hwinfo

Overview

The hwinfo command provides comprehensive hardware information. It’s a powerful tool that probes for hardware and displays detailed information about various hardware components.

Syntax

hwinfo [options]

Common Options

Option Description
--short Brief hardware list
--arch Show architecture info
--bios Show BIOS info
--block Show block devices
--cpu Show CPU info
--disk Show disk devices
--memory Show memory info
--network Show network devices
--pci Show PCI devices
--usb Show USB devices
--all Show all hardware
--save-config Save hardware config
--log file Write log to file

Key Use Cases

  1. Hardware inventory
  2. System diagnostics
  3. Driver verification
  4. System documentation
  5. Troubleshooting

Examples with Explanations

Example 1: Brief Summary

hwinfo --short

Show brief hardware list

Example 2: CPU Info

hwinfo --cpu

Show detailed CPU information

Example 3: Storage Info

hwinfo --disk --short

Show brief disk information

Understanding Output

Categories of information: - System overview - CPU details - Memory configuration - Storage devices - Network interfaces - Peripheral devices

Common Usage Patterns

  1. Full system scan:

    hwinfo --all

  2. Network check:

    hwinfo --network

  3. Save hardware info:

    hwinfo --all --log hardware.log

Performance Analysis

  • Comprehensive scanning
  • Resource intensive
  • Database lookups
  • Device probing time
  • Log file generation

Additional Resources

Hardware Categories

  1. Processors
  2. Memory modules
  3. Storage devices
  4. Network adapters
  5. Peripheral devices

Best Practices

  1. Regular hardware audits
  2. Document configurations
  3. Monitor changes
  4. Keep logs
  5. Update hardware database