
• In the window that opens, look for protection settings and select the system drive.
• Then click on the Configure button.

• A new window opens in which you have to select Enable system protection.
• Use the Max usage slider to set the space you want to allocate to the restoration files.

• Hit Apply and then OK to close the window.
• After this, windows automatically creates restore points for you to revert to.
• Otherwise, you can hit the create button, add a description of the restore point, and click on create. Now you have a restore point!

Recover Your Data Using Stellar Data Recovery Professional

Sometimes a simple failure in your memory can cause you to not only encounter the blue screen error but also lose some of the precious data for which you did not have a backup. In these cases, there is no other option than using a powerful and dependable data recovery software.

This software has the ability to recover data from crashed and unbootable devices.

One of the Stellar Data Recovery Professional software main features is that you can retrieve yourdata from unbootable PC. To do this, first you should make a bootable media with the help of this software. here is the full guide:

• Attach the USB that has at least 1GB of storage to a functional computer.
• Install Stellar Data Recovery Professional and run it.
• On the Select What to Recover screen, choose Waffle Menu.

• Click on Create Recovery Drive.
• Choose the USB drive from themenu of the Create Recovery Drive.
• Select Create Recovery Drive and hit OK.
• Enter the Activation Key you received via email into the box and click Activate.
• Connect the above-mentioned USB media to your unbootable Windows computer.
• Now turn on the PC, then start pressing the F12 boot option key to view any connected bootable USB media.
• Using the arrow down button, move the selection to a bootable data recovery media, then press Enter to boot the computer.
• You will see the interface for Stellar Data Recovery software once the computer has booted from USB media.
• Choose the file type(s) you want to recover from the Select What to Recover screen and press Next.

• Click Scan after selecting the Windows drive from which you want to recover data.

• Click Recover to save the recovered files.

Final thoughts

Encountering the attempted switch from DPC error is certainly an annoying experience. You feel like your system has sustained serious damage, but it’s not true.

More often than not, the reason for this error is something simple that can be fixed with one of the mentioned solutions. Try the easiest solutions first and see if they solve the issue. If not, you can take more drastic measures, such as a hardware checkup.

FAQ

• Where can I check the cause of BSoD error on my computer?

The Event Viewer can be used to investigate the reason of the BSOD error. This program won’t diagnose the cause of the crash, but it will provide further information about it. For instance, it can tell you that a specific system file crashed but not why.

• When a BSOD causes a computer to crash, would I still be able to access my files?

In some cases Blue Screen of Death errors happen right when the computer boots up. Because of this, you may not have time to move or back up your data.

• Do I have to pay to activate Stellar Data Recovery Professional Software?

Yes. There is a free version of the program available, however it has very limited features. If you wish to create bootable media to retrieve data from your unbootable computer, you will need to invest in the professional version.

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About The Author

Farhad Pashaei

As a technophile, Farhad has spent the last decade getting hands-on experience with a variety of electronic devices, including smartphones, accessories, laptops, wearables, printers, and so on. When he isn't writing, you can bet he's devouring information on products making their market foray, demonstrating his unquenchable thirst for technology.