Nvidia GEFORCE GT 240 User manual

GEFORCE®
GT  GRAPHICS CARD
INSTALLATION GUIDE

NVIDIA GeForce GT 240
GEFORCE GT 240 INSTALLATION GUIDE

TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction 1
About this guide 1
Minimum System Requirements 2
Unpacking 3
Equipment 4
Hardware Installation 5
Safety Instructions 5
Before You Begin 6
Installing the GeForce Graphics Card 6
Driver Installation 11
Features and Benefits 15
Compliance and Certifications 19

TABLE OF CONTENTS


INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
Thank you for choosing the NVIDIA®
GeForce®GT 240 graphics card.
Graphics processing has become an essential
ingredient to the modern PC. Nowadays, we sim-
ply demand more from our PCs and the NVIDIA
GeForce GT 240 Graphics Card will bring your PC
into the modern world with gorgeous graphics,
fantastic video, crisp responsive photo editing
and a Premium Windows experience.
About This Guide
This installation guide discusses the installation and operation of
the NVIDIA GeForce GT 240 graphic solution.
Note: It is important to register your product in order to
receive online and phone support. Consult the registration
card included in the retail packaging for more information on
registering your product.


INTRODUCTION
 Minimum System Requirements
>Operating System
Microsoft Windows 7
Microsoft Windows Vista, 32-bit or 64-bit
Microsoft Windows XP, 32-bit or 64-bit
Linux, 32-bit or 64-bit
FreeBSD x86
>Power Supply
300W or greater power supply with a minimum 12V current
rating of 18A
>System Interface
One (1) open PCI Express slot
>CD-ROM/DVD-ROM drive or internet connection for driver
installation
>150 MB of available hard disk space


UNPACKING
UNPACKING
Prior to unpacking your new NVIDIA GeForce
GT 240 graphics card, it is important to make
sure you meet all the system requirements listed
on page 2 for a smooth installation.
Be sure to inspect each piece of equipment
shipped in the packing box. If anything is missing
or damaged, contact your reseller.
Equipment
The following equipment and documentation are included in the
GeForce GT 240 graphics card box.
NVIDIA Driver Installation CD
Contains:
• Windows 7, XP, and Vista (32/64-bit) drivers for
the GeForce graphics card. For other operating
systems and to keep your drivers current, visit
www.nvidia.com/drivers and download the latest
drivers
• Digital version of this Manual, the NVIDIA Control
Panel User Guide, and Driver
• Release Notes


UNPACKING

Quick Start Guide
Fast and easy steps to install the GeForce
graphics card(s).
Installation Guide
More detailed instructions to install the GeForce
graphics card(s).
WELCOME
Registration Card
Register to gain priority access to online and
phone support.
DVI-to-VGA Adapter (Optional)
Use to connect a VGA monitor to the DVI connector or a
DVI monitor to the VGA connector.
DVI-to-HDMI Adapter (Optional)
Use to connect an HDTV to the card through the DVI
connector.
GeForce GT 240 Graphics Card
HDMI
connector
DVI
connector
VGA
connector


HARDWARE INSTALLATIONS
HARDWARE INSTALLATIONS
Installing the NVIDIA GeForce GT 240 graphics
card hardware involves opening up your
computer. Follow all of the safety instructions
provided here to ensure that there is no damage
to you, your computer, or the graphics board.
Safety Instructions
To reduce the risk of fire, electric shock, or injury, always follow basic
safety precautions.
Note: All hardware must be installed prior to installation of
the drivers.
>Remove power from your computer by disconnecting the AC main
source before installation.
>Do not operate this product near water or when your hands or
body are wet.
>Do not place this product on soft surfaces that could block the
ventilation slots and cause overheating.
>Do not place this product near a heating register or radiator.
>Place this product securely on a stable surface. Serious damage
to this product may result if it falls.
>Do not allow anything to rest on the power cord. Do not place
this product where a person can step or trip on the power cord.


HARDWARE INSTALLATIONS
 Before You Begin
The GeForce GT 240 graphics card is a PCI Express 2.0 ×16 graphics
card. Your computer may already have a graphics card installed in the
PCI Express slot. If so, you will need to remove that graphics card and
replace it with the GeForce GT 240 graphics card.
If you do not have a graphics card, this means that your motherboard
has on-board graphics (there is a graphics chip installed on your
motherboard or integrated in the motherboard chipset). If this is the
case, there is no action that needs to be taken before installing your
new graphics card.
Installing the GeForce Graphics Card
Because there are so many different computer systems on the
market, the procedure to install the GeForce GT 240 graphics card
can vary from system to system. Use the following instructions as
a guideline and consult the documentation for
your computer system for any further information on your
individual system.
Note: It is important that all power to the computer be
unplugged before you install the graphics card.
Discharge your body’s static electricity by touching a grounded
surface before touching the graphics card. A grounded surface is the
computer chassis, or some other surface you know to be grounded.
Use the following procedure to install the GeForce GT 240 graphics
card into your computer system.
1 Turn off your computer and monitor and disconnect the power cord.
Depending on your computer system, you may need to disconnect the
cable going to the back of your system. Mark the cables so you can
make sure you reconnect them properly.
2 Open your computer by removing the cover/side panel. Refer to
your computer documentation from the original manufacturer
for assistance.

HARDWARE INSTALLATIONS 
3 Remove any existing graphics card (if there is one). Save hardware
(such as screws and brackets) to use when installing the NVIDIA
graphics card.
!Attention: If your system has been running for a period of
time prior to opening the panels, it is very important that you
wait until the graphics card in your system has cooled before
taking the card out of the system. Graphics card get very hot
when they have been operating for any length of time.
4 Remove the slot cover if you do not have a graphics card installed.

HARDWARE INSTALLATIONS
 5 Plug the graphics card into the Primary PCI Express x16 slot on your
motherboard. This is often the slot closest to the CPU but may be the
second or third slot. Look for the slot labeled ×16. It will likely be the
only PCI Express slot with a retention lever on the end of the slot (or
the one closest to the CPU.
6
7
Note: It is recommended that you install the graphics card
into the primary PCI Express x16 slot. If you install the graphics
card into the secondary slot, your system may not recognize the
graphics card and there will be nothing displayed on the monitor.
Also note that on some motherboard SBIOS, the physical
location of the primary slot can be configured when there are
more than one PCI Express x16 slots.
8 Reinstall the cover on your computer and reconnect any cables
that you removed earlier in the installation.

HARDWARE INSTALLATIONS 
9 Connect your computer monitor(s) to the GeForce graphics card
using the VGA and DVI connectors. The GeForce GT 240 graphics
card can be connected to PC monitors that support DVI, VGA,
and HDMI inputs.
The GeForce GT 240 graphics card can support up to two displays in a
multi-monitor configuration.
10 Reconnect your power cord to the PC.
HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) Connector supports
any TV or PC video format, including standard, enhanced, and high
definition video. Use this connection for computer monitors, and
digital television.
VGA connector for
standard VGA displays.
DVI connector for digital displays. Using the
DVI-to-HDMI adapter, you can connect to HDTV.
Using a DVI-to-VGA adapter, you can conected a
second VGA display.

 HARDWARE INSTALLATIONS



DRIVER INSTALLATION
DRIVER INSTALLATION
With the hardware installed, it is now time to
install the graphics driver. NVIDIA recommends
downloading and installing the most recent
drivers available at http://www.nvidia.com/
drivers.
Use the following procedure to load
the graphics drivers.
1 Power up your system.
2 Insert the driver installation CD or double click on the GeForce driver
executable file you downloaded from www.nvidia.com/drivers. The
NVIDIA Setup program takes over and installs the drivers.


 DRIVER INSTALLATION
 3 Click Next when the Welcome to the InstallShield Wizard window
displays. It may take several minutes for the installation to take place.
Your screen may go blank for a few seconds one or more times during
installation. This is normal. Click Next when the Welcome to the
InstallShield Wizard window displays.
Note: It may take several minutes for the installation to take
place. Your screen may go blank for a few seconds one or
more times during installation. This is normal. The Installing
driver components… screen will let you know when the
installation is complete.

DRIVER INSTALLATION 
4 Select Yes, I want to restart my computer now.
5 Click Finish to complete the installation and restart your system.

 DRIVER INSTALLATION



COMPLIANCE AND CERTIFICATIONS
>NVIDIA® Unified Architecture: Fully unified graphics core dynam-
ically allocates work to geometry, vertex, physics, or pixel shading
operations, delivering superior graphics processing power.
>NVIDIA CUDA™ Technology1: CUDA technology unlocks the power
of the GPU’s processing cores to accelerate the most demand-
ing system tasks - such as video encoding - delivering incredible
performance improvements over traditional CPUs.
>Microsoft DirectCompute Support: Full support for DirectCom-
pute, Microsoft’s GPU computing API.
>OpenCL Support: Full support for OpenCL GPU computing API.
>Microsoft Windows 7 Support: Windows 7 is the next generation
operating system that will mark a dramatic improvement in the
way the OS takes advantage of the graphics processing unit (GPU)
to provide a more compelling user experience. By taking advan-
tage of the GPU for both graphics and computing, Windows 7 will
not only make today’s PCs more visual and more interactive but
also ensure that they have the speed and responsiveness custom-
ers want.
>NVIDIA PhysX® Technology2: GeForce GPU support for NVIDIA
PhysX technology, enabling a totally new class of physical gam-
ing interaction for a more dynamic and realistic experience with
GeForce.
>NVIDIA® GeForce® Unified Driver Architecture (UDA): Delivers
a proven record of compatibility, reliability, and stability with the
widest range of games and applications. NVIDIA® GeForce®
drivers provide the best out-of-box experience for every user and
deliver continuous performance and feature updates over the life
of NVIDIA GeForce® GPUs.

FEATURES