Persistent Driver_Verifier_DMA_Violation BSOD

[frustrated378]

Help! I bought my laptop new in January.  Everything was running smoothly until a few days ago when I started receiving the Driver_Verifier_DMA_Violation. I've taken suggested troubleshooting steps including:

Check Device Manger. No device errors found.

Run HP Op System diagnostic. No problems.

Run verifier to check for unsigned drivers and all drivers. No issues.

Turn off verifier.  Always says no setting change.
Reset verifier. Always says no setting change.

Run sfc /scannow command. No issues found.

Run dism restore health command. No issues found.

Reset Windows 10 (Windows 11 is not yet available to this system through Windows Update)

Run HP PC Hardware Diagnostic UEFI. Extensive tests on components, particularly memory and hard drive. Hard drive required firmware update. Ran firmware update.

Ran HP Assistant and updated bluetooth and wireless lan drivers. No other drivers available.

Restarted in repair mode. Unable to uninstall any updates.

The driver verifier BSOD persists. What do I do now? I'm about to take a hammer to it.

Thanks in advance for any help that can be provided.

[Max3Aj]

@frustrated378, Welcome to HP Support Community. 

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you. 
I understand how frustrating persistent BSODs can be, especially after trying so many troubleshooting steps. You've done a thorough job already, great work! Let's try a few more targeted steps to resolve the Driver_Verifier_DMA_Violation issue.

This BSOD is often related to incompatible or faulty drivers, especially those using Direct Memory Access (DMA). It can also be triggered by incompatible security software, firmware issues, or USB/Thunderbolt drivers.

Step-by-Step Fix

Disable Driver Verifier Completely

Even if it says "no setting change," try this method to ensure it's off:

• Open Command Prompt as Administrator
• Run:

verifier /reset

• Then restart your PC.

If that doesn’t work, boot into Safe Mode and run the same command.

Update Intel and Storage Drivers Manually

HP Support Assistant may not always fetch the latest chipset/storage drivers. Please manually update the following:

• Intel Chipset INF Utility: Download from Intel
• Intel Management Engine Interface (MEI): Download MEI
• Intel Rapid Storage Technology (RST): Download RST

Make sure to restart after each installation.
 

Check for BIOS Update

A firmware update may resolve DMA-related issues:

• Go to the HP Software and Driver Downloads page
• Enter your product: 15-fd0131wm
• Download and install the latest BIOS if available.

Disable Memory Integrity (Core Isolation)

This Windows security feature can conflict with certain drivers:

• Go to Windows Security > Device Security > Core Isolation
• Turn Memory Integrity off
• Restart your PC

Check for Thunderbolt or USB-C Driver Issues

If your model has USB-C or Thunderbolt ports:

• Unplug all peripherals
• Go to Device Manager > System Devices
• Look for Thunderbolt Controller or USB Root Hub (USB 3.0) and update drivers manually

Perform a Clean Boot

To rule out third-party software conflicts:

• Press Win + R, type msconfig
• Under Services, check Hide all Microsoft services, then click Disable all
• Under Startup, open Task Manager and disable all startup items
• Restart and observe if BSOD persists 

I hope this helps. 

Take care and have a good day. 

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Select "Yes" on the bottom left to say “Thanks” for helping! 

Max3Aj

HP Support 

[frustrated378]

Thanks for the suggestions. For giggles, I upgraded to Windows 11, but the driver verification error continued. There were error notices in Device Security. I found the Memory Integrity and Kernel-mode enforced Stack Protection were off. I turned them on. It's been almost three days since making that change and the driver verification error hasn't occurred.

My laptop has slowed down considerably since installing Windows 11. I've run the HP assistant optimization. I ran the Windows system defrag and free disk space. I've reduced the number of startup apps, but the system is still slow. The performance issue is frustrating, but I'd rather have that than a persistent driver verification error. Any suggestions to speed things up?

[Max3Aj]

@frustrated378, Thanks for the update, glad to hear the BSOD has stopped! 🎉 Now let’s tackle the performance slowdown on your HP 15-fd0131wm running Windows 11.

Here are targeted steps to help speed things up:

Check for Background Services

Windows 11 can run more background services than Windows 10. Use Task Manager:

• Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc
• Go to Processes tab
• Sort by CPU and Memory usage
• Identify any non-essential services hogging resources

Upgrade RAM (if possible)

Your model may support up to 16GB or 32GB of RAM. If you're running on 4GB or 8GB, upgrading to 16GB can significantly improve performance.

• Use HP Support Assistant or Crucial’s scanner tool to check upgrade compatibility.

Check Storage Type

If your laptop uses a mechanical HDD, consider upgrading to an SSD. SSDs drastically improve boot times and app responsiveness.

• You can clone your current drive using tools like Macrium Reflect or EaseUS Todo Backup.

Clean Up Windows 11 Visual Effects

• Go to System > Advanced system settings > Performance Settings
• Select Adjust for best performance
• Or manually disable animations and shadows

Update All Drivers Manually

HP Assistant may miss some updates. Visit:

• HP Support page - Official HP® Support
• Update Chipset, Graphics, Storage, and BIOS manually

Run HP UEFI Diagnostics Again

Sometimes post-upgrade issues can affect hardware performance. Run:

• HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI (press Esc at boot, then F2)
• Focus on Memory, Storage, and Battery tests

Use Windows Storage Sense

• Go to Settings > System > Storage
• Enable Storage Sense to auto-clean junk files

Optional: Use Performance Monitor

• Press Win + R, type perfmon /report
• Wait for the report to generate (~60 seconds)
• Review any flagged issues

I hope this helps!

If my response resolves your issue, please click “Accepted Solution” to help others find the answer. Also, don’t forget to click the “Yes” button to say thanks!

Take care and have a great day.

Max3Aj

HP Support