How to Fix a GPU That Has No Display

There's nothing worse than a computer that doesn't display anything, especially when you need to use it. Since most computers use the graphics card to send display signals to the monitor, there's likely something wrong with your GPU if you see a “No Signal” error message on your screen.

Fortunately, there are a few solutions you can try before spending a fortune on another GPU. In this article, we’ll cover all the possible ways you can troubleshoot and fix a faulty graphics card that’s failing to send video signals to your monitor.

Before you start

Before resorting to extreme measures like updating your GPU firmware, you should follow some initial fixes. For a new GPU, make sure it is properly installed before checking for severe sagging. If your motherboard has debug LEDs, check to see if the GPU indicator lights up at startup.

Many high-end graphics cards require three 6+2-pin connectors from the power supply, and it's a good idea to use three separate cables to avoid running into power delivery issues. Even if your power supply doesn't include three separate cables to power the GPU, make sure you don't connect three 6+2-pin connectors from the same cable.

Additionally, you should try reconnecting the DisplayPort/HDMI cables to the different GPU and monitor ports, as there may be some issues with the ports. Make sure to check if the display cable is faulty by replacing it with another one. Once you have confirmed that all the connections are working fine, it is time to move on to the rest of the fixes.

Switch to on-board graphics

Since the GPU is not working, you will need to find an alternative way to send display signals to the monitor. If you are using an APU, you can use the graphics integrated into the processor to power the system. This will allow you to diagnose the problem with the graphics card and, more importantly, use the computer.

1. Disconnect the video cable from the GPU and connect it to the motherboard.

   

2. Keep clicking on wipe Key during boot sequence to enter BIOS.
3. Look for the option to enable integrated graphics in Advanced Settings Section. On most motherboards, it should be named Start the graphics adapter or Interior graphics.

   

4. Save the new profile and exit BIOS settings.

Alternatively, if you have a secondary GPU, you can use it to boot your system and troubleshoot.

Reinstall your graphics drivers.

In some cases, your old GPU drivers may be corrupted, so you will need to reinstall them. Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) is a great tool that allows you to remove all traces of old display drivers, thus preventing you from running into compatibility errors when installing updated drivers.

1. Download DDU from this link.
2. Unzip the folder you just downloaded before double clicking on the DDU application file and extracting it.
3. Turn on DisplayDriverUninstaller.exe File with administrator privileges.
4. Click on Select the type of offer box and choose Graphics Processing Unit.

   

   If you have used another GPU instead of integrated graphics, make sure you haven't selected it by mistake.

5. Choose Clean and reboot Option to remove old drivers.

   

6. Once your computer starts up, you can download the latest drivers from your GPU manufacturer's website.

GPU VBIOS Flash

If your GPU suddenly stops working and no other solutions work, you can try to save it by updating to the latest version of VBIOS.

1. Download the GPU-Z utility from TechPowerUP and run the executable file as administrator.
2. (Optional) Save the current BIOS version by clicking Save BIOS button.

   

3. Go to the Video BIOS Collection page on TechPowerUp.
4. Note Card seller, Card template, bus interface, And other options from GPU-Z and use it to find BIOS files compatible with your GPU on the Video BIOS group page.
5. Once you have located the VBIOS file for your GPU, click download The button next to it.

   

Next, you need to disable the GPU using Device Manager. To do this,

1. Right click on It starts button and choose device manager.

   

2. Click the drop-down arrow next to Display Adapters.

   

3. Right click on the faulty GPU and select Disable device option.

   

Depending on your GPU brand, you will need to install a different BIOS update tool. For Nvidia cards, it is NVFlash, while AMD GPUs require AMDVBFlash.

Once you have extracted the tool, it is time to update the BIOS. Starting with Nvidia GPUs:

1. Copy the VBIOS file you downloaded earlier to the NVFlash folder.
2. Right click on It starts button and open Terminal (Administrator).

   

3. Click on Drop arrow At the top of the window and switch to Command Prompt.

   

4. He writes CD Followed by the directory where you extracted the NVFlash folder.

   

5. Enter the following command:

   nvflash -6 bios_name

   

   Make sure to replace bios_name with the name of your GPU's BIOS file.

6. NVFlash will ask for permission twice, and you will have to enter Y Both times to start the flashing process.
7. Reboot your system after NVFlash installs the new BIOS.

For AMD cards, the process is fairly simple. All you have to do is:

1. Go to AMDVBFlash folder and run it. amdvbflashWin.exe As an administrator.
2. Click on Download Image button.
3. Select the ROM file you downloaded earlier and press Yes.
4. Click on program Press the button and wait until AMDVBFlash finishes installing the BIOS file.
5. Restart your system after that.

Once you've confirmed that the GPU is working, you may want to go back into your motherboard's BIOS and switch the display interface to the dedicated GPU from the integrated GPU.

Prevent GPU display issues

Hopefully, you can get your GPU (and display signals) back to normal by following these fixes. If you recently purchased a defective graphics card, I recommend that you request a replacement card from the manufacturer before going to the trouble of diagnosing and repairing it yourself.

Unfortunately, problems still exist even on more expensive machines. If your old GPU is showing visual glitches, sudden FPS drops, and random blue screens even after fixing the display issues, it may have already reached its end. Therefore, now is the best time to look for a replacement GPU.