How to Check CPU Temperatures With Windows 7

Too much heat can kill your computer. Unless your computer enclosure is made of glass or see-through plastic, it is hard to tell what is going on inside the case. Since you usually cannot see inside the case, you might not be aware if the processor fan is underperforming or not spinning at all. Over time, an overheated processor can fail or cause damage to other components in your PC. Therefore, to ensure your CPU is not overheating, you should install a CPU temperature monitoring utility.
Instructions

Install Window 7 Gadget

1 Navigate to the Windows Live Gallery page for Core Temp Gadget. Click the "Download" button.

2 Review the confirmation message click "Install."

3 Enable the "Open with Windows Desktop Gadget (default)" option. Click the "OK" button.

4 Click the "Install" button in the "Desktop Gadgets -- Security Warning" window. Wait while Windows installs the gadget on your desktop.

5 Click the "Get Core Temp" link in the "Core Temp" gadget window on the desktop. A new browser tab opens and directs you to the "Core Temp" website.

6 Click the "Download Installer" link. Download and save the file to your computer. Double-click the downloaded file to launch the installer. Click the "Next" button. Accept the License Agreement and click "Next." Follow the remaining prompts to install Core Temp on your computer. Click "Finish" when prompted.

7 Launch Core Temp on your computer. Click the "-" button in the upper-right hand corner of the program window to minimize the application to the system tray. The Core Temp gadget monitors the temperature of the CPU and displays current readings on the screen. If you have a multi-core processor, the gadget monitors and displays temperature settings for all cores inside the CPU.

CPUID HW Monitor

1 Navigate to the CPUID website and download HWMonitor. Save the file to your computer.

2 Double-click the file to launch the Setup Wizard. Accept the terms and conditions of the License Agreement and click "Next." Accept the default installation parameters for the application and click "Next."

3 Wait for the Setup Wizard to install HWMonitor on your computer. Click "Finish" when prompted.

4 Launch HWMonitor on your computer. Double-click the computer icon under the "Sensor" label to expand the display. Click the "+" link next to the "Temperature" label. Review the temperature readings for your CPU.

5 Minimize the application to the system tray. Click the "Lightning Bolt" icon in the system tray to maximize the application window and review current CPU temperature readings.

Install Application from Motherboard Manufacturer

1 Browse to the support website of the company that makes your computer's motherboard. Click the "Support," "Downloads," "Drivers" or other similarly named link.

2 Browse the free downloads section of the site and download a monitoring utility for your motherboard. Major motherboard manufacturers such as ASUS, Gigabyte, Intel and MSI provide monitoring utilities that allow you to monitor CPU temperatures and other important settings.

3 Download the monitoring utility and save it to your computer. Open the installer file and follow the on-screen prompts to install the monitoring utility on your computer. Reboot the PC if prompted to do so.

4 Open the monitoring utility on your PC to check the CPU's current temperature reading.