Speccy - Advanced System Information Tool

How to Use Speccy to View Your System Information in Windows​

   Information

What is Speccy?

"Speccy, developed by Piriform, is a freeware system information tool for personal computers. Speccy gives users detailed statistics on every piece of hardware, including CPU, Motherboard, RAM, Graphics Cards, Hard Disks, Optical Drives, Audio Support." -Wikipedia

This program does not include/collect any personal information, just system specs.

Lets get started:

1.) Download Speccy from the official site.
Download



2.) Once downloaded, run the installer as you would install any other application. This is just Speccy you are installing, so do not accept to install chrome or any other suggested software.
You are offered chrome during the install, (if you already have it you won't be asked)
you can uncheck the boxes and choose not to install it. See image below:

3.) Now that is done, Open Speccy. You will see this screen:

   Tip

When speccy opens it will take a moment to display the information. Please wait. Also note the screenshot is from my system, your results may vary or be completely different. (The default temperature in Speccy is displayed in C° like most programs, I just have it set to F°.)

4.) If you were sent here by other members, then do this step. Otherwise skip to step 5.

   Warning

While no personal information is in the log, your Windows key and office key for example can possibly show in the log. To avoid piracy, we recommend editing the log before uploading it so that the product keys are not revealed. (It's under operating system-serial number in the log.)
If you should need help with this, ask or advise in your thread first.

-Click File-save as text file. Choose where to save it, and then upload that to your thread with your issue using the paperclip icon on the new post you go to submit. See screenshot below.




5.) Clicking on each thing (motherboard,cpu, video card, etc) opens up more information about that category. You may click through each category to see what Speccy reports. It will list temperature as well as how many hard drives you have and the like. Keep in mind anything in Speccy will be shown in the log in step 4 if you have done this earlier.




Using Speccy as a temperature monitor program:1.) Open Speccy.Click View, and then click options.
Choose the advanced tab.
Check minimize to tray, display metrics in tray, and save all settings to ini file.

See screenshot below for settings:


2.) Once that is configured, click ok. Minimize Speccy. It will now minimize to the clock area with your cpu highest temp reported in the tray.See screenshot below:


To have Speccy always show in the system tray:Right click the clock-Customize notification icons. Under speccy, choose always show icon and notifications. Click ok.
See screenshot for example on how it should look.




That's it,

-Andrew

If there are any questions or you feel I could explain better, please leave a comment here. Also suggest the rewritten text as well please.

Related Tutorials

---

• How to See Your System Specs with "System Info"
• How to See System Information in Vista and Windows 7
• How to View System Information about your PC in Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Use Speccy in Windows to Publish your Complete System Specifications

 

[Golden]

This program does not include/collect any personal information, just system specs.

Suggest you add a warning so that inexperienced OP's avoid uploading a TXT file containing the Windows 7 product key/serial number

 

[UsernameIssues]

Thanks. I learned something from this

 

[andrew129260]

Thanks

This program does not include/collect any personal information, just system specs.

Suggest you add a warning so that inexperienced OP's avoid uploading a TXT file containing the Windows 7 product key

Done. Apologies. I didn't think the whole keys were shown, just the last 4.

It has been corrected with a warning.

Thank you.

Thanks. I learned something from this

Good! I'm glad!

 

[Layback Bear]

Just a thought.
Could mention that ticking on each thing (motherboard,cpu, video card,ect) opens up more information.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

I like and use Speccy but I've found that, if it is running, such as for temperature monitoring, it will cause Macrium Reflect to crash when making an image.

 

[Brink]

Good job Andrew.

It looks like you missed a screenshot under step 2 for the temperature monitor section though.

 

[andrew129260]

Just a thought.
Could mention that ticking on each thing (motherboard,cpu, video card,ect) opens up more information.

I will add that later today. Thank you.

I like and use Speccy but I've found that, if it is running, such as for temperature monitoring, it will cause Macrium Reflect to crash when making an image.

Hmm, never seen any problems with it, but I will keep an eye on it. Thank you for the information.

Good job Andrew.

It looks like you missed a screenshot under step 2 for the temperature monitor section though.

Ah, that would better explain it. I shall add this later tonight. Thank you.

 

[andrew129260]

Tutorial updated.

 

[whs]

Very useful tutorials.

May I suggest that you use a snippimg tool where you can make nicer comments and boxes. I use Jing which you can program to a Function key ( I use F9) and trigger when you push that function key.

Below is an example I just made. The comments and boxes are not supposed to mean anything. They just show the facilities which are boxes, arrows, text comments and highlights.

 

[Dude]

Nice tutorial andrew. I would add a tip for users to set it to C when using for specs to receive advice.

 

[andrew129260]

Nice tutorial andrew. I would add a tip for users to set it to C when using for specs to receive advice.

It actually does do this automatically. C is the default. I set it to f as I prefer F but I have started using c and changed it to c recently.

 

[andrew129260]

Speccy has updated:

• v1.24.632 (14 Nov 2013) - Added USB storage device detection.
  - Improved CPU and motherboard temperature reading accuracy.
  - Added option to skip User Account Control warning.
  - Added ability to refresh Speccy data.
  - Added option to start Speccy with Windows for temp monitoring.
  - Enhanced hard drive information to include sector and track data.
  - Added scriptable parameters for XML and TXT data export (professional edition only).
  - Improved network adaptor detection.
  - Improved debug mode notification.
  - Minor bug fixes and GUI improvements.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Speccy has updated:

• v1.24.632 (14 Nov 2013) - Added USB storage device detection.
  - Improved CPU and motherboard temperature reading accuracy.
  - Added option to skip User Account Control warning.
  - Added ability to refresh Speccy data.
  - Added option to start Speccy with Windows for temp monitoring.
  - Enhanced hard drive information to include sector and track data.
  - Added scriptable parameters for XML and TXT data export (professional edition only).
  - Improved network adaptor detection.
  - Improved debug mode notification.
  - Minor bug fixes and GUI improvements.

One caution about using Speccy for temperature monitoring: it may not play well with some programs. I know for a fact it will not play well with Macrium Reflect (and I had the BSODs to prove it). Speccy is an excellent program that I use frequently and I strongly recommend it but a bit of caution must be used when running it.

 

[andrew129260]

I suppose its possible, I personally never had a problem with it, and I have over 200 different programs installed.
Granted I dont use all of them at once, haha. But I have never had a bsod running many programs with speccy turned on and in the tray.
Who knows, maybe with this update things might work for you.

Why use Macrium Reflect anyway? I don't understand whats so bad about windows 7 built in imaging. To each his own I guess. I heard whs say there is major issues with it, bit I never experienced any.

Am I just lucky with everything? Idk...

I guess in the end its just all opinions honestly.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Reflect is easier to use, more versatile, and more reliable than Win 7's backup utility.

 

[Slartybart]

Below the line is my Speccy "post template".
A warning is insufficient regarding keys presented in screen shots or text reports.

PUBLISH a snapshot automatically removes sensitive information and hosts the output on a Piriform server.
The member only has to copy the link returned and post it on their thread.

I recommend that you change Step 4
Click "File-save as text file"
to
Click "Publish Snapshot..."
Feel free to use anything below, if that helps.

---

Please post the following system information: Speccy snapshot

---

How to publish a Speccy snapshot:
Click on the Speccy file menu and select Publish Snapshot. This method removes sensitive information and provides you with a link to the report.

Copy the link returned from Publish Snapshot and paste it in a post on this thread so members have more information to better assist you.

Published Speccy report of my machine: http://speccy.piriform.com/results/CHlegp43qppad1Ua8dOLDAj

Thanks

 

[Golden]

Check it out : http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/311593-speccy-publish-snapshot-your-system-specs.html

 

[Slartybart]

Thanks Reverend,

Can that be added to Related links on this tutorial?

Check it out : http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/311593-speccy-publish-snapshot-your-system-specs.html

 

[Brink]

Done.