How did Target mode fix my video problem?

On my 2006 MacBook Pro 15 the video had gone wrong with coloured diagonal lines appearing on startup making the computer unusable. However after putting it into Target mode to get some files and try to install a USB to HMDi adaptor driver, the computer came back up with a normal screen. This worked for several hours before it went bad again, however a few minutes in Target mode and all way well again after rebooking, very strange.
Any thoughts why this could fix what seemed like a logic board replacement, as the graphics were intergrated.

Since Target mode works straight out of the firmware without depending on HDD content, it is probably resetting the video infrastructure, which later gets corrupted by software. At least I think the GPU/VRAM/etc. thing seems ok. Few ideas:
Try starting up in Safe Mode (press down Shift before the chime). Takes a LONG while, but clears many caches that may be corrupted.
Purge any and all caches for good. Use OnyX or similar utility.
Disable the integrated Intel GPU by unchecking Automatic graphics switching in System Preferences/Energy Saver and see if that helps. You'll be running exclusively on the Radeon GPU, which is a battery gobbler, beware.

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