Nothing is worse than a computer that doesn't display anything, especially when you need to use it. Since most PCs use the graphics card to send the display signals to the monitor, if you're seeing a “No Signal” error message on your monitor, there's probably a problem with your GPU.
Luckily, there are a handful of fixes you can try before spending a fortune on another GPU. In this article, we'll go through all the possible methods you can use to fix a faulty graphics card that's not sending video signals to your display.
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Preparatory steps
Before you resort to extreme measures like flashing the GPU firmware, you should perform some preliminary fixes. If you have a new GPU, make sure you have installed it properly before checking to see if there is too much sag. 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. It's a good idea to use three separate cables to avoid power issues. Even if your power supply doesn't have three separate cables to power the GPU, be careful not to daisy chain three 6+2 pin connectors from the same cable.
In addition, you should try plugging the DisplayPort/HDMI cables into other GPU and monitor slots as there might be issues with the ports. Be sure to check if the display cable is faulty by replacing it with another one. After making sure all the connections are working well, it's time to move on to the rest of the fixes.
Switch to onboard graphics
Since the GPU is not working, you need to look for an alternative way to send the display signals to the monitor. If you are using an APU, you can use the processor's integrated graphics to boot your system. This will allow you to diagnose the graphics card problem and, more importantly, use the computer.
- Disconnect the video cable from the GPU and connect it to your motherboard.
- Continue tapping Delete key during boot to enter BIOS.
- Look for the option to enable integrated graphics in the Advanced settings section. On most motherboards it should say Start graphics adapter or Internal graphics.
- Save the new profile and exit the BIOS settings.
Alternatively, if you have a secondary GPU, you can use it to boot up your system and troubleshoot problems.
Reinstall GPU drivers
In some cases, your old GPU drivers may be corrupted and need to be reinstalled. Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) is a fantastic tool that can help you remove all traces of the old display drivers, thus avoiding any compatibility errors when installing updated drivers.
- Download DDU from this link.
- Unzip the folder you just downloaded before double-clicking and extracting the DDU application file.
- Run the DisplayDriverUninstaller.exe File with administrator rights.
- Click on the Select display type and select Graphics card.
If you have used a GPU other than the integrated graphics, be careful not to accidentally select it.
- Select the icon Clean and restart Option to delete the old drivers.
- Once your PC boots up, you can download the latest drivers from your GPU manufacturer's website.
Flash GPU VBIOS
If your GPU suddenly stops working and no other solution seems to work, you can try to rescue it by flashing the latest VBIOS.
- Download the GPU-Z utility from TechPowerUP and run the executable as administrator.
- (Optional) Save the current BIOS version by clicking the Save BIOS Button.
- Go to the Video BIOS Collection page on TechPowerUp.
- Please note the Card provider, Map model, Bus interface, and other options of GPU-Z and use them to find the BIOS files compatible with your GPU on the Video BIOS Collection page.
- Once you have found the VBIOS file for your GPU, click Download button next to it.
Next, you should disable the GPU via the Device Manager. To do this,
- Right-click on the start and select Device Manager.
- Press the drop-down arrow next to the Graphics cards.
- Right-click on the faulty GPU and select the Deactivate device Option.
Depending on the brand of your GPU, you will need to install a different BIOS flashing utility. For Nvidia cards, it is NVFlash, while AMD GPUs require AMDVBFlash.
After extracting the tool, it's time to flash the BIOS. Let's start with Nvidia GPUs:
- Copy the previously downloaded VBIOS file to the NVFlash folder.
- Right-click on the start Button and open Terminal (Administrator).
- Click on the Dropdown arrow at the top of the window and switch to Command prompt.
- type CD followed by the directory where you extracted the NVFlash folder.
- Enter the following command:
nvflash -6 bios_name
Be sure to replace “bios_name” with the name of your GPU’s BIOS file.
- NVFlash will ask for permission twice and you must enter Y both times to start the flashing process.
- Restart your system after NVFlash has flashed the new BIOS.
For AMD cards, the process is pretty straightforward. All you need to do is:
- Go to the AMDVBFlash folder and run amdvbflashWin.exe as administrator.
- Click on the Load image Button.
- Select the ROM file you downloaded earlier and click OK.
- Tap the program and wait until AMDVBFlash finishes flashing the BIOS file.
- Then restart your system.
After confirming that the GPU is working, you should go back to the motherboard BIOS and change the display interface from the integrated graphics to the dedicated GPU.
Prevent GPU display problems
Hopefully, these fixes will help you bring your GPU (and display signals) back to life. If you recently purchased a broken graphics card, I recommend asking the manufacturer for a replacement before going through the hassle of diagnosing and repairing it yourself.
Unfortunately, even the most expensive hardware can still experience issues. If your old GPU is still experiencing visual glitches, sudden FPS drops, and random BSODs even after fixing the display issues, it may be on its last legs, so now would be the best time to look for a replacement GPU.