Broken graphics card - can I still use external usb graphics card?

[rhys.d.turner]

I have a Samsung RF511 laptop with (I assume) a dead GPU. The backlight, fans and other lights come on but no display.
The GPU is Intel HD Graphics 3000, integrated on the motherboard. New motherboard is £350 so that's a no-go.
I was wondering if there's any way to still use the laptop with an external graphics card, connected via USB. I'm not sure about a few things:
1. Is a USB card likely to be plug and play or will I have to install it manually?
2. How would I install this card if I can't see anything?
3. I don't even know if I am logged in - any way to check?
4. Am I correct in saying that I would have to go through the bios to force the external card to override the iGPU? Or should it default to the external automatically?
5. Can anyone recommend a decent cheap usb graphics card? Don't care what's on the other end - vga, dvi, whatever. I need it to run ~5yr old CAD software (I think that's what melted my iGPU).

Sorry for all the noob questions - any help would be appreciated as I need to use this CAD software urgently. If it was just a question of accessing the HDD, I would know what to do, but since it's an installed program I need access to, I think this may be my only solution...?

 

[rhoban]

Your laptop should also have a dedicated GPU.
According to online specs, it should have an Nvidia GT 540M, which is disabled by Nvidia Optimus for some reason.

If you can manage to enable the GPU, you're OK.

Also, as far as I'm aware, there is no such thing as a USB GPU.
You can connect one through a Thunderbolt 3 connector, but I doubt your laptop has one.
Even if it has, you need a GPU dock, which probably costs more than the motherboard replacement.

 

[rhys.d.turner]

Your laptop should also have a dedicated GPU.
According to online specs, it should have an Nvidia GT 540M, which is disabled by Nvidia Optimus for some reason.

If you can manage to enable the GPU, you're OK.

Also, as far as I'm aware, there is no such thing as a USB GPU.
You can connect one through a Thunderbolt 3 connector, but I doubt your laptop has one.
Even if it has, you need a GPU dock, which probably costs more than the motherboard replacement.

Hmmm, thanks rhoban. I don't recall ever seeing any details of a dedicated GPU when my laptop was alive... Could be that there are several specs for the RF511.
If you are correct though, do you have any suggestions how to enable the dedicated GPU given that I'm flying blind?
Starting to think this one may be a lost cause 🙁