Help- Detecting free memory slots on motherboard

kkoene · 01-09-2009, 01:05 PM

I need to determine if I have any free memory slots and was wondering if there is a command or utility that I can use to do this without cracking the case?

I am running RHEL ES3 on an IBM HS20 Blade.

Thanks for any help.

farslayer · 01-09-2009, 02:51 PM

absolutely there is a command that will show you this info.. it's lshw

Scroll down to see what Slots are full of How much memory..

Code:

mail:~# lshw -C memory

  *-firmware              
       description: BIOS
       vendor: HP
       physical id: 0
       version: P58 (11/13/2007)
       size: 64KB
       capacity: 4032KB
       capabilities: pci pnp upgrade shadowing escd cdboot bootselect edd int13floppy360 int13floppy1200 int13floppy720 int5printscreen int9keyboard int14serial int17printer int10video acpi usb biosbootspecification netboot
  *-cache:0
       description: L1 cache
       physical id: 710
       slot: Processor 1 Internal L1 Cache
       size: 64KB
       capacity: 128KB
       capabilities: burst internal write-back data
  *-cache:1
       description: L2 cache
       physical id: 720
       slot: Processor 1 Internal L2 Cache
       size: 4MB
       capacity: 16MB
       capabilities: burst internal write-back
  *-cache:2 DISABLED
       description: L3 cache
       physical id: 730
       slot: Processor 1 Internal L3 Cache
       capacity: 8MB
       capabilities: burst internal
  *-cache:0 DISABLED
       description: L1 cache
       physical id: 716
       slot: Processor 2 Internal L1 Cache
       capacity: 128KB
       capabilities: burst internal data
  *-cache:1 DISABLED
       description: L2 cache
       physical id: 726
       slot: Processor 2 Internal L2 Cache
       capacity: 16MB
       capabilities: burst internal
  *-cache:2 DISABLED
       description: L3 cache
       physical id: 736
       slot: Processor 2 Internal L3 Cache
       capacity: 8MB
       capabilities: burst internal
  *-memory
       description: System Memory
       physical id: 1000
       slot: System board or motherboard
       size: 2GB <- Total installed Memory currently
     *-bank:0
          description: Synchronous 667 MHz (1.5 ns)
          physical id: 0
          slot: DIMM 1A
          size: 512MB
          width: 64 bits
          clock: 667MHz (1.5ns)
     *-bank:1
          description: Synchronous [empty]
          physical id: 1
          slot: DIMM 2C
          width: 64 bits
     *-bank:2
          description: Synchronous 667 MHz (1.5 ns)
          physical id: 2
          slot: DIMM 3A
          size: 512MB
          width: 64 bits
          clock: 667MHz (1.5ns)
     *-bank:3
          description: Synchronous [empty]
          physical id: 3
          slot: DIMM 4C
          width: 64 bits
     *-bank:4
          description: Synchronous 667 MHz (1.5 ns)
          physical id: 4
          slot: DIMM 5B
          size: 512MB
          width: 64 bits
          clock: 667MHz (1.5ns)
     *-bank:5
          description: Synchronous [empty]
          physical id: 5
          slot: DIMM 6D
          width: 64 bits
     *-bank:6
          description: Synchronous 667 MHz (1.5 ns)
          physical id: 6
          slot: DIMM 7B
          size: 512MB
          width: 64 bits
          clock: 667MHz (1.5ns)
     *-bank:7
          description: Synchronous [empty]
          physical id: 7
          slot: DIMM 8D
          width: 64 bits

Does that look like the type of info you want ?

lshw is not installed by default on RedHat if I recall, so you will probably have to install it.

kkoene · 01-11-2009, 09:19 AM

Oh man this is EXACTLY what I was looking for! Thank you SO much!

Now...do I install lshw from an install disk? (sorry...extreme newbie here).

TeddyB · 01-11-2009, 01:11 PM

There is a command in debian that may or may not be present in Redhat. in debian it must be run under Super User.

dmidecode -t memory

when run should look something like this...

Quote:

# dmidecode -t memory

#dmidecode 2.8
SMBIOS 2.2 present.

Handle 0X0005, DMI type 5, 20 bytes
Memory Controller Information
Error Detecting Method: 64-bit ECC
Error Correcting Capabilities: None
Supported Interleave: One-Way Interleave
Maximum Memory Module Size: 4096MB
Maximum Total Memory Size 8192MB
Supported Speeds:
70ns
60ns
50ns
Supported Memory Types
Standard
DIMM
Memory Module Voltage 2.9v
Associated Memory Slots: 2
0X0006
0X0007
Enabled Error Correcting Capabilities: None

Handle 0X0006, DMI type 6, 12 bytes
Memory Module Information
Socket Designation: A0
Bank Connections: 0 1
Current Speed: 6 ns
Type: Unknown EDO
Installed Size: 1024 MB (Double-Bank Connection)
Enabled Size: 1024 MB (Double-Bank Connection)
Error Status: OK

Handle 0X0007, DMI type 6, 12 bytes
Memory Module Information
Socket Designation: A1
Bank Connections: 2 3
Current Speed: 6 ns
Type: Unknown EDO
Installed Size: 1024 MB (Double-Bank Connection)
Enabled Size: 1024 MB (Double-Bank Connection)
Error Status: OK

Handle 0X0019, DMI type 16, 15 bytes
Physical Memory Array
Location: System Board Or Motherboard
Use: System Memory
Error Correction Type: None
Maximum Capacity: 8 GB
Error Information Handle: Not Provided
Number of Devices: 2

Handle 0X001A, DMI type 17, 21 bytes
Memory Device
Array Handle: 0X0019
Error Information Handle: Not Provided
Total Width: 64 bits
Data Width: 64 bits
Size: 1024 MB
Form Factor: DIMM
Set: None
Locator: A0
Bank Locator: Bank0/1
Type: Unknown
Type Detail: None

Handle 0X001B, DMI Type 17, 21 bytes
Memory Device
Array Handle: 0X0019
Error Information Handle: Not Provided
Total Width: 64 bits
Data Width: 64 bits
Size: 1024 MB
Form Factor: DIMM
Set: None
Locator: A1
Bank Locator: Bank2/3
Type: Unknown
Type Detail: None

I marked a couple of important things in bold.

Associated Memory Slots, tells you how many slots are present, and their identifiers. you can then see those identifiers in the blocks that reference that specific slot on the motherboard

Installed Size and Enabled Size would read NONE if there was not a memory module present in that slot.

be careful about the Maximum Memory Module Size and Total Memory Module size info. I know for a fact that My Motherboard can only support two one gigabyte sticks of ram. for a total of two Gigs. I don't know where my system got 4gigs a stick for maximum of 8gigs. maybe thats the capability of the memory controller itself and there are other limitations on the motherboard that impose a 2gig maximum on the slots. but just be careful when using this information to select memory to add to the system. best to pop the case, identify your motherboard and look it up before investing any money.

Hope this was helpful;
Tim

farslayer · 01-11-2009, 10:47 PM

dmidecode should be on the redhat system by default, and will provide the requested info, but I find the output of lshw so much easier to read..

Not a big redhat users but wouldn't you install lshw with yum ?
yum install lshw

kkoene · 01-12-2009, 08:01 AM

Thanks guys! Both suggestions will help.

Like I said before, I am an extreme Linux newbie. This is on an enterprise server and it doesn't look like yum is installed.

I will be installing lshw from an rpm.

Thanks again!

farslayer · 01-12-2009, 08:40 AM

other option. .

up2date lshw

or download the proper package manually and install with rpm..
http://dag.wieers.com/rpm/packages/lshw/