9 Reasons Your Graphic Card is Crashing: Troubleshooting Guide


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Whether you are a gamer or a graphic designer, the graphics card in your computer is an indispensable tool. When it crashes, it can seem as if your entire computing world comes tumbling down with it. You need to know why your graphics card is crashing so you can deal with it swiftly and get on with your life. 

Many symptoms indicate your graphics card may be about to fail, but what is important is that you know what to do about it. Some fixes are relatively straightforward, while others may require that you replace the card altogether. Continue reading to learn about nine of the most common reasons your graphics card crashes and what you can do about it. 

Check Your GPU and Make Sure It’s Enabled

You will want to check first if your graphics card is not working on your laptop. Most laptops have a Graphics Processing Unit that is integrated into the machine. It must be enabled for the graphics card to work.

Since every graphics card works differently in enabling the GPU, there is no easy way to tell you what to do. Essentially, you will want to go into the settings or control panel for the computer, navigate to GPU, and make sure it is selected as your preferred graphics processor. 

Take a Look at Your In-Game Settings

If you notice that your graphics card is letting you down only when playing certain games, then it could be the settings for those particular games causing the problem. To troubleshoot this, you will want to go to your in-game settings and have a look. 

Keep in mind that some GPUs today do not work with certain settings. You may have to do some trial and error to determine what settings are optimal for certain complex games. Toggling specific settings on or off will often do the trick. 

Update Your Graphics Drivers

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We often seem to take for granted that graphics cards will work as intended without ever needing user intervention. This is simply not the case. With new graphics related updates being released on a continual basis, you will want to make sure that your graphics card is regularly updated as well. 

Keep in mind that a graphics card can only be updated up to a certain level. Once it becomes too old, updates will actually cause the computer to crash more than it normally would. That means that you will need to replace the card altogether. 

Remove the Entire Driver

From time to time, you might find yourself replacing the entire GPU in your computer. Unfortunately, when you do this, the new GPU might not play nice with the existing graphics card driver that you have installed. When this happens, the card will crash. An easy fix is to remove the driver altogether and then start again. 

Of course, uninstalling a driver still leaves traces of it. To combat this, you will want to use Display Driver Uninstaller. This will make sure that you get rid of all traces of the driver, and then that will free you up to install the new update that should work with your new GPU. 

Check the Temperature

You might not think that a graphics card can overheat, but it most certainly can. If you are having issues with your card not working regularly, you might want to check the temperature. For example, a graphics card can get quite hot when it is working hard, such as when rendering 3D graphics for an extended period. 

It is often difficult to control the temperature inside your computer, but there are some things that you can do to prevent your graphics card from overheating. One tip is to get some compressed air and use that to clean away the dust that accumulates on your card over time. You can also make sure your internal fan is working properly. 

Check the Installation

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A graphics card that is not working could be the result of something as simple as not being properly seated in its slot. This is necessary in order for the card to work properly. A card that is not fully installed in the proper slot will not be able to use all of its components and will crash without notice. 

Remember that certain graphics cards also need extra power plugs. Make sure that these are securely plugged in and that they cannot become unattached easily. You want to make sure everything associated with your graphics card is installed properly before you begin using it. 

Examine the Video Cable

You may also want to examine the video cable that is going from your graphics card to the computer. If it is not attached properly, you will notice some strange things happening with your graphics. Check both sides of the cable to make sure everything is working properly. If you are not sure, you can try to replace the cable and see if that solves the problem. 

Look at the Monitor

You may find out that there is nothing actually wrong with your graphics card. Instead, you need to be looking at the monitor on your computer. Monitors have a certain lifespan as well. You may need to get a new monitor to notice a pronounced difference in the quality of the graphics you see on screen. 

Get a New Card

If you have exhausted all of these tips and your graphics card is either still not working at all or crashes with frustrating regularity, then it is time to face facts and ditch it altogether. Your card could be fried or otherwise is just not working and is beyond repair. Whatever the case might be, you will need to buy a new one and replace it. That should fix the issue. 

Wrap-Up

Now that you understand why your graphics card might be crashing, it is time to do something about it. The key is to get the problem fixed as quickly as possible so that you can go back to doing what you enjoy the most. Since your graphics card is so important, it helps to have a backup plan in place to get you through the interim. 

Sources: 

https://www.maketecheasier.com/faulty-graphics-card-and-the-fix/

https://www.ubisoft.com/en-us/help/connectivity-and-performance/article/resolving-crashes-by-updating-graphics-card-drivers/000064837

John Hammer

Hi i'm John Hammer, Founder and Author of Gizbuyer Guide. Ever since the original Xbox, PlayStation, and iPhone I've purchased and worked on all kinds of consumer tech products, gaming gadgets and operating system softwares. To this day my curiosity has never left, and my aim is to guide and share my knowledge on technology as I continue to experience the latest of the consumer electronics industry.

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