Question Can't detect GPU after new thermal paste ?

[El Geo]

Today I decided to clean my laptop, re-applied thermal paste and cleaned the dust. So far the results are great, I saw temperatures dropping down -20%. (It's the 3rd time I re-applied thermal paste, I have the laptop for 6 years so I thought it was a good opportunity to do it today after 2 years).

However I noticed that my nvidia GPU isn't getting detected. I noticed it when I tried to update the drivers and I was getting errors, I tried launching a game and it was using the intel gpu. From control panel I went to nvidia control panel but I couldnt open it because I was getting an error "An nvidia gpu was not detected on this system". I am pretty sure I re-applied thermal paste the same way I did in previous times and I never had that kind of issue.

Any suggestions of how I can fix or check that nvidia gpu is properly working and it's just some kind of windows bug? Do I really have to open my whole laptop again and re-apply thermal paste to make sure everything is connected correctly? Can I do something from BIOS maybe?

 

[Roland Of Gilead]

Hey there,

What laptop model is it?

Have you tried booting in safe mode, to see if dGPU is picked up?

I guess it's possible the GPU was damaged during the re-pasting, but, given you've done it a few times already, unless you somehow shorted it, re-pasting wouldn't necessarily be the cause.

Most laptop CPU's are soldered so there may not be anything you can do to fix it if it's hardware related.

 

[El Geo]

Hey there,

What laptop model is it?

Have you tried booting in safe mode, to see if dGPU is picked up?

I guess it's possible the GPU was damaged during the re-pasting, but, given you've done it a few times already, unless you somehow shorted it, re-pasting wouldn't necessarily be the cause.

Most laptop CPU's are soldered so there may not be anything you can do to fix it if it's hardware related.

It's the ROG GL752VW, a bit old but never had any issues with it. Here is a pic what it looked like before I applied the thermal paste. Both CPU and GPU have this "plastic thingy" around it (above the green parts) but GPU always looked dirty inside like that (even the first time I checked the GPU, so it was like that when I bought it. Is it safe to remove that plastic protection and try to clean it, or will I damage it more if I try to clean the ones on the "green part"?

With the safe mode, you mean for me boot in safe mode and check on Device Manager if I can find the GPU?

 

[Roland Of Gilead]

It's the ROG GL752VW, a bit old but never had any issues with it. Here is a pic what it looked like before I applied the thermal paste. Both CPU and GPU have this "plastic thingy" around it (above the green parts) but GPU always looked dirty inside like that (even the first time I checked the GPU, so it was like that when I bought it. Is it safe to remove that plastic protection and try to clean it, or will I damage it more if I try to clean the ones on the "green part"?

With the safe mode, you mean for me boot in safe mode and check on Device Manager if I can find the GPU?

No pic attached.

Yes, that's exactly it in safe mode. Just to be sure.

 

[El Geo]

No pic attached.

Yes, that's exactly it in safe mode. Just to be sure.

https://imgur.com/gr1E54X

View: https://i.imgur.com/gr1E54X.jpg

Here another link for pic.

Unfortunately I couldnt find anything on safe mode either...

 

[Roland Of Gilead]

What the hell! Jeez, the GPU looks in bad shape. The discolouring could be corrosion. Did it look like the last time you replaced thermal paste? What paste are you using?

I'm no expert, but that pic explains why it's not working.

 

[El Geo]

What the hell! Jeez, the GPU looks in bad shape. The discolouring could be corrosion. Did it look like the last time you replaced thermal paste? What paste are you using?

I'm no expert, but that pic explains why it's not working.

It looked like that since the first time I checked it (before I ever applied thermal paste on that laptop, it was like that since I bought it so I thought it was supposed to be like that). I am using Artic MX-4 which I always use on my desktop as well and never had an issue. Do you know maybe if it's possible to try and clean it on the green part, the same way I clean GPU and CPU?

 

[Roland Of Gilead]

To be honest, I'm not sure what you can do there. I'm no expert, but I'd say the GPU is not recoverable.

Leave the thread open, and others may have an idea what to do.