8
Matrox C-Series – User Guide
Installing your graphics hardware
This section describes how to install your Matrox card. For information specific to your computer,
like how to remove its cover, see your system manual.
Before you begin
To avoid personal injury and to prevent damage to your computer or Matrox hardware, read the
following guidelines before installing your Matrox graphics hardware.
Preventing damage to your graphics hardware
Always turn off your computer, unplug it, then wait for it to cool before touching any of
the internal parts of your computer or installing your Matrox product.
While your computer is turned off but still plugged in, some electrical current is supplied
to the motherboard. This current may prevent newly installed hardware from working
properly.
Static electricity can severely damage electronic parts. Before touching any electronic
parts, drain static electricity from your body (for example, by touching the metal frame
of your computer).
When handling a card, carefully hold it by its edges and avoid touching its circuitry.
Always try to insert or remove your card as straight as possible.
Don’t operate your system near a heat source or restrict airflow to your system, and make
sure the ambient temperature doesn’t exceed the maximum recommended
temperatures.
C420 only
– To maintain adequate airflow for your Matrox C420 product, we strongly
recommend running the internal system fan at medium speed, instead of the default low
or automatic. Because the internal system temperature is normally read from the CPU
(and the system airflow is optimized for the CPU), the temperature near the add-in cards
may not be properly controlled.
Note:
Most Matrox low-profile graphics cards ship with ATX brackets compatible with
most systems. If you have a low-profile system, you may need to change the ATX bracket
on your graphics card to a low-profile bracket. For more information,
