A malfunctioning graphics card, also known as a video card or GPU (graphics processing unit), is a device that allows your computer to generate visual information and display it on your monitor. There are several ways to check if your graphics card is malfunctioning.
The simplest and most straightforward way to determine whether your graphics card is working correctly is to visually inspect the display. If you experience additional artifacts such as lines, colours, and shapes appearing on-screen that are not meant to be there, then there could be an issue with your graphics card. Additionally, if you experience a loss of colour depth or the screen appears darker than usual even when at the correct settings, this could be caused by a faulty graphics card.
Another symptom of a malfunctioning graphics card is persistent or intermittent crashes or freezing. If your computer crashes or freezes suddenly and often, it could be an indication of a problem with your graphics card. Unfortunately, a crash or freeze can also be caused by other factors such as an overheated computer, incompatible or corrupted software, or hardware incompatibility.
If you experience any of the above symptoms, there are a few steps you can take to troubleshoot your graphics card.
The first thing you should do is to check for system updates and make sure you have the latest version of your operating system installed. Outdated drivers or software can cause conflicts with your graphics card, resulting in the issues described above. On Windows PCs, you can open the Device Manager and check if there are any driver updates available.
After updating your drivers, you should also check your power supply. A weak power supply can cause inadequate performance and errors with your graphics card. Ensure that the power output from your power supply is sufficient to run your entire system, including the graphics card. If your power supply does not meet the requirements, you may need to upgrade to a more powerful one.
If you have done the above steps and still experience problems with your graphics card, you should then run diagnostics on the device. Diagnostics are different tests that are designed to detect and locate faults within your computer’s hardware. On Windows PCs, you can access the built-in diagnostic tools by pressing the F8 key during startup. This will bring up a menu of options where you can select the “Diagnostics” option.
You can also use third-party diagnostic tools specifically designed for testing your graphics card. These tools are available online and offer advanced features that the built-in diagnostic tools may not have. They will provide detailed reports on the current state of your graphics card and can even advise on potential solutions.
Finally, if all else fails, you should consider replacing your graphics card. A faulty graphics card can cause a variety of issues to your overall system’s performance and stability and should be replaced as soon as possible. Before purchasing a replacement, however, you should check with your computer’s manufacturer to ensure that it is compatible with your system.