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.
March 6th, 2010 at 5:26 pm
I have benq joybook S41, my VGA is GeForce 8600m GS. Is my VGA card is integared with mainboard?
what the indicates / marks the VGA in laptop is integrated or Descrete ?
Thank’s
March 5th, 2010 at 11:03 pm
Hey there, I have a Toshiba Qosmio f45 av-425 and it shuts down after a few minutes when i start to play a game??? Not sure if its overheating or what?
March 2nd, 2010 at 10:00 pm
mimi,
Sounds like the video card failure. Just in case, test your laptop with video on the external monitor.
Connect the monitor to the VGA port on the laptop and turn on the laptop. The external monitor should be detected automatically. If it shows garbled image, this is the video card failure.
Not sure about Satellite F30 but it’s a knows failure with Satellite G30/G35 models.
Check out this post: Toshiba Qosmio G30/G35 video failure.
Try calling Toshiba. Explain what’s going on. Maybe you can get a free repair.
March 2nd, 2010 at 9:54 pm
I have a Toshiba Qosmio F30. When it starts to boot up I get green blocks over the screen followed by white vertical dotted lines and then the screen goes totally black and I can go no further. I can boot it up in safe mode but I see faint red blocks all over the black screen too.
Can you please advise?
Many thanks.
February 21st, 2010 at 3:38 am
Hi repairman, it´s not so easy to get the X200-21X fixed. I bought now an identical model on ebay (working). I dissassembled this, and put the videocard from the bad x200 into the new one. Result: not booting. No beeps. Ok I tought, it´s the video board. I reassembled the new x200 and … holy sh..t, it was not booting too. What was wrong? I remembered your words, that memory could be a problem, so I put out the two memory banks and put in only one bank from the bad X200 and … tatata it was booting. So I have still no idea if the video board of the old X200 is bad or not. I will trie to find now a motherboard for the old machine, because I want to know whats wrong with this machine. I will you keep informed.Charles
January 28th, 2010 at 11:46 pm
THANKS A LOT! I will keep you informed.
January 28th, 2010 at 1:05 am
Ok cool, thanks!
January 27th, 2010 at 3:45 pm
Rik,
Yes, it should be in the same location.
Again, you’ll have to disassemble the laptop to find out if it’s a discrete video card. Or find laptop specifications, maybe this info is available in the user’s manual.
If you have a discrete video card installed into the laptop, I think you can safely buy the video card you mentioned.
I don’t have anti-static gloves either.
If you don’t have anti-static wrist strap, at lease touch grounded metal equipment before touching parts inside the laptop. It should discharge you.
January 27th, 2010 at 3:37 pm
hi,
thanks for the advice. If it is a discrete video card, will I find it in the same place as in that step-by-step guide? I was told by someone that my laptop has a separate vga board, and also the repair place overseas told me they intended to replace the gpu only, I hope that means its a discrete video card I can replace. If it was that, then should I buy that part from http://laptopparts.com.au/toshiba-satellite-a200-a205-nvidia-video-graphic-card-v000100500-p-6566.html ?
Also, what precautions must I take when opening my laptop up? I dont have anti-static gloves.
January 27th, 2010 at 3:09 pm
Rik,
Yep, sounds like the video card failure.
Some Satellite A200/A205 models come with integrated video cards. If that’s the case, you’ll have to replace the entire motherboard.
More expensive Satellite A200/A205 models might have a discrete video card. In this case you can replace just the video card.
I don’t know if your Toshiba Satellite A200 PSAFCA-01400J has a discrete video card. It’s not a US model and I cannot check the configuration.
You can open up the case and take a look inside to find out if you have a discrete card.
January 27th, 2010 at 2:52 pm
Charles,
Yes, it’s possible that one of the graphics cards is bad. Also, could be bad RAM. Man, I hate to troubleshoot these X200/X205 laptops with SLi graphic cards! Too many things could go wrong.
First of all, try removing memory modules one by one and test the laptop with each module separately. If you still experiencing the same issue with only one module installed, most likely it’s not related to the memory failure. I really doubt that both memory modules failed at the same time. By the way, I believe that when you have only one module installed in Satellite X200/X205, you have to use the outer memory slot (further from the motherboard) or the laptop will not start.
If the laptop still beeps when you swap memory, most likely one of the graphics card is faulty. Which one? I don’t know.
I fixed a few Satellite X205 SLi notebooks with faulty video cards and in my case it always was the first card failure (which is located closer to the motherboard).
I don’t know. As I said, in my case it always was the first card failure, so removing the second card (mounted further from the motherboard) didn’t change anything.
If you have to guess, buy these cards one by one and I would suggest replacing the card#1 (mounted closer to the motherboard) first.
You’ll find laptop disassembly steps at http://www.irisvista.com/tech/
January 26th, 2010 at 10:49 am
Hi repairman, I own a satellite X200-21x. It works nice but suddenly it wont start up. Black screen and sometimes two short beeps an a long beeb. Coult it be the graphic boards? (LS-344AP and LS-3449P). If so is there a way to be shure that this is it? Because the boards are not sheap at all (2×450 bucks. Is it possible to run the lap with only one card installed? Thanks a lot for your posts and your help.
January 24th, 2010 at 10:50 pm
Hi,
I have a Toshiba Satellite A200 PSAFCA-01400J and have had serious video issues. A few months back my laptop would shutdown unexpectedly. Then it became more frequent. Now, when I turn on the laptop I get random white lines on the screen and thats it. If I connect it to an external monitor, I get an image and it boots up (if I disable the GPU from device manager) but I still get a distorted image (red lines). I took it overseas to get it checked and they reckon it was the GPU as well but I didn’t get time to fix it.
Now I think I may be able to fix it myself, but I need your advice. I was thinking of following this guide: http://www.irisvista.com/tech/laptops/toshiba-satellite-a205/laptop-disassembly-4.htm till the last step and replacing the thing that looks very much like the CPU, I’m guessing that is the GPU (it’s also attached to the heatsink). I am thinking of buying this part http://laptopparts.com.au/toshiba-satellite-a200-a205-nvidia-video-graphic-card-v000100500-p-6566.html which I think is the one I need.
Do you think I should do this (I don’t really have any experience with computer hardware but it doesn’t look too hard) or take it to a repair shop (which is very costly!)?
Thanks,
Rik.
January 22nd, 2010 at 8:37 am
Vlada,
It’s possible that you’ll have to update the laptop BIOS. Maybe the new card is not supported properly by the BIOS installed now.
This is just a guess.
I guess you had to disassemble the laptop for the video card replacement.
Maybe you disconnected the cooling fan and forgot to connect it back?
Did you transfer the heat sink from the old card to the new one? Maybe you forgot to apply thermal grease (if it’s required)?
It’s possible that your laptop shuts down because of overheating.
January 20th, 2010 at 8:26 am
I replaced my card Ati X1400(doesn’t work) with new ATI HD3650 and it starts to show picture but after 2seconds computer shut down alone. I’m providing you pictures what was happened. I pressed F2 to go in bios and it started the process entering to bios and shut down was happened again. The second picture showing result after shut down! 5 seconds are disappearing pixels from right to left on my screen in turn off state. Is new ATI HD3650 has any problem or my BIOS need to be upgraded? Any suggestion?
http://www.sremus.org/vlada/HD3650/HD3650-1.jpg
http://www.sremus.org/vlada/HD3650/HD3650-2.jpg
January 19th, 2010 at 11:56 pm
Kir,
Sounds like the graphics card failure.
Unfortunately, they are correct. The video card is integrated into the motherboard and if it failed, the entire motherboard has to be replaced.
You can ship it to HP or… try replacing the motherboard yourself. Of course, if you have nothing to lose.
The disassembly guide posted here: http://www.insidemylaptop.com/disassemble-hp-pavilion-dv6500-dv6600-dv6700-dv6800-notebooks/
Could be helpful if you decide to try it yourself.
Find the motherboard part number and google it or search on eBay. In most cases the motherboard part number is located on a sticker in the memory compartment. Good luck!
January 6th, 2010 at 12:17 pm
Pete,
There is not much you can do if the desktop doesn’t recognize your external video cards automatically.
I’m afraid you’ll have to replace the whole motherboard.
January 6th, 2010 at 12:02 pm
Hiya,
I’m fixing a friend’s computer, it’s a desktop, and the integrated video card has died. I’m banging my head against a wall trying to get the system to accept a PCI or AGP card, but it doesn’t seem to read them. I’m literally flying blind without SOME kind of video, and I have none. Is there any trick to get a bios to just switch to a new card without having to try a flying blind install?
January 5th, 2010 at 1:08 pm
Dear Mr Repair Man!
I have a HP Pavilion 6597es bought 2 years ago and month ago it broke down. I was playing a game when suddently the image froze and sound went into a loop. I turned it off and then on again. From that moment everything I see on the screen is white screen which then shifts into vertical random colored lines. Connecting to external monitor shows a black screen. So it’s the graphics card, right? I assumed so and HP customer service told me the same. They said that I need to have the whole motherboard replaced for like 400$ total… What do you think? Is there a way to repair the graphics card separately (btw it’s a Geforce 8400M GS)?
December 15th, 2009 at 1:20 pm
From Leonard to Leonard.
Dear Leonard,
You are preceicely correct with your assumption.
As you will discover the VAIO laptop will again live after replacement of your video card as I have done.
Now don’t take this to be the answer for all dead laptop problems, as it may be a case of trial and error. After searching Ebay for my part number as Mr. Repair man suggests, I was able to purchace a used video card and replace my faulty one. I must warn you again though, that doing this kind of repair yourself might leave you with a few extra screws after you have reassembled your laptop. Don’t worry though, it’ll work fine. Those screws are only there incase you lose one or two, or six!