"Core Temp" - A program for accurate Core, Core 2 and K8 CPU temperature monitoring

The-Coolest

Download Core Temp v0.99.3

This is a new program that lets you monitor Intel's "Core", "Core 2" and all AMD K8 chips' die temperature. The temperature readings are very accurate as the data is collected from a Digital Thermal Sensor (or DTS) which is located in each individual processing core, near the hottest part.
For more information click here

There is also an article posted about Core Temp and a little background on standard thermal sensors - Article
Please help out Core Temp popularity by Digging it.

This is the first NON-BETA version, so any bugs you find concerning this program, please post in the "Bugs" section ASAP!
Any suggestions on improvements or ideas are welcome in the "Development" section.
Note 1: Please read the ReadMe!.txt file for some useful tips.
Note 2: If you can make a nice set of icons for the use of this program, please let me know. You'll be credited in the "About" box.

What's new:

Version 0.99.3 - 22th August, 2008

- Add: Correct TjMax values for 45nm Core 2 series, according to this document.

- Fix: When TjMax = 0 (undefined) "Delta to Tjunction" was not added to the temperature string.

Version 0.99.2 - 18th August, 2008

- Fix: Start with Windows option was broken in 0.99.1.
- Fix: Default color for the second system tray icon is invisible with WinXP blue theme.
- Fix: Save screenshot function would create a corrupted BMP in some viewing software.
- Fix: Nehalem does not report VID like earlier CPUs. VID field now disabled for Nehalem.
- Fix: Incorrect 65nm Turion X2 code name detection.
- Fix: Potential bug of improper K10 and up recognition.
- Fix: Enabling distance to Tj.Max with "Highest temp." for system tray would show the largest distance to Tj.Max instead of smallest.
- Fix: Vendor ID and Device ID values were reversed in the register dump file.
- Fix: 3/4 temperatures logged for Phenom X3/X4 instead of 1.

- Add: Support for Core Temp plugins. (Still in beta phase and not in GUI yet).
- Add: Full support for AMD's Puma platform CPUs (in previous version reffered to as Griffin).
- Add: Initial support for 45nm AMD processors.
- Add: Update K8 and K10 recognition code to support all currently known CPUs.
- Add: Default TDP detection for Nehalem.
- Add: On the fly CPU speed detection.
- Add: Close to system tray option.

- Change: Log file is now produced in CSV format - easily import your logs into Excel.
- Change: Logging interval is now in Seconds instead of miliseconds.
- Change: Default logging interval is now 10 seconds.
- Change: Logging is now off by default.

Older versions

muddocktor

Welcome to Short Media, The Coolest. Thank you for the wonderful monitoring program man.

Thrax

Hey, welcome TC. I've had to track your threads down at XS to get a copy of your program every time I needed it. Thanks for joining.

lewicron

Yep, love the program - I'd been using speefan to monitor temps up until i downloaded coretemp: found that speedfan had been reporting the temps wrong by ~10*C!

profdlp

Just curious, but is it normal to have the Core Temp reading be 10C lower than the MBM5 CPU reading?

I have an Athlon64 3500+.

The-Coolest

That's a good question.
To be honest I don't have a definitive answer. What does MBM5 report and what does Core Temp report? Is this delta at idle or under full load?
What kind of cooling are you using and what are your ambient temps?

BTW guys, I wrote an article about why I believe the DTS is a much better measure of temperatures in general (not in each and every case). It should be posted on www.overclockers.com tomorrow or on friday, at least I hope. So stay tuned...

profdlp

The Coolest wrote:

...What does MBM5 report and what does Core Temp report? Is this delta at idle or under full load?
What kind of cooling are you using and what are your ambient temps?...

MBM5 = 48C
Core Temp = 38C

MBM5 Case Temp = 18C

All under full load with 24/7 FAH.

The room is 77.9F right now, though the computer is little affected by variations in room temperature. I have a bunch of computers going with an exhaust fan blowing air out into the hall. My room thermometer is closer to the ceiling than the floor, where this computer is situated. I have an AeroCool HT101 with two 80mm fans on the CPU.

csimon

Thanks for joining TC. Wonderful monitor you have there ...I use it always!

The-Coolest

I guess that this could be one of those cases where the DTS could be inaccurate. I highly doubt that at full load there is only a 13C difference.
Is it OCed or stock cooling?

profdlp

The Coolest wrote:

...Is it OCed or stock cooling?

No OC; non-OEM CPU cooler.

It's a Newcastle core, if that has any bearing on the matter.

The-Coolest

I would recommend that you try to run it idle and see what happens to the temps. I'm pretty sure that in this case, Core Temp is way off.

profdlp

Will do.

csimon

MBM5 Case Temp = 18C
No way this is accurate prof. I put my money on core temp!

Thrax

I too put my money on MBM5 being wrong.

TheSmJ

If this Core Temp app uses the temp diode on the core(s), where did MBM5 get its temp reading from?

Furthermore, can this app be placed in the system tray like MBM5?

Can (or will) it be capable of reporting GPU temps as well?

I'd try this myself but my only A64 machine will be down for another week at least.

Thrax

Most CPUs have an off-die diode as well, which is regarded as inaccurate.
Yes it minimizes to tray.
IT cannot currently do that.

TheSmJ

Thrax wrote:

Most CPUs have an off-die diode as well, which is regarded as inaccurate.

Really? So why would CPU manufactures spend the money on two temp diodes - one more correct than the other?

I also recall the Socket-A Bartons had on-die temp diodes as well, but only the newer mobos were cabaple of reading them. I believe the ABIT NF7 series boards were able to read them with a BIOS update.

profdlp

csimon wrote:

MBM5 Case Temp = 18C
No way this is accurate prof. I put my money on core temp!

I feel like an idiot.

In my old case (replaced a week ago after approximately eight years of use) I never paid much attention to the case temp. I just went into the MBM5 config file and re-jiggered a few things and now it reads 31C.

This old dog isn't learning that new (metric) trick too well, is he?

The-Coolest

Hey guys, I think that this article will clear some thing up:
http://www.overclockers.com/articles1378

muddocktor

Great writeup, TC.

I have a question for you. Why is it that the TCaseMax has no reading on my Opty 170? It is a Rev E processor. I'm not worried, just curious. I definitely have temps under control on that rig, with folding temps only showing 37-40 C (2 clients running) on either core with Core Temp. That SI-120 and Delta GFB fan really keep things cool.

As an aside, I see that Epox's monitoring circuitry on this old mobo is pretty darn close too. MBM shows very near the same temps as Core Temp on this board.

profdlp

Thanks for the article, TC - well worth the read.

muddocktor wrote:

...Why is it that the TCaseMax has no reading on my Opty 170...

None for me and my Newcastle, either. Just curious.

The-Coolest

Thanks

Regarding the TCM/TDP, in more updated AMD whitepapers they state that 49C/35W profile should not be used. I'm not too sure, I've noticed a lot of opties with 49C, and I'm pretty sure they're not a DC with a TDP of 35Ws
What I'm guessing is the 49C TCM reading is just used in cases where its over than max TCM that profiles define.
So I finally decided to go along with their whitepapers and remove TCM/TDP for 49C/35W.

About the Newcastle, these did not support this kind of feature. I will be adding all the general data about all the popular chips and be adding Max TCM/TDP values that AMD has posted.

Mad_Phoenix

HEY I have a K8 Triton gigabyte motherboard. theres not much difference on mine as far as temps OCed or not,i use Easy tube 5 for my temps as well as this program.I did a cpumark2.1 test and the temps were close.the voltage is at a default level, my cpu cooler comes with the cpu out of the box. Default speed shows just 2 or 3 degrees lower.
cool temp:36c
TDP:32.4 watts
TcaseMax:53c
EasyTune5:29c

Thrax

profdlp wrote:

I feel like an idiot.

This old dog isn't learning that new (metric) trick too well, is he?

Would that be a "Metrick?"

profdlp

Thrax wrote:

Would that be a "Metrick?"

Almost certainly. :Pwned:

The-Coolest

I updated the first post with the article link and a "Digg it" link so to increase Core Temp popularity. so please click on it and digg it:
http://digg.com/hardware/Dual_Core_CPU_Temps_a_program_to_monitor_EACH_core

muddocktor

OK, even though I don't really understand the concept of Digg, I went and registered and left a "Digg" and a comment for you. I hope I did this right.

The-Coolest

As I understand it, the more "Diggs" it has the more popular it will be and will stay on the first page for a longer time. Or something along those lines.

The-Coolest

Version 0.94 - 16th November, 2006
- Fix: Temperature log file not created in EXE folder.
- Fix: Temperature log file left "Processor" field blank.

- Add: An actual icon for the EXE/System tray.
- Add: An option to display temperature in Fahrenheit.
- Add: An option to start Core Temp minimized.

- Change: Only list physical processors in CPU selection.
- Change: Improve Intel CPU detection.

- Remove: GCPUID button.

Older versions

csimon

The Coolest wrote:

Version 0.94 - 16th November, 2006
- Fix: Temperature log file not created in EXE folder.
- Fix: Temperature log file left "Processor" field blank.

- Add: An actual icon for the EXE/System tray.
- Add: An option to display temperature in Fahrenheit.
- Add: An option to start Core Temp minimized.

- Change: Only list physical processors in CPU selection.
- Change: Improve Intel CPU detection.

- Remove: GCPUID button.

Older versions

Thanks Coolest ...the link doesn't work for .94 think you could correct that?
Again thanks!

The-Coolest

Try this