How to Tell if Your GPU is Dying

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Are you having issues with your GPU/graphics card? Do you want to know if your graphics card is dying and needs replacing? Your graphics card is an essential part of your PC. It renders the images on your screen and enables high-resolution 3D graphics. It's also essential if you like to do video or audio editing, CAD, or 3D graphic modeling and animation. Like any other PC component, your graphics card is prone to failure. Before you jump to any conclusions, there are a few things you can do to check and see if your GPU is the problem and if it can be resolved. This wikiHow article teaches you how to troubleshoot problems with your GPU.

Signs Your GPU is Dying

  1. Your screen freezes or goes black.
  2. You experience lags or frame rate drops.
  3. Your screen glitches.
  4. You see strange artifacts, like dots, lines, and patterns.
Method 1
Method 1 of 2:

Checking the Signs of a Dying Graphics Card

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  1. If you find your screen is freezing, going black, or giving your blue screen errors, it could be a sign that your graphics card is dying. However, these problems can also be caused by malware, memory (RAM) problems, or even a dying hard drive. [1]
  2. It's not uncommon to experience lag, stuttering, or frame rate drops when there is a lot of activity on-screen or experiencing latency problems with your internet connection, or if you have too many programs running at once. However, if you start experiencing these problems for no reason at all, it may be a sign that your graphics card is having issues.
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  3. If you are experiencing out-of-place textures during gaming, weird colors, or screen tearing (a horizontal split in the screen), it could be a sign your graphics card is having problems. [2]
  4. Another sign that your graphics card may be in trouble is if you start seeing strange artifacts. This may start off as small dots on the screen, but may soon evolve into lines, out-of-place shapes, and strange patterns. [3]
  5. If you find your games are crashing frequently, it may be a sign that your GPU is not able to handle the load these games are generating. However, you may want to test different games to see if the problem is happening on multiple games. If it's only happening on one or 2 games, it may be a problem with the game or with your drivers. [4]
    • Also check to make sure your graphics card and PC meet the recommended specs for the games and software you are using. If your PC does not meet the recommended specs, these programs will not be able to run at their optimum performance. If your PC does not meet the minimum recommended specs, your PC may not be able to run these programs.
  6. Most modern graphics cards come equipped with fans that are used to cool the GPU when it is in use. When it is not in use, the fans should be relatively quiet. If the fans are going constantly, or the fans are excessively loud and grating, it could be a sign there is a problem with your graphics card. [5]
  7. The infamous "blue screen of death" can be caused by a variety of hardware problems. However, if you find it happens while playing games or doing other GPU-intensive activities, it could be a problem with your graphics card. [6]
  8. The most sure-fire way to tell if you are experiencing hardware problems is if your PC does not boot up. This can be caused by a faulty graphics card or any number of other hardware issues.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 2:

Troubleshooting

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  1. If your PC will not boot up, check for any motherboard error codes. They may display on-screen, or you may hear a series of beeps as your PC boots up. You can also open your computer case and check if your motherboard has a number display. Check the error code on the number display or on-screen, or count the beeps as your PC boots up. Use Google to check what the error code means for your motherboard brand.
  2. If you are experiencing visual problems on your PC, you may want to check the video cable to make sure it's not causing the problem. Try using a different HDMI or DisplayPort cable. Check to make sure the connectors on the cable are clean and in good order. Check the video ports on your PC and the back of your monitor to make sure they are clean and in good working order. Make sure there is no debris in the cable or any of the ports or cable connectors. If you are able to, try a different monitor or television and see if you experience the same problem on a different display. [7]
  3. If you are experiencing issues with your GPU, update your video drivers to see if this fixes the issue. You can usually find a download for the latest drivers for your graphics card on the manufacturer's website. Download and install the latest drivers for your graphics card.
  4. If you find the problem started occurring after you updated your graphics drivers, you may want to uninstall the graphics drivers and install a previous version of the drivers. You should be able to find a list of previous drivers on the manufacturer's website.
  5. Overclocking your graphics card is a good way to improve its performance. However, it can also run the risk of damaging your graphics card. If you are currently overclocking your graphic card, return the clock speed back to the manufacturer's default settings and see if the problem continues. [8]
  6. In order to do this, you will need to open your PC case and check to make sure your graphics card is seated properly in it's PCI slot with the latch next to it firmly latched. If it is loose and not properly latched, remove it the graphics card and check to make sure there isn't any dust and debris on any of the connectors. You can use an eraser or rubber cleaner to clean the connectors or in the PCI slot. Then reseat it properly . [9]
    • When you are handling PC components, make sure you touch something metal before handling or wear static wrist cuffs to before handling your PC parts to prevent static electricity. A discharge of static electricity can damage your graphics card, motherboard, or any other PC components.
  7. Open your PC case and remove the graphics card. Check to make sure there isn't an excessive amount of dust or debris around or behind the fans. If it is dusty, you can try unplugging it and cleaning it with compressed air.
    • If you are comfortable doing so, you can take apart your graphics card and inspect for damaged components. If you are not comfortable taking apart your graphics card, you can take it to a repair shop instead. That's usually the recommendation for a deep cleaning, replacing thermal paste and checking for other issues.
  8. If you are still able to boot up your computer, you can download and install apps that test your graphics card. You can use a program like Novabench or Unigine's Heaven Benchmark to test your graphics card. These programs will test your graphics card by having it render a graphically intense scene. It will then tell you your highest, lowest, and average frame rate, as well as the average temperature of your graphics card.
    • If your frame rate average is below 30 frames per second, your graphics card is not equipped to handle most 3D graphics. If your average frame rate is below 60 frames per second, your graphics card is not equipped to handle high-end intensive graphics.
    • If your graphics card is reaching temperatures above 80 degrees Celcius, your graphics card is getting too hot and it could be causing damage.
  9. If you have done all the necessary steps and your graphics card is still not working or performing at its optimal performance, now may be the time to get a new graphics card. If your old graphics card didn't meet your performance needs, look for a graphics card that meets your needs. Or maybe you can just get a new graphics card with all the latest features, like ray tracing and deep learning super sampling (DLSS). [10]
    • Check to see if your graphics card is under warranty. If your graphics card is still under warranty, you may be able to get the manufacturer to replace or repair it for free.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    How do I clean my GPU heatsink?
    Stan Kats
    Professional Technologist
    Stan Kats is a Professional Technologist and the COO and Chief Technologist for The STG IT Consulting Group in West Hollywood, California. Stan provides comprehensive technology solutions to businesses through managed IT services, and for individuals through his consumer service business, Stan's Tech Garage. Stan holds a BA in International Relations from The University of Southern California. He began his career working in the Fortune 500 IT world. Stan founded his companies to offer an enterprise-level of expertise for small businesses and individuals.
    Stan Kats
    Professional Technologist
    Expert Answer
    Unscrew your graphics card, disconnect the power cables, take it out of the computer, and blow on it with some compressed air to get rid of the dust—this should help with the cooling.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.pcguide.com/gpu/how-to/how-to-tell-if-a-gpu-is-failing/
      2. ↑ https://www.cgdirector.com/graphics-card-dying/
      3. ↑ https://www.pcguide.com/gpu/how-to/how-to-tell-if-a-gpu-is-failing/
      4. ↑ https://www.pcguide.com/gpu/how-to/how-to-tell-if-a-gpu-is-failing/
      5. ↑ https://www.cgdirector.com/graphics-card-dying/
      6. ↑ https://www.cgdirector.com/graphics-card-dying/
      7. ↑ https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/common-gpu-problems-how-to-fix/
      8. ↑ https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/common-gpu-problems-how-to-fix/
      9. ↑ https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/common-gpu-problems-how-to-fix/
      1. ↑ https://graphicsreport.com/how-to-tell-if-your-graphics-card-is-dying/

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      1. Check if you are getting blue screen errors.
      2. Check if your games are constantly crashing.
      3. Check if you are seeing weird screen glitches.
      4. Check to see if you are seeing weird graphic artifacts.
      5. Check if you are hearing excessive fan noise coming from your GPU.
      6. Download a graphics test program and use it to test your graphics card.
      7. Check if there are any error codes as your PC boots up.
      8. Check to make sure your graphics card is seated properly.
      9. Check to make sure your graphics card doesn't have any dust, debris, or damaged parts.

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