Dead Graphics Card?

[Twm1988]

Hi guys, I have on older Toshiba x200 laptop that still runs Windows Vista Ultimate 32bit, with a 8700M GT graphics card, 3GB RAM. I only use the computer mostly to play a dozen or so older PC games from time to time.

I had updated the graphics driver a little over a year ago, to one of the latest issues (2013 or so) they had on the NVidia website, and the computer was running beautifully this whole time. Now, I was in the middle of a game and the screen started to have these little specs or flakes all over the place and then moments later it froze up and looked something like the pictures I attached here.

I tried a hard reboot and the computer came back online normally, then I installed an older driver that I knew was safe and worked for years before the last one I installed... and the computer did the same thing only a couple minutes into a game. Now it has stopped outputting anything to the screen at all. When I do a hard reboot there is nothing coming up on the screen, but I can hear the logon chime/noise when the computer enters desktop, but I still cannot see anything on screen, just black.

Is there anyway to start up in Safe Mode, without me being able to see the screen and choose the option? I tried holding F8 while the computer was restarting but nothing happened. Is the Graphics card dead, or can I get it working by somehow uninstalling/deleting all video drivers and installing the basic factory ones again?

Would connecting the laptop to my tv with HDMI cable let me see the screen, or will that not work either if the card is not functioning?

Very much appreciate any advice you guys have.