Troubleshooting a Sudden GPU Failure: A Case Study of an Nvidia 3060 Laptop

As an IT professional, technical issues can sometimes present unexpected challenges. Recently, I encountered a perplexing problem with a used laptop I purchased from my previous company. This machine, equipped with an Nvidia 3060 notebook GPU, functioned flawlessly for two weeks—until it abruptly stopped recognizing the graphics card.

In an effort to diagnose and remedy the situation, I embarked on an extensive troubleshooting journey. Here’s a summary of the steps I’ve taken:

1. Driver Reinstallation: I started by reinstalling the graphics drivers, hoping to resolve any potential conflicts or corruption.

2. BIOS Updates: Keeping my system updated is crucial, so I promptly updated the BIOS to the latest version available.

3. Rolling Back Updates: I also considered that recent updates could be the culprit. I tried reverting both BIOS and Windows updates to see if that made a difference.

4. Driver Versions: To ensure compatibility, I uninstalled the current drivers and tested various older versions to find one that worked seamlessly.

5. Operating System Reinstallation: As a last resort, I undertook a complete reinstallation of Windows, reverting to an earlier version to eliminate any OS-related issues.

Despite these efforts, the absence of functionality persisted. While the GPU is correctly listed in the Device Manager, it remains undetectable by other applications, making it impossible to utilize its capabilities effectively.

I’m reaching out to the community for insights—have any of you faced a similar situation? If so, I would greatly appreciate your input or any additional steps you might suggest for resolving this dilemma.

Your expertise could shed light on what might be a hidden issue or an overlooked solution. Thank you in advance for your help!