Imagine you're at your computer and your graphics card suddenly fails. In most cases, the symptoms aren't always very clear. However, we'll look at how to tell if your graphics card is dead.
Note: at first glance, the graphics card may be dead, but an electronics professional may be able to repair it.
In the rest of this article, we will use expressions like "may be dead," "probably dead," etc. These are simply precautions for writing style. Indeed, since we don't have the graphics card in our possession, we cannot definitively say whether the card is dead or not. However, you will have enough information here to perform a preliminary diagnosis.
Caution: Each operation must be performed calmly and without distractions. Incorrect actions may damage your computer. We cannot be held responsible for the consequences of improper handling.
Start by checking your equipment
To avoid going down the wrong path from the start, check your equipment:
Step 1: power supply cable for safety.
Step 2: Open your computer, then disconnect your graphics card from the motherboard. Reconnect it properly. Of course, this only applies to computers with a dedicated graphics card that is not integrated into the motherboard.
If you have another computer available that can accept this graphics card, you can plug it into that computer and see what happens. If everything works fine on the other computer, and the display is perfect with your graphics card, you can conclude that the card itself may not be the problem.
But, let's get back to the computer where there's a problem.
Step 3: Remove the memory modules and reinstall them. Faulty memory modules can sometimes cause system instability.
Step 4: Restart your computer. If the problem persists, you can proceed to the next steps.
How to tell if your graphics card is dead? The most common signs
Step 1: If you see part of the image disappear while the rest of the image is fine, restart your computer. If the image is still cropped, your graphics card may be faulty.
Step 2: That said, display issues can also stem from a problem with the monitor. To quickly rule out this possibility, use a different monitor and check that everything works correctly. If everything returns to normal and the images display properly, then the problem lies with the monitor and not the graphics card.
Step 3: Along the same lines, try swapping the cables connecting your graphics card to your monitor. If you have another computer with similar cables, try swapping them. Make sure the current cables work properly on the second computer and that the cables from the other computer work properly on your current computer.
Here are some other signs that prove the graphics card is probably dead:
- The colors change, becoming lighter or darker randomly
- Strange colored squares or lines appear on the screen
- Artifacts appear; artifacts are unwanted visual glitches or effects. Generally, artifacts are caused by excessive overclocking*, high temperatures, or even excessive dust.
These unwanted graphical effects are signs that your graphics card has problems or is probably dead.
*Overclocking is a technique that involves increasing the processor's clock frequency to increase performance.
Graphics card problem: random display crashes
When your screen display randomly crashes and/or you get a black or blue screen, proceed as follows:
Step 1: Check that the keyboard, mouse, and other hardware are still powered on at the time of the crash. If you were playing a game or listening to music, you should still be able to hear sound from your speakers. However, there will be no display on the screen.
Step 2: If you have another screen available, swap your current screen with the other one to ensure that it is not a screen issue.
Step 3: Restart your computer. If the problem persists, we can conclude that this display issue may be caused by your graphics card.
As described previously, don't hesitate to test your cables as well.
Do not ignore the warnings
If you experience slowdowns when performing intensive graphics tasks, be vigilant. A blue screen may appear briefly. This can occur, in particular, when using resource-intensive applications such as 3D video games, high-quality movies, etc.
If your screen freezes regularly, when there was no such problem before, it could be a warning that your graphics card is dying.
The noise of the graphics card fan
When the graphics card gets too hot, the graphics card fan malfunctions. If the graphics card fan is louder than usual, you can follow these simple steps:
Step 1: Turn off the computer.
Step 2: Clean the graphics card fan.
Step 3: Restart the computer.
If the fan continues to make a lot of noise, it may be coming from the graphics card.
GPU stress test with MSI Afterburner
MSI Afterburner is the most well-known software for overclocking graphics cards. It's free. It also allows you to diagnose the card's graphics performance.
This analysis is performed using its benchmarking tool called MSI Kombustor , which runs several GPU stress tests. The GPU, for those who don't know, is the graphics processing unit of the graphics card. This software is compatible with all GPUs, not just those from MSI.
These tests allow you to see how well your graphics card responds to stress. If the results are favorable, everything is fine. Otherwise, if the test results are unfavorable, you should consider replacing the card.
Since MSI Kombustor uses the Furmark tool for the stress test part, we will move directly to the study of this software for the rest of our article.
If you would like to learn more about the MSI AfterBurner tool, click on the following link: https://fr.msi.com/Landing/afterburner/graphics-cards
Furmark GPU stress test
FurMark is a benchmarking and stress testing software for GPUs. It allows you to analyze the graphics card's performance under heavy load. It's a free and easy-to-use utility.
Step 1: Enter "Furmark" into Google.
Step 2: Choose the link for the editor "Geeks3d".
Step 3: Download the software.
Step 4: Double-click on the executable to launch it.
Step 5: Run the stress test. This will push your graphics card to 100%. Ideally, let the test run for one hour. Throughout the test, information will be displayed on the screen. This information will allow you to check the card's performance and refine your diagnosis.
Conclusion
The graphics card is a key component of your computer. However, when it malfunctions, the problem can manifest in several ways: strange images, unexpected colors, a blue screen, etc. Ideally, you should download software like FurMark, which will specifically test the card's performance. This will allow you to better understand the problem and make informed decisions
