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Having trouble installing a piece of hardware? Want to know if that peripheral is compatible with Linux?
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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?
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.
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