Troubleshooting Guide: Resolving GPU Detection Issues on Your Laptop

If you’re an IT professional or an avid tech enthusiast, encountering unexpected hardware issues can be both frustrating and perplexing. Recently, I found myself grappling with a perplexing situation after purchasing a used laptop equipped with an Nvidia GeForce 3060 GPU from my previous employer. For the first two weeks, everything functioned as expected—but then, unexpectedly, the GPU ceased to operate.

As I worked to rectify this problem, I undertook a series of troubleshooting steps that included reinstalling drivers, updating the BIOS, and even rolling back updates for both the BIOS and Windows. I attempted to uninstall the drivers, reverting to earlier versions, and ultimately reinstalled Windows entirely, hoping to restore the GPU’s functionality. Yet, despite my efforts, the graphics card remains visible in the Device Manager but is not recognized by any other software applications.

Given these persistent issues, I turned to the community for insights and suggestions. If you’ve experienced similar problems or have expertise in handling GPU detection dilemmas, your advice would be greatly appreciated. Together, we can explore potential solutions to revive this seemingly dormant GPU and restore the laptop to its full potential.