Zoom Video on dual screens has blown my graphics card

[Pollyrw]

Yesterday, when I was using Zoom as normal, with dual screens and my laptop, I went to share my screen and suddenly both my monitors stopped working, full stop. I couldn't get it back again on the call, but afterwards, the problem persisted. So I rebooted my computer. Now I can only use one external screen at a time. I can't use both. Both screens work independently, but when I plug them in together, neither of them works. I spent two hours with Lenovo, and we've reinstalled the drivers, et cetera, and we're trying to figure out why Zoom appears to have blown my graphics card. Has anyone else had this problem? Do you have any suggestions for things that I could try at this point? Should I just reinstall my entire operating system, or has Zoom caused hardware damage, so I need to replace my laptop? Thanks for your help.

[robmOz]

Hi @Pollyrw it's very unlikely that your graphics card could fail in such a way that your laptop only works with a single monitor now!

Do a Google search for "lenovo dual monitor laptop stopped working" and follow the instructions. This is what AI showed for me and it looks reasonable. 

1. Check Physical Connections and Power: 

Cables: Ensure the cables connecting your laptop to the external monitors are securely plugged in at both ends. 

Power:

Make sure the monitors are receiving power and that the power cables are firmly attached. 

Try different cables/monitors:

If possible, test with different cables or even try connecting the monitor to a different device to isolate the problem. 

2. Check Display Settings:

Windows Display Settings:

Right-click on your desktop, select "Display settings," and ensure the correct display mode (e.g., "Extend these displays") is selected.

Monitor Settings:

Check the monitor's built-in settings (usually accessed through buttons on the monitor itself) to ensure the correct input source is selected and the resolution is appropriate. 

3. Update Graphics Drivers:

Check for Updates:

Even if you've updated through Lenovo Vantage, manually check for the latest graphics drivers on the Lenovo Support Website.

Roll Back Drivers:

If you recently updated your drivers and are experiencing issues, try rolling back to a previous version. 

4. Reset Display Mode:

Try Different Modes: Experiment with different display modes (e.g., duplicate, extend, second screen only) in Windows display settings. 

5. Perform a System Restore: 

Restore Point: If the issue started recently, consider performing a system restore to a point before the problem began. 

6. Check for BIOS Update:

BIOS Update: Ensure your BIOS is up to date, as an outdated BIOS can sometimes cause compatibility issues with external monitors. 

7. Hardware Diagnostics:

Lenovo Vantage: Run a hardware diagnostic test using Lenovo Vantage to check for any underlying hardware problems. 

If my reply helped, don't forget to click the accept as solution button!

[storyhub]

It is not clear about the exact hardware being used to support 2 external screens (if that is what is being done). Typically graphics demands lots of power and produces lots of heat. If the hardware is not properly cooled then heat can cause hardware to shutdown or be damaged. Screen sharing demands a lot of resources and can produce a lot of heat. Personally I operate Zoom sessions using 4 displays, multiple video streams, and sometimes controlling multiple other computers running Zoom. This computer has a water cooled CPU, 9 fans, and a separate high end GPU with its own fans because of the demands that streaming video places on the computer's hardware. This hardware stays cool under high demand (under 40 deg C). I have several other Zoom systems running on mini Lenovo computers and the core temps can reach 60 deg C or higher when running streaming video. Laptops typically have small fans that vent out the bottom. If the vent is restricted overheating will occur. Just my personal experience as a professional electrical and IT engineer.