Availvable Resolutions Suddenly Dropped/Limited? Clean & Re-seat

[LeddBate]

If your screen resolution abruptly drops from say, 1920 x 1080 to 1024 x 768 - your first thought might be that either your monitor, cable or GPU has gone wonky on you. (Yes, "wonky" is a word.)

 

However, before you rush to the store to buy a new cable or shove your rig into the hands of the Geek Squad, try simply cleaning your connections and re-seating your GPU.

 

You should buy a can of compressed air (available at any hardware store worth their salt.) Why? Because cleaning with compressed air is one of the safest way to clean the inside of your rig and it's components.

 

Disconnect your video cable, whether it be DVI, HDMI or DisplayPort (And if your computer uses a VGA connection, for >insert your favorite Diety here< sake, give that ancient dinosaur to your aunt Peg, buy a new rig and join us in the 21st century.) Use compressed air bursts to clean out all the connector heads on the cable as well as the connection sockets in your monitor and PC.

 

Leave the cable aside for the moment. For the following, make sure you are working in a static free environment. (Tile or stone floor is much better than carpet.) You don't want to put a static charge through any components of your PC (especially the RAM) while you're working.

 

Unplug your rig (and unplug all other external connections for ease of moving the case around.) Open your case. Remove the retaining screws on your GPU holding it to your back-plate. Unplug the GPU's power lead(s). Most GPU slots on mobos have a release clip. Depress the clip then slowly and evenly pull the GPU out. Do NOT wiggle the card side to side as you remove it as you might damage either the GPU's connectors and/or the PCI-e slot.

 

Now use the compressed air to thoroughly clean the GPU's connections and exhaust shroud. Then clean the PCI-e slot for good measure.

 

Now carefully re-seat your GPU into the PCI-e slot. Make sure it is completely seated. Done correctly, the release clip arm should snap back into position. Re-attach the GPU's screws onto the back-plate. Re-attach your PSU's power leads into your GPU. However, do NOT put your case's cover back on yet. You want to test first.

 

Re-attach all your cables. Power up your rig and your monitor/TV. Nothing happens? Power back down and look inside your rig. Did you forget to attach your power leads? Is the GPU not seated properly? Once you've spotted the problem, correct it and power back up.

 

Did your higher resolutions come back? Go ahead and put your cover back on and pat yourself on the back for saving yourself the cost of a new cable (quality ones are expensive) or worse, a repair bill.

 

Obviously, this won't always work. Cables DO go bad (especially cheap ones.) TVs and monitors can get cranky. Your last GPU driver update may be bollixed. Etc., etc. However, many times a simple cleaning and re-seating of your GPU will correct many resolution issues. And all it will cost you is a can of compressed air and about 15 minutes.

 

Got any more video troubleshooting tips? Share 'em!

Edited December 25, 2016 by LeddBate