AMD Graphics Card Problems and How to Fix Them
Graphics adapters are a needed component for game machines or computers that will be rendering graphics for any reason.
Regardless of the use, you don’t want to fall victim to symptoms of a faulty graphics card – such as pixilated flaws, poor rendering or even a screen that goes blank (temporarily or permanently).
The first question that may come to mind is “how do I know if my GPU is dying?”.
What to Do if Your Graphics Card Is Not Working?
The thought of any device failing on your computer – particularly an expensive one – can be enough to ruin your day.
Still, not all problems that occur are the fault of the actual hardware. There are plenty of other areas to check before admitting defeat and investing in a hardware fix or replacement. It’s good to start with the basics and work from there.
Ensure the Physical Pieces Are Connected Properly
The least intrusive way to begin is by checking connections.
You can start by unplugging and plugging back any cables to the card and monitor. If this doesn’t produce better results, don’t stop there. If you have another cable to test, try it first. If that one works, you’ve at least isolated the issue.
Beyond the cables, you can open up the computer and ensure the video card is seated properly into its PCI slot. You’ll want to turn off all power to the machine before removing and replacing the board.
Make Sure the Problem Isn’t the Monitor
It’s possible that the issue is with hardware but not the graphics adapter itself. If you have another monitor, hook it up and verify if the behavior still occurs.
If not, check various settings on the problematic monitor to see if you can correct the behavior specific to that screen.
Keep Software at the Latest Build
You’re likely familiar with the need to keep your operating system and any applications that run on it current with the latest fixes. These can be important with how the applications work with Windows (and vice-versa) – not to mention the many security patches that are always being pushed out.
For the latest Windows 10 patches, you can type Windows Updates in the taskbar’s search box and click on it. From here, you can check for updates or schedule when to do so.
Another form of software to consider is the hardware’s (or device’s) drivers.
Device Drivers are required to ensure any physical device works properly with your computer’s operating system. Even if a device initially worked fine, its drivers can become outdated or corrupted. When this occurs, it’s time to update the driver.
How do I Fix an AMD Driver Problem?
The simple answer to fixing a driver problem is to install a newer one.
You can allow Windows to try and find the correct driver, but the operating system doesn’t always locate the optimal one.
In such situations, there are two choices: do it yourself or let software specifically geared for that purpose to do it for you.
DIY: Manually Searching for Drivers
Before starting out, you’ll need the exact model (and possibly other information like the serial number) in order to find the correct device driver.
Once you obtain this information, you’ll need to go to the manufacturer’s website and search for the right driver. If you find it, download and unzip it to a location on your hard drive (such as the downloads folder) where you can find it later.
Afterward, find the Device Manager via the search box on the taskbar. Upon clicking on it, find the AMD device and right-click.
From here, choose Update driver.
This will take you to two choices. Select the ‘Browse my computer for driver software’– which allows you to drill down for the driver you recently downloaded. Confirm the location and allow it to install.
Automate the Task of Finding Drivers
There exists a software, such as Driver Support, that can automatically search for and install the drivers for you. This not only saves you from the effort but can also avoid problems down the line by ensuring drivers are current.
Beyond the Basic Troubleshooting
After all is said and done, it may turn out that the graphics hardware is the root cause.
If the prior steps do not fix any observed issues, it may be time to contact the manufacturer. If the AMD graphics card is no longer under warranty, you may opt to just replace it.
Trust a Reliable Name for Automating any Device Driver Needs
While you can certainly do it alone, there’s no need to do so.
Once you register the Driver Support service, it will update any drivers that are missing or out of date. You can stop spending valuable time searching for drivers – and instead focus on your graphical applications.
Since 1996, Driver Support has been providing services that keep device drivers up to date. Give DriverSupport | ONE a try today! today.
