With the help of a video card in a computer, you can watch movies, play, read, just look at various pictures. However, sooner or later it fails, which requires timely diagnosis.
Diagnosing a video card is a simple process if you use some programs. However, there is one more point to consider. You can check the hardware yourself at home only if the video card is still in more or less working condition.
When there is blackness on the monitor screen, strange stripes, something incomprehensible instead of an image, it is better to contact a specialized workshop. Perhaps there was some kind of defect in the board, the cooler stopped working and everything overheated, as well as a host of other reasons that cannot be eliminated on your own.
In some cases, even a complete replacement may be required. If there is still a picture, but failures occur from time to time, it is easy to use the programs below.
How to solve the issue yourself
If the "iron" is still "breathing" and only temporarily malfunctions, you should not arm yourself with a soldering iron. It is enough to use a number of programs. But before that, you need to open the system unit and check if the cooler of the video card is spinning. Sometimes problems are solved simply by replacing the fan. And among the software products there are such as:
- Riva Tuner. A simple utility for checking a video card. It allows you to conveniently identify how much the board heats up. If the values are too high, using the program, you can reduce the clock speed of the video memory or GPU, which often gives a good result. However, the problem was solved only in appearance, since there may be errors at the hardware level. Better to contact the service or replace the card. If a solution has not been found, it is possible that the matter is in the card drivers. They may not match the version or manufacturer. You should replace them with the ones you need.
- PowerStrip is a powerful utility with which you can very fine tune, overclock and diagnose your video card. Moreover, the card model can be different, since a huge number of manufacturers are supported. If necessary, you can check color, screen geometry, GPU frequencies, temperatures, and more. The program is easy to use and does not require any special skills. Available to ordinary users.
- AMD N-Bench is a good tool for testing a video card with the ability to check 3D graphics. The utility loads the card in such a way that it starts to work at the limit of its capabilities. The result is an excellent opportunity to test the stability of all processes. If previously some of the card's features were not used and were deliberately faulty, here they will quickly find themselves.
Don't rush to throw your cards away
Any video card is a set of microelements that can be useful in the repair of this or similar "hardware". Do not rush to send the board to the trash can. Perhaps it will be purchased at a service center or amateur enthusiasts to delve into different microcircuits.
