Solved Another case of display producing artifacts and WIndows crashing

[OldGamer]

My system crashed while playing a 3d game, displaying odd video artifacts. It would not reboot. After a couple of restores I got it to reboot in safe mode. However, even after disabling the graphics card I still see the odd artifacts everywhere (while waiting to login at the Windows logo, in Windows Explorer, etc.) The artifacts are mostly thin horizontal colored lines. Does this indicate a particular problem or fix?System checks seem to indicate the system drivers are OK.

 

[file3456]

How did you apparently disable the graphics card? Your graphics card may need to be replaced.

 

[iko22]

... The artifacts are mostly thin horizontal colored lines. Does this indicate a particular problem or fix?System checks seem to indicate the system drivers are OK.

Can you see the artifacts when in BIOS menu, or at the BIOS Splash Screen?
Are the artefacts occurring on the same screen location?

A "yes" answer to both of these questions suggest a problem with the monitor.

Otherwise, try changing screen background colour. If artefacts only occur on same place, for only select colour(s), then likely monitor, again.

The solution, in either case, would be the repair/replace the monitor.

 

[OldGamer]

How did you apparently disable the graphics card? Your graphics card may need to be replaced.

I disabled it while in Safe Mode using the Device Manager: select and click Disable.



I think the symptoms are pointing to replacing the 8 year old graphics card. I pulled it today, dusted it off as it was extremely dusty, reseated it. Its fans are spinning. No change in symptoms.


With the graphics card disabled, Windows seems to boot reliably in normal mode. This was after a couple of times when it did *not* reboot after disabling it. I'll leave that as a mystery; "Windows is like that...".


Thanks.

 

[OldGamer]

Can you see the artifacts when in BIOS menu, or at the BIOS Splash Screen?
Are the artefacts occurring on the same screen location?

A "yes" answer to both of these questions suggest a problem with the monitor.

Otherwise, try changing screen background colour. If artefacts only occur on same place, for only select colour(s), then likely monitor, again.

The solution, in either case, would be the repair/replace the monitor.

I do see the artifacts in the BIOS screens. They are consistently in the same place... but when I get into Windows the artifacts are quite different. Also my monitor works fine when connected to another computer (via a KVM switch).


I think all this points to a bad graphics card.



Thanks.

 

[file3456]

I'll leave that as a mystery; "Windows is like that...".

No, graphics cards are like that...