Windows Update, Graphics Card or Drivers?

Up until Tuesday night my 5-year-old computer was working fine. It then installed a Windows Update (KB4100347), restarted and one of monitors went fuzzy. I tried to restart but it showed green squares over the screen instead of writing after the PC Specialist screen and then would boot into recovery mode. None of the system restores worked: they all failed. Reading somewhere that the green squares could be a graphics card issue and remembering the fuzzy screen I removed the graphics card and plugged a monitor into the motherboard slot. It has booted straight up. The Windows update history also tells me it has installed KB4023057.

My gut feeling is the graphics card has gone. Is there anyway of knowing for sure if I can't boot my computer with it in that that is indeed the case, and it isn't a driver or update issue?

If it comes to replacing the graphics card (nvidia gtx 760 2048mb gdddr5 PCI-e) are there any recommendations for equivalents? I've lost track of the graphics card scene recently but need one for the hdmi output, and would like to still have the option to play my games when I get the chance?

Are your graphics card drivers up to date? How do you update them?

Physically removing the graphics card means I can't check using the geforce experience (which is what I use) or the device manager.

What CPU do you have? i.e. can you use the onboard graphics.

I'd suggest trying to get into safe mode
https://www.avira.com/en/support-for-home-knowledgebase-detail/kbid/1778

If that works, try getting into safe mode with networking, and download and run DDU:
https://www.guru3d.com/files-details/display-driver-uninstaller-download.html

SpyderTracks said:

Are your graphics card drivers up to date? How do you update them?

chrwhi92 said:

Physically removing the graphics card means I can't check using the geforce experience (which is what I use) or the device manager.

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Fair enough, but you know what graphics card you have and what OS you have, so you can search NVIDIA manually for the latest driver.

It's curious that this happened at the same time as a Windows update and I don't believe in coincidences. However, KB4100347 contains Spectre mitigations and KB4023057 is an update to the Windows Update components, and whilst it's not impossible they are responsible it seems unlikely.

You know it's a graphics card issue because it works ok without it, so I would find the latest driver for your card and OS, download and install that and then reinsert the graphics card. If that doesn't work look to see whether your motherboard vendor has an chipset driver updates. If neither of those help I think a card issue is the most likely....

ubuysa said:

Fair enough, but you know what graphics card you have and what OS you have, so you can search NVIDIA manually for the latest driver.

It's curious that this happened at the same time as a Windows update and I don't believe in coincidences. However, KB4100347 contains Spectre mitigations and KB4023057 is an update to the Windows Update components, and whilst it's not impossible they are responsible it seems unlikely.

You know it's a graphics card issue because it works ok without it, so I would find the latest driver for your card and OS, download and install that and then reinsert the graphics card. If that doesn't work look to see whether your motherboard vendor has an chipset driver updates. If neither of those help I think a card issue is the most likely....

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I agree about coincidences, hence why I came here and asked before rushing out and getting a new one:

I did manage to get to windows safe mode with the graphics card in and reinstalling the driver didn't manage to clear the error. The newest drivers from nvidia were released on the same day, so there may be a problem with them and I'll give it a couple of weeks to search a bit wider and read if there are issues coming out for others but certainly looking like the graphics card.

Fortunately I've been able to borrow a graphics card (onboard graphics don't provide for dual monitors) from a friend who has no immediate need for it, so I can use that for a couple of weeks. It works fine. Unfortunately its ATI so I can't confirm whether there's some problem with the nvidia drivers myself.

Thank you all very much for the help. Were there any quick recommendations on graphics cards? I don't really need to upgrade but suggestions on what is now equivalent would be good.

RX 570 for ~£150 is very good value and much better performance than the 1050 ti. Or the RX 580 for ~£200.

The way to rule out new Nvidia drivers as an issue would be to try older drivers. Though it's always possible a Windows update has caused an issue that will need to be addressed in a future Nvidia driver update too. There's no harm in trying much older drivers.