A graphics card handles all the graphical queries of a computer system and every system has a GPU. Some systems come with an integrated graphics card while others use a dedicated graphics card. Dedicated graphics cards are better than integrated graphics cards, as they come with better processing capabilities.
When it comes to failures, integrated graphics cards don’t suffer from failures, as they are integrated into the processor. If something bad happens, mostly both the processor and the iGPU are affected. On the other hand, dedicated graphics cards are prone to failure much more than iGPUs. We have also ranked the best GPU for 13600KF in our guide if you are interested.
Graphics Card Failures
There are many kinds of failures regarding dedicated graphics cards. The core of the graphics card can get problematic after some time due to high heat output. The memory of the graphics card goes bad sometimes due to overheating and the same goes for the voltage regulator module. All of this leads to shutdowns, graphics driver crashes, system failures, system freezes, etc. If you want to know about Graphics Card Repairs, check our detailed article on the topic.
BSOD Aka Blue Screen of Death
A blue screen of death or BSOD is a system failure that occurs when there is an issue with hardware or drivers. The PC crashes and you cannot continue running the system without restarting it. After restart, it might work as intended but if there is recurring BSOD, you definitely need to find why the system is constantly causing BSOD. If you get no display with a new graphics card, check our guide for a clear understanding.
Commonly Occuring BSOD Errors
Below, we have listed the most commonly occurring BSOD errors that you can face while using your PCs.
| Error Code | Error Name | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 0x0000001A | MACHINE_CHECK_EXCEPTION | Hardware malfunction caused crash. |
| 0x0000003B | KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED | Driver or system issue caused unhandled exception. |
| 0x00000050 | PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA | Memory management issue in kernel mode. |
| 0x0000007E | IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL | Tried accessing resources with incorrect IRQL level. |
| 0x0000007F | HAL_INITIALIZATION_FAILED | Problem during Hardware Abstraction Layer initialization. |
| 0x0000008E | MODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED | Application or driver crashed in kernel mode. |
| 0x000000A | IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL | Driver loaded/unloaded with incorrect IRQL. |
| 0x000000D1 | DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL | Driver tried accessing memory with improper IRQL. |
| 0x0000015C | USBD_IO_ERROR | Driver issue detected during USB device processing. |
| 0x00000101 | KERNEL_SECURITY_CHECK_FAILURE | System file corruption or OS integrity issue. |
| 0x00000124 | SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED | Thread in kernel mode encountered unhandled exception. |
| 0x000001F4 | MEMORY_MANAGEMENT | Physical memory management problem. |
| 0x000001F7 | DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION | DPC routine taking too long to complete. |
| 0x000001F8 | NMI_HARDWARE_FAILURE | CPU hardware error logged a non-maskable interrupt. |
Causes of BSOD
There are many causes of BSOD but the most common causes include faulty hardware drivers or a hardware component that has gone bad. The BSOD gives you information about the crash as well but mostly it is not very helpful.
A major cause of BSOD in gaming PCs is due to graphics card failures, because it is one of the least durable components in a system due to its high heat output. Moreover, the drivers of graphics cards are constantly updating every month or so, which is why many times, there are issues with the graphics card drivers, resulting in BSOD. If you want to buy a top-quality GPU, we have ranked the best GPU for i7 12700KF in our article.
Another cause of BSOD in gaming PCs is due to overclocking. Many people overclock processors and graphics cards to maximize the performance of the system and to achieve a better gaming experience but often the overclocked settings are not stable. The instability can give rise to BSODs and other kinds of crashes, which is why overclock settings should be thoroughly tested before finalizing. We have also described the complete anatomy of a graphics card, so check that for an excellent understanding of GPUs.
Sometimes a BSOD is the result of a corrupted hard drive, which is why it is a good practice to search for errors on the hard disk once in a while. The health of the hard disk should also be considered and those with low health should be replaced with new drives.
Registry failures can cause BSOD due to their sensitive nature and there is not much that can be done with it. You can check for hard drive errors, as it is associated with registry errors but there can be other factors as well. If you own a Ryzen processor, here we have the best GPU for Ryzen 5 3600.
Last of all, a BSOD can rise due to wrong installation of a hardware component. There are many cases in which a component on the motherboard is not seated properly and if the case of the PC is slightly moved, the connections of the component get disturbed and BSOD occurs. You have to make sure that all the major components on the motherboard are seated properly, especially the graphics card, RAM sticks, and other PCI-E expansion cards.
