January 23, 2025

CPU temperature monitoring

After I render a stack with Helicon, I get a warning that CPU temperature is above 72. I have ordered a new CPU fan and heat sink. I would like to keep an eye on these temperatures, rather than just seeing this warning pop up when the stack finishes.

I tried "Core Temp". It may have been something nice once, but trying to install it just installed a "PC App Store" which kept throwing adds at me, for unsavory things like McAffee virus. So I uninstalled it and did some more careful searching.

Hwinfo is recommended. You will actually end up getting hwinfo64. I tried the "local" download link, but that immediately was trying to trick me into downloading some hacked browser. I used the sourceforge link and it was immediately obvious it was giving me the legit item.

I ran the installer from my browser download icon. I noticed that a PDF manual zipped by, so it must be somewhere on my system -- but I can probably just search for it online more easily.

I run this and it shows a wealth of information. Apparently you can get it to show things in the "system tray" (the thing at the bottom of the Windows screen).

Use "monitoring" at the top menu bar, select "sensor status" and then try to figure out the scheme. At the bottom right is a gear, which is "configure sensors". In here use the "tray icon" tab, then things get confusing.

The first video makes it easy. Go to "Sensors" pick a line you want to display, then right click gives a menu and you go with "add to tray". Then down in the tray and up-arrow holds hidden icons, and the temp is now in there. Drag it to the tray.

You can use the gear icon in HWinfo to change the font colors.

An important thing (see the video) is to set this up so it is active every time you boot and so you don't have to start it by hand. Use "program" on the top menu, then "settings?
Select:

Show sensors on startup
Minimize main window on startup
Minimize sensors on startup
Auto start
deselect: Show system summary on startup
Then click OK. You will need to reboot to test it.


Feedback? Questions? Drop me a line!

Tom's Computer Info / tom@mmto.org