How Can Troubleshoot a Video Card

1. Step 1
   Ensure that you have the correct drivers installed in the computer. Start by installing the appropriate chipset driver. You can identify which chipset you have by looking at the motherboard's manual. Follow this by installing the appropriate video driver. Typically, you should install the video driver for the video card brand you have. Make sure your drivers are updated regularly to prevent display problems. For gamers and software users, make sure that the software or game itself is updated.
   
2. Step 2
   Set the appropriate BIOS settings for your computer. Generally, you press the "DEL" button as soon as your computer boots to access the BIOS menu. You also can look at the screen during booting for information on how to access the menu. Once there, you can change the BIOS settings appropriately. To do that, make sure you consult your motherboard's manual, which will have information on what each setting means and how to set it.
   
3. Step 3
   Determine whether the problem lies with the video card or some other component of the display system. Check your monitor’s brightness and contrast settings, power cable and data cable. Make sure your computer is not locked by rebooting it twice. If nothing seems amiss, check your video card.
   
4. Step 4
   Turn off the power and unfasten the plug from the power source.
   
5. Step 5
   Remove the CPU cover and determine the type of video card you have. Either it could be integrated on to your motherboard or it could be fixed in the adapter slot.
   
6. Step 6
   Make sure that the jumpers of the motherboard's integrated video card remain in place. If jumpers are missing or loose, the card may move and malfunction.
   
7. Step 7
   Check if the video card is properly seated in the adapter slot. Unless it is, the card won’t work.
   
8. Step 8
   Check if your monitor and video card are compatible with each other. It is important that the maximum resolution of the video card and the monitor match.
   
9. Step 9
   Contact your vendor or any hardware technician if none of the above troubleshooting steps work.