When your screen turns black, it can be incredibly frustrating. You may not know if the cause is a faulty GPU or if your system has some other type of problem. In order to properly troubleshoot a GPU issue when your screen turns black, it is important to follow a few steps.
1. Check the power supply: The most common cause of a black screen issue is a lack of power supply to the GPU. Make sure that your graphics card is receiving an adequate amount of power from the power supply. Also, check that all the cables are firmly connected.
2. Test your monitor: It is possible that the issue may not be with your GPU, but with your monitor. Try connecting your GPU to a different monitor and see if the issue persists. This will help you determine if the issue is with the GPU or the monitor.
3. Check the display settings: Ensure that the display settings on your monitor are set correctly. Make sure that the refresh rate, resolution, and color depth are all set correctly. It is also a good idea to reset the display settings back to their default values in case they had been changed.
4. Perform a clean boot: A clean boot is a process of starting Windows with a minimal set of drivers and startup programs. This helps identify if any software on your computer is causing the issue. To perform a clean boot, open the System Configuration utility and select the “Selective Startup” option. Click the “Load System Services” and “Use Original Boot Configuration” checkboxes, then click “OK”. Restart your computer and see if the issue persists.
5. Test the GPU: You can use a program such as FurMark to test the GPU and determine if there is a hardware issue. Run the benchmark test and look for artifacts, which indicate a failing GPU. If artifacts appear, it is likely that the GPU is failing and needs to be replaced.
6. Replace the GPU: If you have identified that your GPU is the cause of the black screen issue, replace it with a new one. Make sure to get a compatible graphics card that meets the requirements of your computer. Once you have installed the new GPU, restart your computer and check if the issue has been resolved.
7. Reinstall the drivers: After replacing the GPU, reinstall the graphics card drivers from the manufacturer’s website. This should help resolve any compatibility issues that may be causing the issue.
By following these steps, you should be able to properly troubleshoot a GPU issue when your screen turns black. If the issue persists, it is likely that there is another issue with your computer, such as a faulty power supply, motherboard, or memory. In this case, you may want to contact a professional computer repair service to help diagnose and repair the problem.