📄 Monitoring Your PC's Health with Open Hardware Monitor
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Monitoring Your PC's Health with Open Hardware Monitor


Tools needed: Open Hardware Monitor (Free Download)

🖥️ What is Open Hardware Monitor?

Open Hardware Monitor is a free, lightweight tool that lets you keep an eye on your computer’s internal health—like temperatures, fan speeds, and CPU usage. It’s great for spotting issues early, especially problems caused by overheating or overuse.

🔧 Why Use It?

High temperatures, especially in the CPU, GPU, or hard drive, can lead to:

  • Thermal throttling (your computer slows down to protect itself)

  • System instability or crashes

  • Long-term hardware damage

Monitoring these values can help identify when it’s time to clean your system, improve airflow, or seek repairs.

🛠️ How to Get Started

1. Download and Run the Tool

  • Visit https://openhardwaremonitor.org/downloads/

  • Download the latest ZIP file

  • Right-click and Extract All

  • Open the folder and double-click OpenHardwareMonitor.exe

  • When prompted with "Do you want to allow this app to make changes to your device?" — select Yes

✅ No installation required – it runs as a portable app.

🔍 What to Watch For

🔥 CPU Temperature

  • Idle temps should be under 50°C

  • Under load (e.g., gaming or video editing) it can reach up to 85°C—but if it goes over 90°C regularly, it’s a red flag.

  • Thermal Throttling: Some CPUs will slow themselves down at high temperatures. You may notice stuttering, lag, or sudden performance drops.

💨 Fan Speeds

  • Check if fans are spinning properly. If you see unusually low or zero RPM values, fans may be clogged, broken, or disconnected.

📈 CPU and RAM Usage

  • Constant 100% usage can suggest background processes hogging resources—or potentially failing hardware.

💾 Hard Drive Temperatures

  • Healthy range: 30–50°C

  • If your hard drive is regularly hitting 55°C or more, it may fail prematurely.

⚙️ How to Run Open Hardware Monitor on Startup (Optional)

If you'd like Open Hardware Monitor to launch automatically when your PC starts:

  1. Open the program

  2. Click on the Options menu

  3. Select Run On Windows Startup from the dropdown

  4. You’ll see a checkmark appear next to the option once it’s enabled

To disable it from launching at startup, repeat the same steps and make sure the checkmark is removed.

🛠️ When to Call for Help

You may need service if:

  • CPU/GPU temps regularly exceed 90°C

  • Fans aren't spinning or making loud grinding noises

  • Your computer is slow even after a reboot

  • You see sudden shutdowns or freezing