An apparatus for simultaneous measurement of the temperature dependence of mechanical stress and electrical resistance was constructed to obtain information about intrinsic and thermal stresses in correlation with resistance changes of (Cr0.286Si0.714)(1-x)O-x thin films (0 < x < 0.5). Together with Auger electron spectroscopy and factor analysis the results provide insights into the as-grown amorphous film structure (pre-demixed in O-poor and O-rich clusters) as well as the structural development and the crystallization during heat treatment. For x above about 0.30, the low total and thermal stresses of the films on silicon substrates meet the application demands for films free of delamination and with small aging drift. Oxygen-free films,however, show a distinct CrSi2 crystallization resulting in strong tensile stress.