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Check the basics
2
Monitor the temperature and usage
3
Run a stress test
4
Check the memory
5
Update the drivers
6
Try a different graphics card
7
Here’s what else to consider
A graphics card is a vital component of any computer that handles graphics-intensive tasks such as gaming, video editing, or 3D rendering. However, sometimes a graphics card can malfunction or degrade over time, causing various issues such as poor performance, visual artifacts, crashes, or even no display at all. To diagnose and troubleshoot these problems, you can use hardware diagnostic tools that test the functionality and stability of your graphics card. In this article, we will show you how to identify issues with a graphics card using hardware diagnostic tools.
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- Abdul Hasib Yousufzai Full Stack Developer | Field Service Engineer | IT Support Professional I System Admin I Network Engineer
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- Ibrahim Karimov Systems Engineer / MCP / MCT / Azure / O365
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- Ryan Holland Senior Engineer Solutions Architecture at Dell Technologies
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1 Check the basics
Before you run any hardware diagnostic tools, you should first check the basic aspects of your graphics card, such as its power supply, cooling system, and connection to the motherboard and monitor. Make sure that your graphics card is properly installed and secured in the PCIe slot, and that it receives enough power from the PSU. Also, check if the fans and heatsink are clean and working well, and if there is enough airflow in your case. Finally, verify that the cables and adapters that connect your graphics card to your monitor are in good condition and firmly plugged in.
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- Abdul Hasib Yousufzai Full Stack Developer | Field Service Engineer | IT Support Professional I System Admin I Network Engineer
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Temperature MonitoringDriver ChecksArtifact DetectionMemory TestsGraphics Card Stress TestsHardware InformationVoltage and Power TestsBenchmarking
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- Ibrahim Karimov Systems Engineer / MCP / MCT / Azure / O365
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Check driver. An incorrect driver may cause a system error.Test memory. Sometimes a memory chip of RAM can be damaged and the system gives an error when loading data to the chip.Monitor temperature. Thermal paste change and cleaning must be periodically done. At high temperatures, the VGA processor can be throttling or give an error.Check PCI-ex port. Maybe a problem with the PCI-ex port or on the VGA board. Check with the PCI-ex port with another VGA.Check PSU. Are the PSU parameters enough for your system? Check CPU, MB, and OS. Is your VGA suitable for your system parameters?
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- Michael Noah IT Engineer - Meyer Timber||SQL|| Power-BI||
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This happens all the time I call it display issues by running tests to assess various aspects of the card's performance and functionality. Such as 1.GPU Stress Test: to Checks the stability of the GPU under heavy load. 2.Temperature Monitoring. 3.Memory Test to Checks the integrity of the GPU memory. 4.Graphics Card Information to Provide detailed information about the graphics card. 5. Driver Analysis and Updates to Identifies driver-related issues affecting the graphics card. 6. Compatibility Testing. 7. Physical Inspection to Checks for physical damage or defects on the graphics card
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- Archie Doyle Experienced IT Professional
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Another thing to check is the PSU. I found an issue where the GPU was intermittently crashing the system. It turns out the PSU (stock from the manufacturer) was not sufficient to supply enough power the PSU. Replacing the PSU with a higher wattage unit solved the issue.
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- arsene severin Directeur Technique en Informatique chez Vision Numérique poste actuel
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les symptômes d'un HS ou d'une carte graphique défectueuse sont :Artefacts graphiques.Accident aléatoire dans le jeu. ...Échec des tests de résistance.Écran bleu (BSOD)Perte d'affichage, écran noir.Redémarrage aléatoire du système.PC ne démarre pas.
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2 Monitor the temperature and usage
One of the most common causes of graphics card issues is overheating, which can damage the card or reduce its performance. To monitor the temperature and usage of your graphics card, you can use software tools such as GPU-Z, MSI Afterburner, or HWMonitor. These tools can display various information about your graphics card, such as its core clock, memory clock, voltage, fan speed, and load. You can also see the current and maximum temperature of your graphics card, and compare it with the recommended values from the manufacturer. If your graphics card is running too hot or too high, you may need to adjust its settings, improve its cooling, or replace it.
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- Mario Theriault Computer Technician at American Biltrite (Canada) Ltd
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Run diagnostic software: Utilize diagnostic software specifically designed to test graphics card performance and identify potential issues. Popular tools include FurMark, MSI Afterburner, and GPU-Z3.Use DirectX Diagnostic Tool: Windows 10 includes a built-in tool that can help you assess the GPU. Open the DirectX Diagnostic Tool by pressing the Windows key + R, then typing dxdiag and Enter.Test for overheating and thermal throttling: An overheating graphics card will result in lag and sluggish performance in-game.
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- George Brewster Software Developer ★ Development Manager ★ Expert in Proactive System Monitoring andAutomation ► Bridging Technology and Innovation to Enhance Operational Excellence and Reliability
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I use HWinfo64 for checking GPU Memory Junction Temperature and fan speeds. HWinfo64 also has the Sensor Status of the motherboard and CPU as well as other hardware. It is really convenient and easy to use.
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- Vusumzi Ndamane --
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Make sure to not replace your graphics card before checking if it is running hot first try to adjust the settings if that doesn’t work try get better cooling.
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- Esteban Xavier Almeida Ramón Asesor / Consultor en Tecnologías de la Información
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Se tiene que verificar la temperatura de la tarjeta gráfica, también verificar si los ventiladores funcionan al máximo o si la temperatura es anormalmente alta, esto podría indicar un problema en la tarjeta.
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- Felipe Rodrigues Técnico de TI
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Uma das causas mais comuns de problemas na placa gráfica é o superaquecimento, que pode danificar a placa ou reduzir seu desempenho. Para monitorar a temperatura e o uso da placa gráfica, você pode usar ferramentas de software como GPU-Z, MSI Afterburner ou HWMonitor. Essas ferramentas podem exibir várias informações sobre sua placa gráfica, como seu relógio principal, relógio de memória, tensão, velocidade do ventilador e carga. Você também pode ver a temperatura atual e máxima da placa gráfica e compará-la com os valores recomendados pelo fabricante. Se a placa gráfica estiver muito quente ou muito alta, talvez seja necessário ajustar suas configurações,
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3 Run a stress test
A stress test is a way to test the stability and reliability of your graphics card by putting it under a heavy load and measuring its performance and behavior. A stress test can reveal any potential issues with your graphics card, such as overheating, throttling, crashing, or displaying errors or artifacts. To run a stress test on your graphics card, you can use software tools such as FurMark, Unigine Heaven, or 3DMark. These tools can simulate various scenarios and benchmarks that challenge your graphics card and show you its FPS, temperature, and score. You can run a stress test for at least 15 minutes and observe if your graphics card can handle it without any problems.
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- Mario Theriault Computer Technician at American Biltrite (Canada) Ltd
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Remember to disable any overclocking that you may be running before proceeding. Also, ensure you have the correct GPU drivers installed and are up to date1. If not, download and install the latest drivers or update the existing ones before continuing.
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- Zahid Mahomed Server Engineer
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Running artifact scanning tools like OCCT or AIDA64 can stress the graphics card and detect any graphical artifacts, which are visual anomalies like screen tearing, flickering, or unusual colors. These artifacts can indicate issues with the GPU itself.
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- Vusumzi Ndamane --
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Very easy to do just open the DirectX tool, and it will effectively show you where the problem might be(Overheating and thermal throttling).
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- Alvin Avila independiente
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Las pruebas de esfuerzo se deben realizar utilizando como referencia la información de rendimiento presente en el manual, esto brindará un rango en el que debe funcionar correctamente y una forma fácil de detectar algún problema.
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4 Check the memory
Another possible cause of graphics card issues is faulty or corrupted memory, which can affect the quality and performance of your graphics output. To check the memory of your graphics card, you can use software tools such as Video Memory Stress Test, OCCT, or MemTestG80. These tools can scan and test the memory of your graphics card and detect any errors or defects. You can run a memory test for several hours and see if your graphics card passes it without any errors. If your graphics card fails the memory test, you may need to lower its memory clock, update its drivers, or replace it.
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- Ryan Holland Senior Engineer Solutions Architecture at Dell Technologies
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Don't jump the gun! When troubleshooting "no video" issues without an additional video card to test, ensure good you're not dealing with a "no POST" issue. Although the symptom is similar you wouldn't want to spend a chunk of change and find out the problem is not GPU related.Process of elimination... Remove the video card and power the system... beep codes or diagnostic messages from an LCD? Yes? Then isolate the video card. Return it to the system and remove other cards and/or unplug power from other commodities (storage devices).No beep codes or diagnostic messages with vid card out then start pulling memory. Any beep codes with memory out? No? Possibly failed motherboard. Search documentation for your system for diag codes.
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- Pedro José da Silva Cisco Instructor (CCNAv7 certified )| |NSE4| IT Support | Fortinet Cybersecurty Certified| CCNP Enterprise in Progress
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Memory checking can be an effective way to identify problems with a graphics card using hardware diagnostic tools. There are programs like MemTest86 that can be run to test the health of your graphics card's memory.If there are problems with memory, MemTest86 can identify read or write errors, which may indicate graphics card memory failures. Additionally, if your graphics card is overheating or experiencing visual artifacts during testing, this could also be a sign of memory issues. Therefore, checking memory can be an important step in identifying problems with a graphics card using hardware diagnostic tools.
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- John Bonlender Pre-Law Student • LinkedIn Top Computer Hardware Voice Contributor
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Checking the memory is useless. VRAM is soldered on. - a lot of times your motherboard will tell you if the GPU is faulty. - Repasting the actual GPU processor can help with overheating.
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screen flickers under all circ*mstances and can not figure it out. I have tried several tings and none of them have worked. so
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5 Update the drivers
Sometimes, graphics card issues can be caused by outdated or incompatible drivers, which are the software that communicate between your graphics card and your operating system. To update the drivers of your graphics card, you can use the official website of your graphics card manufacturer, such as NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel, and download the latest drivers for your specific model and OS. Alternatively, you can use software tools such as Driver Booster, Driver Easy, or Driver Genius, which can automatically scan and update the drivers of your graphics card and other devices. Updating the drivers of your graphics card can improve its performance, compatibility, and stability.
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Graphic card drivers are important because they optimize performance, ensure compatibility, fix bugs, add new features, enhance security, and maintain system stability.Graphic card drivers are essential for ensuring optimal performance, compatibility, stability, and security of your graphics card and overall system.Keeping your not only graphic cards but all other devices drivers/ firmwares and software's up to date helps maintain system stability by addressing known issues and preventing system crashes or freezes related to graphics processing.
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- Pedro José da Silva Cisco Instructor (CCNAv7 certified )| |NSE4| IT Support | Fortinet Cybersecurty Certified| CCNP Enterprise in Progress
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Updating your graphics card drivers can help identify problems using hardware diagnostic tools. Performance or stability issues can often be caused by outdated or incompatible drivers. By using diagnostic tools such as Device Manager in Windows or System Monitor in Linux, you can check whether updates are available for your graphics card drivers. After the update, it is important to note whether the problems persist or have been resolved, which may indicate that outdated drivers were the cause of the problems. Therefore, updating your graphics card drivers is an important step in identifying and resolving hardware issues.
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- Ravi Ammoju structured Cable engineer
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If you update the graphic card then also we will not get proper details check once another CPU.then we need to change the graphic card .
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- Esteban Xavier Almeida Ramón Asesor / Consultor en Tecnologías de la Información
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Primero realizar una prueba de diagnóstico. Si la prueba de diagnóstico indica que la tarjeta gráfica está fallando, se debe intentar actualizar los controladores de la tarjeta gráfica. A veces, problemas de compatibilidad o errores en los controladores pueden afectar el rendimiento de la misma.
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- Alvin Avila independiente
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Tener el controlador adecuado puede evitarte muchos problemas, aveces el problema de tu tarjeta gráfica o de cualquier otro componente es un driver genérico, basta con instalar o actualizar el diver del fabricante y listo, un equipo listo y de correcto rendimiento.
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6 Try a different graphics card
If none of the above hardware diagnostic tools can identify or fix the issues with your graphics card, you may need to try a different graphics card to confirm if the problem is with your graphics card or with another component of your computer. To do this, you can either borrow or buy another graphics card that is compatible with your motherboard and PSU, and install it in your computer. Then, you can repeat the same hardware diagnostic tools and see if the issues persist or disappear. If the issues are gone, then your original graphics card is likely faulty or damaged and needs to be repaired or replaced. If the issues remain, then your graphics card is not the culprit and you need to check other components of your computer, such as the CPU, RAM, or motherboard.
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- Kyle Laporte Network Analyst at Mitchell Seaforth Cable TV LTD
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whenever working on a system that is displaying no video, the first thing I do is try another GPU or try the onboard video if the system has this available. This will let you know if there is in fact an issue with the GPU. if another GPU fails to display video try another PCI-e slot, could be a bad slot on the motherboard. I find doing these steps right away will help determine the status of the GPU right away.
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- Chris Bayes Campus Technology Assistant
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This is one of the most important things, if unable to get a new graphics card working. If you have an older one, test it. If you know it works, using it in another system or you are replacing it with you new one, this helps with a final test. Once you determine if the old graphics card works , it is usually time to return your new one or exchange it depending on where you purchased it.
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fix the issues with your graphics card, you may need to try a different graphics card to confirm if the problem is with your graphics card or with another component of your computer.
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7 Here’s what else to consider
This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?
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- Ryan Holland Senior Engineer Solutions Architecture at Dell Technologies
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Personal experience - Nvidia GTX780 wanted 42 amps. The system I was using a Lenovo D20 workstation with a 1K PSU. The system also had 5 SAS drives in a RAID config. When running 3D Mark the system shut off about 30 seconds into testing. Thinking it was a fluke I decided to try again. This time the lights in my apt flickered and it shut off within 15 seconds into 3D Mark. I obtained a larger SATA drive and ghosted the OS from the RAID to the single SATA. I then unplugged all the SAS drives and booted the single SATA. I was able to successfully run 3DMark without issues. So, know your power requirements/limits.
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- Vusumzi Ndamane --
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CPU, PSU, Motherboard and RAM can also be the issue one of those might be damaged or not seated properly, so check the components and try reseat them.
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- Klaus Henschel Geht nicht, gibt es nicht!
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Problems with the power supply unit or the power supply can also lead to malfunctions of the graphics card. This should therefore be taken into account when troubleshooting!
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