Graphics card aka video board
A graphics card also known as a video card or VGA board is a laptop component responsible for creating images on a laptop screen.
In most low-mid range laptops the graphics card is integrated into the motherboard. In other words, it’s a part of the motherboard. If that’s the case, the graphics card is not removable or upgradeable. If the graphics card fails, you have to replace the whole motherboard.
A discrete graphics card can be found in high range models and high end gaming laptops. Discrete graphics cards can be removed and in some cases they are upgradeable.
Here’s another example of the discrete video card in a high end gaming laptop. As you see the video card can be separated from the motherboard.
GRAPHICS CARD RELATED PROBLEMS
You can use the following method for troubleshooting problems related to graphics cards.
Let’s say your display stopped working properly. The image is distorted or garbled. Is this problem related to the VGA board or LCD screen?
Connect your laptop to an external monitor and take a look at the external video output. If you see the same problem as on the internal LCD screen, most likely it’s related to the VGA board. If video on the external monitor works fine and the problem appears only on the internal LCD screen, most likely your problem is related to the LCD screen or LCD cable.
TYPICAL VIDEO CARD FAILURE
Below you can see a few pictures taken from a laptop with a faulty video card.
1. When you start the laptop, the initial screen with manufacturer’s logo is not displayed properly on both internal LCD screen and external monitors. You can see random characters, vertical lines running through the logo, random colors, etc…
2. Same problem appears when the laptop displays the boot menu. The screen is either not readable at all, or there are some random characters all over the image.
3. Finally, the laptop starts loading Windows, but the image on both screens is still garbled.
A problem like that is not related to the laptop screen or inverter board.
Again, if the video card is integrated into the motherboard and it fails, you’ll have to replace the motherboard.
Need spare parts for your laptop?
If you are looking for spare parts for your laptop you can find brand new and used parts here. Just search by the part name and laptop model.
February 24th, 2009 at 8:16 pm
Charles,
Unfortunately I cannot help you laptop with this particular model. Apparently your Satellite P100-188 is not sold in the USA. I went through list of all P100 but cannot find your model.
All laptops sold in the USA come with either an integrated video card or discrete nVidia G71M/G71M-U (256MB/512MB) video card.
If you are not sure, I would go with like for like. If your laptop has a video card with 256MB VRAM, there is a chance that you can find the same card with 512MB VRAM. If you have 512MB I think it’s the maximum.
Do you have any other numbers on the video card? Something like A000039750?
February 24th, 2009 at 7:53 pm
Shen,
Sometimes laptops fail like a light bulb. It works great all day long. You turn it off and next morning you cannot turn it on. It happens.
It depends on the price of the video card. Does it make sense to buy a new card? Isn’t it better to use that money for a brand new laptop?
You cannot prevent that. If it fails, it fails.
February 23rd, 2009 at 12:09 am
Hi,
I have Toshiba P100-188 with symtoms similair to your example 3 of failed graphics card.
The graphics card is seperate from the mother board L601B656 0605A2 part GF-GO7600-N-A2.
1) Is it possible to upgrade this card when I replace, or is it going to have to be like for like.
2) I have had a real problem find a supplier through google searches for this graphics card. I have sent emails to various companies in the UK to enquire on availability. Could you recommend anyone, as I am based in the UK.
Thanks for a very useful and informative site. Which is a life saver for many, I would imagine.
February 19th, 2009 at 7:22 am
I have a question of curiosity. I have Dell XPS GEN 2 M170 with nvidia 6800 ultra. It seems that video memory has been damaged. Funny thing is (not so funny when it comes to pay) that when my graphic card failed I was not using laptop. It was just turned on but no programs running. When I opened the lid of my laptop I saw blue screen and when I restarted it I saw symptoms of video damage on my screen. Is there any point to buy a new card or repairing it? How can I prevent further damage if it happens without any reason – I mean Iwas not playing and pushing the card to its limits, so what is your opinion?
February 10th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
henrique,
I know that some HP Pavilion dv9000 laptops have a know problem with the video card/motherboard and HP fixes them at no charge even though if the laptop is not under warranty anymore. You’ll find more info about free HP repair for Pavilion dv2000, dv6000, dv9000 laptops here:
Free repair for some out-of-warranty HP Pavilion and Compaq Presario laptops
Try calling HP first. Maybe your laptop is covered by this service enhancement program.
February 10th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
HI i have a hp pavillion dv 9000 and when i start my pc, the screen turn on but no image, just black sreen. Whats the problem? How can i fix this?
Waiting for answer very very urgently.
Thanks
January 31st, 2009 at 11:53 pm
[...] video output on the LCD screen or external monitor is garbled. Most likely this is related to the VGA chip failure. 3. The laptop turns on without video on the screen and the power LED starts flashing. 4. [...]
January 18th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
Mo,
Apparently your problem is not related to the graphics card. I guess you have either bad LCD screen or bad video cable. Does it make any difference when you move the display panel? Does the video out gets any better if you move the screen?
You can replace the LCD screen /video cable.
Nope, it will not help. The laptop works fine with an external monitor, so it’s not a software related problem.
I guess it’s possible. I you spray to much windex it could get under the display bazel and damage the screen controller. But this is only a guess.
January 17th, 2009 at 2:20 pm
Thanks Repair Man,
I tested the external output and that looks ok. Does that mean that I have no other option other than using an external monitor? Is reformatting the computer useless?
Do you think using windex cleaner on the screen could have caused this?
Thanks again
Mo
January 16th, 2009 at 10:23 pm
Mo,
You cannot tell what is causing the problem without testing the external video output. That’s could be a bad video card or bad LCD screen.
You’ll have to connect an external monitor and check out the external video.
If it’s the same as on the laptop LCD, most likely it’s related to the video card.
If the external monitor works fine and this problem appears only on the laptop LCD screen, most likely it’s related to the laptop screen.
January 16th, 2009 at 10:01 pm
My laptop screen does not look like the examples above, but the screen colors are mostly gone and it is very bright. I can still read the black font, but that’s about it. Is this symptom also indicative of a video card problem?
Thanks.
January 15th, 2009 at 7:33 pm
[...] cable, display cable or screen cable. This cable transfers data signal from the motherboard and video card to the LCD screen. Also, most video cables supply high voltage DC power to the screen [...]
January 12th, 2009 at 11:38 pm
I repair many laptops every week. Most laptops I repair do not have a discrete video card. I can say that most laptops have onboard video card. When onboard card goes south, just replace the main board.
January 6th, 2009 at 9:09 am
Lola,
No, you cannot. That’s a problem with the LCD screen. Either use the laptop as is with the line or be ready for replace the LCD screen.
January 5th, 2009 at 1:41 pm
Response to Lola.
Question: There is a hair like vertical line running from the top to the bottom.
Can I get rid of the line?
Not likely. It’s a defect in the screen. Buy new screen or use as is.
January 4th, 2009 at 1:17 am
My laptop works fine except the display. There is a hair like vertical line running from the top to the bottom.
Can I get rid of the line?
January 3rd, 2009 at 10:36 pm
samuil,
Apparently the VGA board is integrated into the main board as I mentioned in the post. Most laptops have integrated video cards.
January 3rd, 2009 at 3:45 pm
i took it apart and cannot anything that looks like vga board. the screen cable plugs into a small connector on motherboard. it mens i have no vga board?
January 2nd, 2009 at 11:08 pm
Mark,
I’ve seen laptops failing like that before. I think you have a problem with the video card.
January 2nd, 2009 at 4:59 pm
I have a problem with my display, it’s a Toshiba laptop.
When I turn on the laptop, first I see the Toshiba logo with some vertical lines running through the logo and then it goes to the boot menu (safe mode, VGA mode, etc…) and i see a lot of different characters on the screen. Same happens with external screen.