Troubleshooting a Failing NVIDIA 3060 GPU: Insights from an IT Professional

As an IT professional, encountering hardware issues can often be frustrating, especially when the solution eludes you. Recently, I faced a perplexing problem with a used laptop I purchased from my previous employer. It boasted an NVIDIA 3060 GPU that functioned perfectly for two weeks before suddenly failing.

After the issue arose, I embarked on a series of troubleshooting steps, trying to restore functionality to the graphics card. Here’s a rundown of what I attempted:

1. Driver Updates: I first attempted to update the GPU drivers to the latest version, hoping it would resolve any compatibility issues. Unfortunately, this did not yield positive results.

2. BIOS Updates: Next, I checked for any available BIOS updates, reasoning that an out-of-date BIOS could be causing the hardware to malfunction.

3. Reverting Updates: In a bid to troubleshoot the problem, I decided to revert both the BIOS and Windows updates to previous versions, thinking that recent updates might have inadvertently affected the GPU’s performance.

4. Driver Uninstallation: I completely uninstalled the current drivers and tried reinstalling previous versions, but the issue persisted.

5. Windows Reinstallation: As a last resort, I reinstalled Windows in hopes of restoring the system’s functionality. Despite my efforts, the GPU remained unresponsive.

While the graphics card appears in the Device Manager without any indications of issues, it is still not recognized by any applications or games. This has left me scratching my head and seeking additional insights from the community.

If anyone has experienced a similar situation or has suggestions on further diagnostic steps, I would greatly appreciate your input. Your expertise could help solve a mystery that has baffled me for days. Let’s share our knowledge and tackle this challenge together!