Fix 0xC0262326: GPU Has More Sources Than Targets

Cause #1: Graphics Driver Glitch or Corruption

This error pops up when your graphics driver loses track of how many monitors are connected. I’ve seen it most often after a Windows update or driver installation that didn’t finish cleanly. The real fix is to nuke the driver and start fresh.

1. Download the latest driver from your GPU vendor’s site (NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel) — don’t use Windows Update’s generic driver.
2. Run Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) in Safe Mode to wipe all traces of the old driver. Yes, it’s overkill for many issues, but this error is stubborn.
3. Reboot, install the fresh driver, and restart again.

If you’re on a laptop with switchable graphics (Intel + NVIDIA/AMD), also disable the integrated GPU in Device Manager temporarily. This forces the dedicated GPU to take over all display outputs.

A client of mine ran into 0xC0262326 on a Dell XPS 15 after a driver update. DDU was the only thing that fixed it. The standard “uninstall and reinstall” didn’t cut it.

Cause #2: Faulty or Incompatible Display Cables

Loose or damaged cables can make your GPU think it has fewer active targets than sources. The error code literally says “targets less than sources” — the GPU expects to drive many monitors, but the cables aren’t carrying the signal.

Here’s what I do:

• Unplug all monitors and reconnect them one at a time. After each, check if the error reappears in Event Viewer or on a blue screen.
• Swap cables. Even if your cable looks fine, try a different one. I’ve had HDMI cables fail on one port but work on another.
• Use the shortest, highest-quality cable you own for each connection. Long or cheap cables often fail at higher resolutions or refresh rates.

On a multi-monitor setup with three 4K displays, a single flawed DisplayPort cable can trigger this error. The GPU sees two working targets and one missing — then it complains it can’t drive all three sources.

Cause #3: Misconfigured Display Adapter in Device Manager

Occasionally, Windows hides a display adapter or assigns it to the wrong driver stack. This caused the error on an older workstation with dual NVIDIA Quadro cards.

1. Press Win + X and select Device Manager.
2. Expand “Display adapters.” If you see more than one, right-click each and check the Properties > Driver tab.
3. If a driver says “Not started” or shows error code 43, that’s your culprit.
4. Right-click the problematic adapter and select Uninstall device (check “Delete the driver software for this device”). Restart.

Windows will re-detect the hardware and re-install the driver. This fixed a persistent 0xC0262326 on a Lenovo ThinkPad P52 with an NVIDIA Quadro P2000. The “hidden” adapter was a stale Intel integrated GPU entry.

Quick-Reference Summary

If nothing works, reset your BIOS/UEFI to defaults. Some motherboard video ports can confuse the GPU. I’ve seen that on Z370 boards with both Intel and NVIDIA cards enabled. Disable the onboard graphics in BIOS entirely — it’s not needed if you have a dedicated GPU.