There are a few ways to try and determine what is causing a video card to crash in Windows.
1. Check Your System Resources: The first step in troubleshooting a video card crash is to check your system resources. This is especially important if you notice that your video card crashes after certain tasks or periods of time. Open up the Task Manager by pressing Ctrl+Alt+Delete, then select “Performance” tab. Look for any processes that are using up a lot of memory, CPU usage, or disk usage. If you identify an application or process that is taking up too much of your system resources, try uninstalling or disabling it. This may help resolve the problem.
2. Update Drivers: Outdated drivers can cause issues with your video card and lead to crashes. Make sure that your graphics driver is up-to-date. You can check your driver version in the Device Manager under Display Adapters. If you find that your driver is outdated, download the latest version from the manufacturer’s website and install it.
3. Check Power Supply: A weak power supply is one of the most common causes of video card crashes. To make sure that your power supply is not causing the issue, use a power supply calculator to calculate how much wattage your system needs. If your current power supply does not meet this requirement, you should consider upgrading to one that does.
4. Check Your System Temperatures: If your computer is running too hot, this can also cause your video card to crash. To check your system temperatures, use a program such as SpeedFan or HWMonitor. Make sure that none of your components are running unusually hot. If they are, try cleaning out the dust from your computer and adding additional cooling measures, such as fans or liquid cooling.
5. Disable Overclocking: If you have overclocked your video card, this can also be causing instability issues. Try disabling any overclocking features and see if the problem goes away. If it does, you may need to reduce your overclock settings further or simply leave them disabled.
6. Check for Corrupt System Files: Corrupt system files can also cause video card crashes. To check for corrupt system files, open up the Command Prompt and type in the command “sfc /scannow”. This will run a scan of all system files, and replace any corrupt files with the original version.
7. Replace Your Video Card: If none of the above steps resolve the issue, it may be time to replace your video card altogether. Make sure that you purchase a compatible video card that meets your system’s requirements.
By following these steps, you should be able to narrow down and pinpoint the cause of your video card crashes. If all else fails, it may be time to contact a professional for assistance.