Computer showing extremely distorted screen on startup

[Fathappy3]

Almost every time I turn on my computer or wake it from sleep it will show me a super distorted screen filled with red,white,black..etc squares for about 10-20 s before allowing me to login to my Win account. Its the only visual glitch I've had so far on this computer Would really appreciate to know if this is a problem with my computer dying or if there is an easy fix.

Computer is about 4 years old

HP Pavillion p6 series
GeForce GT640
Intel core i5-3350p CPU@ 3.10 Ghz
8G ram
Win 10
1920*1080 60Hz display

 

[Tmagic650]

Did you perform a clean install of Windows 10 or did you upgrade to Windows 10 on top of the previous installation of Windows? I suggest that you back up your important files and go to Settings, Recovery, Reset this PC keeping nothing...

 

[bazz2004]

With my desktop computers the graphics cards are usually dead within 4 years and I don't play games . Your GeForce GT640 may be nearing the end of its life. Replacing a graphics card is pretty straightforward. They are not expensive unless you buy the latest kit.

 

[Fathappy3]

With my desktop computers the graphics cards are usually dead within 4 years and I don't play games . Your GeForce GT640 may be nearing the end of its life. Replacing a graphics card is pretty straightforward. They are not expensive unless you buy the latest kit.

I have been thinking of upgrading but since ive never done it before im worried about breaking my PC in the process. Also im unsure of whether or not my computer has integrated graphics which as far as I know would mean it can't be upgraded. I might play a lot of videogames but my knowledge of computers is really low.

 

[Fathappy3]

Did you perform a clean install of Windows 10 or did you upgrade to Windows 10 on top of the previous installation of Windows? I suggest that you back up your important files and go to Settings, Recovery, Reset this PC keeping nothing...

I upgraded from 8.1 . Id like to keep reseting my computer as a final option since I have so many things installed (im a pretty hardcore gamer) and if their are other options id like to explore those first. But thanks for the suggestion, I might have to reset it.

 

[Tmagic650]

Did you perform a clean install of Windows 10 or did you upgrade to Windows 10 on top of the previous installation of Windows? I suggest that you back up your important files and go to Settings, Recovery, Reset this PC keeping nothing...

Doing this would be faster and cheaper to try first...

 

[bazz2004]

I think most desktops will have integrated graphics (could be wrong on that though). My desktop does and I fitted a GeForce 8600 GT (long dead) in the PCI-express slot.. I didn't even need to make BIOS changes because the computer detects the graphics card and switches over to use it. The signs of growing failure were strange things happening to the graphics. I wasted a lot of time trying out new drivers but the problem was with the hardware. When I took the card out I could see clearly that the capacitors had bulging and discoloured tops.

On other graphics cards that I've had the cooling fan has seized up or even dropped off. If you are really unlucky it might be a motherboard issue but I think the graphics card is more probable You could take the graphics card out and the computer will likely fall back on the integrated graphics. If it no longer has the same issues of distorted graphics I'd say that's conclusive.