SpeedFan
{{Short description|System monitoring tool}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox software
| name = SpeedFan
| logo =
| screenshot = SpeedFan screenshot.png
| caption = SpeedFan 4.44 in Windows 7
| author = Alfredo Milani Comparetti
| developer = Alfredo Milani Comparetti
| released = {{Start date and age|2001|03|27|df=yes}}{{cite web|url=http://www.almico.com/speedfan.php | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20010405211823/http://www.almico.com/speedfan.php |archivedate=5 April 2001 |title=SpeedFan - History |date= |publisher=Almico.com |accessdate=22 November 2013 }}
| programming language = Delphi, C++, C{{Citation needed|date=November 2013}}
| operating system = Windows 95 and later
| language =
| genre = System monitor
| license = Freeware
| website = {{URL|https://www.almico.com/speedfan.php}}
}}
SpeedFan is a system monitor for Microsoft Windows that can read temperatures, voltages and fan speeds of computer components. It can change computer fan speeds depending on the temperature of various components.{{cite web |url=http://www.almico.com/speedfan.php |title=SpeedFan - Access temperature sensor in your computer |date=12 October 2006 |publisher=Almico.com |accessdate=15 January 2007}}{{cite web |url=http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/how-to/desktop-pc/3465136/how-check-your-cpu-temperature/
|title=How to check your CPU temperature: use the free SpeedFan utility |date=21 August 2013 |first=Jim |last=Martin | publisher=PC Advisor |accessdate=22 November 2013}} The program can display system variables as charts and as an indicator in the system tray.{{cite web |url=http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file/fid,64350-order,0-page,1-c,systemresourcestuneup/description.html |title=PC World Downloads - Speedfan 4.33 |first=Preston |last=Gralla |publisher=PC World |date=30 August 2011 |accessdate=21 November 2013 |archive-date=10 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120210101211/http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file/fid,64350-order,0-page,1-c,systemresourcestuneup/description.html |url-status=dead }}
Fully configurable user events can be defined to execute specific actions based on system status{{cite web |title=What's The Normal CPU Temperature Range While Gaming |url=https://www.cputemper.com/maximum-and-normal-cpu-temperature/ |website=CPUTemper |access-date=5 February 2022 |date=20 June 2020}}
Hard disk support
SpeedFan also monitors S.M.A.R.T. readings for EIDE, SATA and SCSI hard disks. Starting with version 4.35, SpeedFan fully supports Areca RAID controllers. Version 4.38 added full support for AMCC/3ware SATA and RAID controllers.
Hard disk in-depth online analysis
SpeedFan offers a feature named "in-depth online analysis" that compares the hard disk's S.M.A.R.T. data to a database with statistical models of hard disks allowing early detection of potentially degraded hard disks.{{cite web|url=http://www.ghacks.net/2008/08/07/analyzing-drive-health-with-speedfan/ |title=Analyzing drive health with SpeedFan (4.34)|publisher= Ghacks blog |date=7 August 2008 |editor=Brinkmann, Martin |first=Andrey |last=Savchenko (rarst) |accessdate=22 November 2013}} Messages inform the user of specific situations and problems, which Almico says is “as if a human expert had looked at the data”.
Reception
An extended review of version 4.46 in 2012 on the Silent PC Review website summarized, "The biggest drawback [to Speedfan] is it often takes a lot of work to properly configure", but continued, "Its highly customizable and incredibly powerful nature is unmatched by the competition and as a bonus, it's also free, lightweight and regularly updated with more features and better motherboard support."{{cite web|url=http://www.silentpcreview.com/SpeedFan |title=SpeedFan: A Guide to Universal Motherboard Fan Control |publisher= silentpcreview.com |date=2 July 2012 |first=Lawrence |last=Lee |accessdate=22 November 2013}}
The Softonic review of version 4.49 graded SpeedFan 8/10, listing it as useful, with "helpful charts to monitor performance and health", but noting that it requests administrator rights at launch, and "Can be intimidating for less tech savvy".{{cite web|url=http://speedfan.en.softonic.com/
|title=SpeedFan (4.49) |publisher=Softonic |date= |first= Lewis |last=Leong |accessdate=22 November 2013}}
See also
- Argus Monitor
- Motherboard Monitor
- System monitor
- Comparison of S.M.A.R.T. tools
- lm_sensors
- hw.sensors
References
{{Reflist|refs=
|author= Constantine A. Murenin
|date= 2007-04-17
|url = http://sensors.cnst.su/IEEE_ICNSC_2007
|section = 3.1. SpeedFan
|title= Generalised Interfacing with Microprocessor System Hardware Monitors
|conference= Proceedings of 2007 IEEE International Conference on Networking, Sensing and Control, 15–17 April 2007.
|location= London, United Kingdom
|publisher=IEEE
|doi = 10.1109/ICNSC.2007.372901
|isbn = 978-1-4244-1076-7
|id = IEEE ICNSC 2007, pp. 901—906.
}}
}}