dmidecode

Overview

The dmidecode command dumps a computer’s DMI (SMBIOS) table contents in a human-readable format. It provides detailed hardware information from the BIOS.

Syntax

dmidecode [options]

Common Options

Option Description
-t type Only show specified type
-s keyword Only show specified DMI string
-d file Read from file instead of /dev/mem
-u Display UUID
-h Display help
-V Display version
--oem-string N Display OEM string N
--no-sysfs Don’t use sysfs
--from-dump file Read from dump file

DMI Types

Type Description
0 BIOS
1 System
2 Baseboard
3 Chassis
4 Processor
5 Memory Controller
6 Memory Module
7 Cache
17 Memory Device

Key Use Cases

  1. Hardware inventory
  2. System information
  3. Memory configuration
  4. BIOS details
  5. Troubleshooting

Examples with Explanations

Example 1: System Info

dmidecode -t system

Show system information

Example 2: Memory Info

dmidecode -t memory

Show memory information

Example 3: BIOS Info

dmidecode -t bios

Show BIOS information

Common Usage Patterns

  1. Processor info:

    dmidecode -t processor

  2. Memory slots:

    dmidecode -t 17

  3. System serial:

    dmidecode -s system-serial-number

Security Considerations

  1. Root access required
  2. Sensitive information
  3. System identification
  4. Data protection
  5. Access control

Additional Resources

Best Practices

  1. Regular scanning
  2. Documentation
  3. Data protection
  4. Access control
  5. Change tracking

Information Types

  1. System
  2. BIOS
  3. Processor
  4. Memory
  5. Cache

Troubleshooting

  1. Access errors
  2. Missing information
  3. Incorrect data
  4. System compatibility
  5. Version issues