Graphics card - probably a very stupid question

Hi

My computer is having major issues on the visuals, with output being garbled as soon as the computer is turned on. My intiail though has obviously been the graphics card, but I just wondered if there are any other pieces of hardware that could be causing visual problems. Sorry for the probably very stupid question I just want to make sure it would be the graphics card before I go out and but a new one.

Thanks in advance if anybody can help, I'm a comp sci student but am absolutely awful when it comes to the hardware aspect of things If any specific info is needed I will of course provide it, but will involve searching for the spec as can't find out first hand.

Cheers

 

Chances are it is the video card, but it could be your RAM also, and less likely, but it could also be the motherboard or the BIOS. If your video card has a fan, check to see that it's spinning freely. Video cards usually don't heat up fast enough to be garbled right away, but if the fan is dead, slow, or clogged with crud, it may have overheated in the past and now is permanently damaged. Your best bet is to try a different video card in your PC; if it's garbled too, then your RAM is probably bad, or you have a serious motherboard issue, or it's a BIOS compatability issue. If this is a recent problem, meaning that the card was fine, and now it's not, then it's most likely the card. If the problem has always been there with that particular card, then you may need a BIOS update. Check with your motherboard manufacturer.... If all video cards do the same thing, then you have a motherboard problem, or bad memory....

hd2k

BTW- out of curiousity.... what make/model is the video card? and motherboard/PC?

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