Based on how you describe the issue (hours of gameplay without problems → sudden FPS drop → freeze → BSOD with DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION), it’s very likely caused by a driver timing out under load rather than a Secure Boot issue (that key-related message is almost always secondary).
A solution that often works in these cases is the following:
Clean GPU driver reinstall
Updating the drivers is not enough: it’s better to completely remove them using DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller) and reinstall them from scratch. If the problem persists, try a slightly older, more stable version.
Check the storage drive (SSD/NVMe)
DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION is often related to storage drivers:
- Update the controller drivers (AHCI/NVMe)
- Check the SSD health (e.g., with CrystalDiskInfo)
- Look for any firmware updates
Temperatures under load
The FPS drop before the freeze may indicate throttling:
- GPU above ~85°C or CPU above ~90°C can cause instability
- Monitor temperatures with MSI Afterburner or similar tools
Disable any overclocking
Even RAM XMP/DOCP profiles can cause crashes during long sessions.
Check RAM
Run a test with Windows Memory Diagnostic or MemTest, as RAM errors may only appear after prolonged use.
In general, the fact that it happens after several matches suggests a problem that builds up over time (heat, memory, or driver instability), rather than an immediate hardware failure.
Good luck😉
