Troubleshooting a Non-Responsive GPU: A Tech Dilemma

As an IT professional, encountering technical issues can be an infuriating challenge, especially when you’re unable to pinpoint the problem. Recently, I purchased a used laptop equipped with an NVIDIA GeForce 3060 GPU from my workplace, which functioned seamlessly for a couple of weeks. However, I encountered a significant hurdle when, out of the blue, the graphics card ceased functioning correctly.

Despite my efforts to resolve the issue, the GPU remains unresponsive. Here’s a recap of the troubleshooting steps I’ve undertaken so far:

• Driver Installation: Initially, I attempted reinstalling the latest drivers, hoping to refresh the connection with the GPU.
• BIOS Updates: I proceeded to check for any updates to the BIOS and applied them accordingly, thinking that newer firmware might solve the compatibility issue.
• Windows Updates: I’ve also reverted both BIOS and Windows updates, which sometimes can inadvertently introduce new conflicts.
• Driver Rollback: I explored the possibility that the latest driver versions might be causing the problem, so I uninstalled them and opted for older versions instead.
• Fresh Windows Installation: Finally, I went as far as to reinstall Windows, reverting to an older build to see if that would rectify the problem.

Interestingly, the graphics card appears to be recognized by the Device Manager without any issues. However, it fails to be detected by other programs that rely on GPU functionality.

I’m reaching out to the tech community for insights. Has anyone experienced a similar situation? Any advice on further steps I could take to get this GPU up and running again would be immensely appreciated!