HP Pavilion 16 – Random kernel freezes & CLOCK_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT (0x101) even on latest BIOS

[Naitik96]

Hello,

I am facing random system freezes and BSODs on my HP Pavilion 16 (16-af0xxx series) which appear to be kernel / CPU related.

Symptoms

Random instant freezes during normal use (PDF reading, browsing, YouTube, idle)

Mouse becomes unresponsive, keyboard LEDs don’t toggle

Audio loops/buzzes during freeze

System requires forced power-off

Sometimes results in BSOD: CLOCK_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT (0x101)

System Details

Model: HP Pavilion 16-af0xxx

Graphics: Intel integrated graphics only (no NVIDIA)

OS: Windows 11 (latest updates)

BIOS: Latest available BIOS installed

What I have already tried

Clean reinstall of Intel graphics driver (device removal + reboot)

Disabled Modern Standby deep sleep states

Disabled PCIe / NVMe power-saving (ASPM)

Disabled MPO (OverlayTestMode = 5)

Avoiding sleep; issue still occurs during normal use

System is not overheating

Issue occurs even after fresh boot

Observations

Event Viewer mostly shows generic shutdown errors (41 / 6008)

No consistent disk or RAM errors

RAM test did not show faults

SSD health appears normal

Problem persists across reboots and driver reinstalls

Conclusion

Given that the issue persists:

on latest BIOS

with clean drivers

during light usage

and produces CLOCK_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT (0x101) sometimes.

this appears to be a CPU power / firmware / motherboard stability issue rather than a Windows or application problem.

Request

I would appreciate guidance from HP or other Pavilion 16 owners on:

Known BIOS / microcode issues for Pavilion 16-af series

Any additional firmware-level fixes

Confirmation if this is a known motherboard/CPU stability problem on this model

Thank you.

[Deep_World]

Hi @Naitik96,

Welcome to the HP Support Community!

Thanks for reaching out!

We're thrilled to have the opportunity to assist you and provide a solution.

I Understand that your concern, don’t worry I will help you with this .

To better understand the issue, could you please provide a few more details?

1. Frequency of freezes: How often do these freezes occur daily, multiple times per day, or more sporadic?
2. External devices: Are there any peripherals connected when the freezes occur (USB drives, external monitors, docking stations)?
3. Windows Recovery: Do you see any mini-dump files in C:\Windows\Minidump when a BSOD happens? These can help pinpoint the issue more precisely.

In the meantime, a few troubleshooting steps you might try, given that it looks CPU/motherboard-related:

• Check CPU microcode updates:  Even if you’re on the latest BIOS, double-check the HP release notes for any microcode patches targeting your CPU on the HP Support websites as well as on the windows optional updates .
• Reset BIOS to defaults: Sometimes custom power settings can destabilize the CPU. You can reset the BIOS to defaults, then reapply only essential tweaks.
• Run Intel/AMD CPU diagnostic tools: Use HP PC Hardware Diagnostics or Ryzen Master (if AMD) to stress-test the CPU for stability. Look for errors or unexpected throttling.
• Check power plan settings: Ensure Windows is set to “Balanced” and disable aggressive CPU throttling or “Intel SpeedStep / AMD Cool’n’Quiet” temporarily to see if the system stabilizes.
• Test with minimal peripherals: Boot with only keyboard, mouse, and display connected. External devices can sometimes trigger erratic freezes.
• Check for firmware updates for SSD/other components: Even if SSD health looks fine, firmware updates can resolve low-level timing conflicts that cause freezes.

I hope this helps.

I'm glad I could help! 😊 If this resolved your issue, please mark it as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" on "Was this reply helpful?" Your feedback not only keeps us going but also helps others find the solution faster! 

Take care and have an amazing day ahead! 

Best regards,

Deep_World