Introduction to dmidecode Command in Linux with Examples

What is dmidecode command?

Dmidecode is a tool for dumping a computer's DMI (or SMBIOS) table contents in a human-readable format. Dmidecode retrieves the information from the system's BIOS or firmware, and thus, can be used to retrieve hardware information regardless of the operating system.

Example of dmidecode command

To list all system memory devices type:

sudo dmidecode -t memory

The output will look similar to this:

# dmidecode 2.11
SMBIOS 2.7 present.

Handle 0x000E, DMI type 16, 23 bytes
Physical Memory Array
	Location: System Board Or Motherboard
	Use: System Memory
	Error Correction Type: None
	Maximum Capacity: 16 GB
	Error Information Handle: Not Provided
	Number Of Devices: 4

Handle 0x0019, DMI type 19, 31 bytes
Memory Array Mapped Address
        Starting Address: 0x00000000000
        Ending Address: 0x000FFFFFFFF
        Range Size: 262144 MB
        Physical Array Handle: 0x000E
        Partition Width: 4

Handle 0x001A, DMI type 17, 40 bytes
Memory Device
	Array Handle: 0x0019
	Error Information Handle: Not Provided
	Total Width: Unknown
	Data Width: 64 bits
	Size: 2048 MB
	Form Factor: DIMM
	Set: None
	Locator: ChannelB-DIMM0
	Bank Locator: BANK 0
	Type: DDR3
	Type Detail: Synchronous Unbuffered (Unregistered)
	Speed: 1600 MT/s
	Manufacturer: 0x80AD
	Serial Number: 0x8C929FF6
	Asset Tag: Not Specified
	Part Number: 0x474E5341475320303632
	Rank: 1
	Configured Memory Speed: 1600 MT/s

Conclusion

Dmidecode is an extremely useful tool for obtaining detailed information about system hardware. It can be used to view the configuration of various hardware components such as memory, processors, and disks, and can also provide detailed information about system firmware and BIOS. By running the dmidecode command with appropriate options, you can gain insight into your system's hardware configuration.