Core Temp Portable Setup Guide

A portable copy of Core Temp is handy for technicians, students on shared PCs and anyone who wants to check temperatures without leaving software behind. Because the program keeps its configuration in a plain settings file next to the executable, it travels well.

Getting the Portable Files

The developer's download page has historically listed standalone ZIP builds next to the installer; check the official ALCPU page for the current options. Pick the build that matches your Windows (64-bit for almost every modern PC). You can also install once and copy the program folder to a USB stick.

Setting Up the Folder

1. Create a folder such as E:\Tools\CoreTemp-Portable on your USB drive.
2. Extract the ZIP into it.
3. Right-click Core Temp.exe and choose Run as administrator.
4. Open Options › Settings and adjust refresh rate, tray icons and logging. Your choices are saved to CoreTemp.ini in the same folder.

Logging on the Go

Enable logging in Settings and Core Temp writes a CSV file into its own folder. That is ideal for diagnosing a friend's PC: run your test, unplug the drive and review the log at home in any spreadsheet.

Limits of Portable Mode

• Admin rights: the sensor driver needs elevation, so locked-down school or office PCs may block it.
• Startup: "Start with Windows" refers to the current path. If the drive letter changes, re-enable it.
• Antivirus prompts: some security tools look more closely at drivers launched from removable drives.

Tips for Technicians

Keep a copy of this site's user guide on the same drive, add a text file with the expected SHA-256 hash, and pair Core Temp with a short stress test so you can capture before-and-after logs when cleaning a machine.

Need the installer instead? Head to the Core Temp download page.