Handbrake crashes PC

[ks2018ks]

Problem Description

I'm trying various pre-set outputs from a source MP4. It starts encoding gets about 2-8% in and then it either hangs the PC completely or crashes it. One time I saw a windows message Your cop clock_watchdog_timeout (0x101). Not overheating, No overlocking. Drivers up to date. No hardware faults.

Any ideas?

Activity Log, Crash Log or any other details

HandBrake 1.10.2 (2025090600)
OS: Microsoft Windows NT 10.0.26200.0
CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-14500
Ram: 98064 MB, 
GPU Information:
  NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 - 32.0.15.9144
Screen: 2560x1440
Temp Dir: C:\Users\reall\AppData\Local\Temp\
Install Dir: C:\Program Files\HandBrake\
Data Dir: C:\Users\reall\AppData\Roaming\HandBrake

-------------------------------------------

 # Starting Encode ...

[18:29:59] base preset: Android 576p25
[18:29:59] Remote Process started with Process ID: 44816 using port: 8037. Max Allowed Instances: 1
[18:29:59] Worker: Starting HandBrake Engine ...
[18:29:59] Worker: Parent Process Id 33936
[18:29:59] Worker: Starting Web Server on port 8037 ...
[18:29:59] Worker: Starting Listener: 1
[18:29:59] Worker: Server Started
[18:29:59] Worker: Disconnected worker monitoring enabled!
[18:29:59] Compile-time hardening features are enabled
[18:29:59] nvenc: version 13.0 is available
[18:29:59] nvdec: is available
[18:29:59] CUDA Version: 8.6
[18:29:59] vcn: not available on this system
[18:29:59] qsv: not available on this system
[18:29:59] hb_init: starting libhb thread

[18:29:59] Starting work at: Wed Dec 10 18:29:59 2025
[18:29:59] 1 job(s) to process
[18:29:59] json job:
{
  "Audio": {
    "AudioList": [
      {
        "Bitrate": 128,
        "DRC": 0,
        "Encoder": "av_aac",
        "Gain": 0,
        "Mixdown": 4,
        "NormalizeMixLevel": false,
        "Samplerate": 0,
        "Name": "Stereo",
        "Track": 0,
        "DitherMethod": 0
      }
    ],
    "CopyMask": [
      "copy:aac"
    ],
    "FallbackEncoder": "av_aac"
  },
  "Destination": {
    "ChapterList": [
      {
        "Name": "Chapter 1"
      }
    ],
    "ChapterMarkers": true,
    "AlignAVStart": false,
    "File": "C:\\Users\\reall\\Videos\\Sep 2025 H.264 video (up to 576p25) and AAC stereo .mp4",
    "Options": {
      "IpodAtom": false,
      "Optimize": false
    },
    "Mux": "av_mp4"
  },
  "Filters": {
    "FilterList": [
      {
        "ID": 6,
        "Settings": {
          "mode": "7"
        }
      },
      {
        "ID": 4,
        "Settings": {
          "block-height": "16",
          "block-thresh": "40",
          "block-width": "16",
          "filter-mode": "2",
          "mode": "3",
          "motion-thresh": "1",
          "spatial-metric": "2",
          "spatial-thresh": "1"
        }
      },
      {
        "ID": 20,
        "Settings": {
          "crop-bottom": "0",
          "crop-left": "0",
          "crop-right": "0",
          "crop-top": "0",
          "height": "576",
          "width": "720"
        }
      },
      {
        "ID": 11,
        "Settings": {
          "mode": "2",
          "rate": "27000000/1080000"
        }
      }
    ]
  },
  "PAR": {
    "Num": 64,
    "Den": 45
  },
  "Metadata": {},
  "CoverArts": [],
  "SequenceID": 0,
  "Source": {
    "Angle": 1,
    "Range": {
      "Type": "time",
      "Start": 0,
      "End": 124380000
    },
    "Title": 1,
    "Path": "C:\\Users\\reall\\Desktop\\PW JPN Summaries\\Sep 2025.mp4",
    "HWDecode": 0,
    "KeepDuplicateTitles": false
  },
  "Subtitle": {
    "Search": {
      "Burn": true,
      "Default": false,
      "Enable": true,
      "Forced": true
    },
    "SubtitleList": []
  },
  "Video": {
    "Encoder": "x264",
    "Level": "3.0",
    "MultiPass": true,
    "Turbo": false,
    "ColorRange": 1,
    "ColorMatrixCode": 0,
    "Options": "",
    "Preset": "medium",
    "Profile": "main",
    "Quality": 20,
    "HardwareDecode": 0
  }
}
[18:29:59] CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-14500
[18:29:59]  - logical processor count: 20
[18:29:59] Intel Quick Sync Video support: no
[18:29:59] hb_scan: path=C:\Users\reall\Desktop\PW JPN Summaries\Sep 2025.mp4, title_index=1
Input #0, mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2, from 'C:\Users\reall\Desktop\PW JPN Summaries\Sep 2025.mp4':
  Metadata:
    major_brand     : isom
    minor_version   : 512
    compatible_brands: isomiso2avc1mp41
    encoder         : Lavf61.7.100
  Duration: 00:28:51.95, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 5005 kb/s
  Stream #0:0[0x1](und): Video: h264 (Main) (avc1 / 0x31637661), yuv420p(tv, bt709, progressive), 1280x720 [SAR 1:1 DAR 16:9], 4699 kb/s, 29.97 fps, 29.97 tbr, 30k tbn (default)
      Metadata:
        handler_name    : VideoHandler
        vendor_id       : [0][0][0][0]
  Stream #0:1[0x2](und): Audio: aac (LC) (mp4a / 0x6134706D), 48000 Hz, stereo, fltp, 299 kb/s (default)
      Metadata:
        handler_name    : SoundHandler
        vendor_id       : [0][0][0][0]
  Stream #0:2[0x3](eng): Subtitle: mov_text (tx3g / 0x67337874), 0 kb/s (default)
      Metadata:
        handler_name    : SubtitleHandler
[18:29:59] scan: decoding previews for title 1
[18:29:59] scan: audio 0x1: aac, rate=48000Hz, bitrate=299320 Unknown (AAC LC, 2.0 ch, 299 kbps)
[18:29:59] using container PAR 1:1
[18:29:59] scan: 10 previews, 1280x720, 29.970 fps, autocrop = 0/0/0/0, aspect 16:9, PAR 1:1, color profile: 1-1-1, chroma location: left
[18:30:00] libhb: scan thread found 1 valid title(s)
[18:30:00] Skipping subtitle scan.  No suitable subtitle tracks.
[18:30:00] Starting Task: Encoding Pass
[18:30:00] work: track 1, dithering not supported by codec
[18:30:00] work: only 1 chapter, disabling chapter markers
[18:30:00] job configuration:
[18:30:00]  * source
[18:30:00]    + C:\Users\reall\Desktop\PW JPN Summaries\Sep 2025.mp4
[18:30:00]    + title 1, start 00:00:00.00 stop 00:23:02.00
[18:30:00]    + container: mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2
[18:30:00]    + data rate: 5005 kbps
[18:30:00]  * destination
[18:30:00]    + C:\Users\reall\Videos\Sep 2025 H.264 video (up to 576p25) and AAC stereo .mp4
[18:30:00]    + container: MPEG-4 (libavformat)
[18:30:00]  * video track
[18:30:00]    + decoder: h264 8-bit (yuv420p)
[18:30:00]      + bitrate 4699 kbps
[18:30:00]    + filters
[18:30:00]      + Comb Detect (mode=3:spatial-metric=2:motion-thresh=1:spatial-thresh=1:filter-mode=2:block-thresh=40:block-width=16:block-height=16)
[18:30:00]      + Decomb (mode=39)
[18:30:00]      + Framerate Shaper (mode=2:rate=27000000/1080000)
[18:30:00]        + frame rate: 29.970 fps -> peak rate limited to 25.000 fps
[18:30:00]      + Crop and Scale (width=720:height=576:crop-top=0:crop-bottom=0:crop-left=0:crop-right=0)
[18:30:00]        + source: 1280 * 720, crop (0/0/0/0): 1280 * 720, scale: 720 * 576
[18:30:00]    + Output geometry
[18:30:00]      + storage dimensions: 720 x 576
[18:30:00]      + pixel aspect ratio: 64 : 45
[18:30:00]      + display dimensions: 1024 x 576
[18:30:00]    + encoder: H.264 (libx264)
[18:30:00]      + preset:  medium
[18:30:00]      + profile: main
[18:30:00]      + level:   3.0
[18:30:00]      + quality: 20.00 (RF)
[18:30:00]      + color profile: 1-1-1
[18:30:00]      + color range: tv
[18:30:00]      + chroma location: left
[18:30:00]  * audio track 1
[18:30:00]    + name: Stereo
[18:30:00]    + decoder: Unknown (AAC LC, 2.0 ch, 299 kbps) (track 1, id 0x1)
[18:30:00]      + bitrate: 299 kbps, samplerate: 48000 Hz
[18:30:00]    + mixdown: Stereo
[18:30:00]    + encoder: AAC (libavcodec)
[18:30:00]      + bitrate: 128 kbps, samplerate: 48000 Hz
[18:30:00] sync: expecting 41448 video frames
[18:30:00] encx264: encoding at constant RF 20.000000
[18:30:00] encx264: unparsed options: level=3.0:8x8dct=0:vbv-bufsize=10000:vbv-maxrate=10000
x264 [info]: using SAR=64/45
x264 [info]: using cpu capabilities: MMX2 SSE2Fast SSSE3 SSE4.2 AVX FMA3 BMI2 AVX2 UnalignedStack
x264 [info]: profile Main, level 3.0, 4:2:0, 8-bit
[18:30:00] sync: first pts video is 0
[18:30:00] sync: "Chapter 1" (1) at frame 1 time 0
[18:30:00] sync: first pts audio 0x1 is 0

What Operating System are you running?

Windows 11

What version of HandBrake are you running?

1.10.2 (2025090600)

Where did you download HandBrake from?

handbrake.fr

[sr55]

Yeh, that's likely another dying Intel CPU I'm afraid. It'll get progressively worse over time.

The 14th gen had a degradation problem (There are BIOS updates which help the situation but one damage has occurred, it's too late)

https://www.pcgamer.com/hardware/processors/a-year-later-and-over-six-months-since-the-last-patch-intel-is-still-releasing-updates-to-fix-instability-problems-with-its-13th-and-14th-gen-raptor-lake-cpus/

I'd RMA that CPU with Intel or your machines OEM. They should replace it.

[ks2018ks]

Hi Scott - thanks for you reply. Can you tell me how do you come to that diagnosis? Something in the log?

(When I encode using the same/similar settings using ShotCut it doesn't crash)

[sr55]

Nope. The BSOD told me. If your getting a BSOD with an application running in user-space, it's not an app problem. It's usually a Driver / Hardware / Windows problem.

clock_watchdog_timeout in particular comes from the CPU having problems.

There isn't one specific presentation of this fault but we've seen a lot of users of 14th gen CPU's run into it and replacement CPU's was the only fix. It can present as anything from simple / random app crashes to full system halts and tends to get progressively worse with time. Especially if your BIOS isn't up-to-date.

[ks2018ks]

I'm wondering what this app is doing with the hardware that another app isn't doing that would cause it to fail?

[sr55]

High System Load. Video encoding is pretty heavy, and in particular makes heavy use of the memory subsystem and also the use of AVX units that a lot of apps don't use.

This is why many modern games also were prone to trip this as they also tend to use AVX.

[ks2018ks]

I appreciate that but ShotCut (opensource video editing) is doing what seems to me to be the same task but not crashing. Win11 Task manager shows the CPU running at about <30% and GPU running at ~23% while it's doing it with 1-1.8 out of 6GB dedicated GPU memory being used. That's why I'm surprised Handbrake is failing or causing the PC to fall over.

[sr55]

HandBrake has consistently been one of the first few apps that this problem can be detected in. Shortcut isn't doing exactly the same thing as HandBrake.

Trust me when I say, we've had this same discussion with many many users at this point. Have a read up on the 14th Gen CPU issues. It's fairly well documented problem affecting not just HandBrake at this point.

It's worth updating your BIOS to the latest if it's not already there. That may or may not help but even if it does, I'd still RMA it.

[ks2018ks]

Can you see why I'm reluctant to start tearing down my PC when one app crashes the PC but another doing the same thing doesn't?

This is the load when shotcut carries out the task.

is there some way to identify what about Handbrake is pushing the hardware to failure?

I'll try to get a similar screen shot when handbrake starts the task before it crashes windows, but typically it's only a few seconds in

[sr55]

Shortcut really isn't taxing the system much at all so it's maybe offloading to the Hardware encoder for whatever it is doing. In HandBrake your running a software based encoder.

is there some way to identify what about Handbrake is pushing the hardware to failure?

I'm afraid not. It depends on what part of the chip is flaking out. The problem wasn't consistent in presentation for other people.

HandBrake should be using a much higher percentage of the CPU although if your getting core timeouts then it's entirely possible you won't get a good picture of utilisation.

[ks2018ks]

Handbrake was using hardware acceleration when I select the H.265 (NVEnc), but still crashes the PC - with much higher CPU and GPU (albeit its in the first few seconds)

I've opened a support case with Intel, but in the meantime I guess I just have to stick with ShotCut instead of Handbrake

PW@K - HB - 480p cq28 Mono 64_encode_12.10.2025 21-55-52.txt

[sr55]

Nothing particularly interesting in the HandBrake logs. It's going along normally until it's halted.

Windows has protections against applications causing a system level crash. HandBrake runs in the user-space, not the kernel space of the operating system. If an app dies in user-space, it's contained to just that app. The entire system should continue running normally.

As I say, try a BIOS update first if you haven't already. We did have some users report underclocking the CPU helped but later reported the problem returned at a later point as degradation continued. The BIOS/firmware updates are supposed to help better control voltage to the CPUs that was causing the underlying failures.