If you wish to determine how much memory is installed in a Linux system, or perhaps the maximum amount of memory configurable on a system and the exact number and size of the memory DIMMs installed in the system, then you should use the dmidecode command.

The dmidecode command has a type option ( -t ), that can be used to indicate the type of device you wish to see detailed information for, like bios, system, baseboard, chassis, processor, cache, connector, slot and ... memory.

To retrieve the memory information, run the following command:

# dmidecode -t memory

You should get an output similar like the one below, but it can obviously differ per Linux system, depending on the hardware (model) and the installed memory.

# dmidecode -t memory
# dmidecode 3.2
Getting SMBIOS data from sysfs.
SMBIOS 2.7 present.

Handle 0x0047, 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: 2

Handle 0x0048, DMI type 17, 34 bytes
Memory Device
        Array Handle: 0x0047
        Error Information Handle: Not Provided
        Total Width: 64 bits
        Data Width: 64 bits
        Size: 4096 MB
        Form Factor: SODIMM
        Set: None
        Locator: DIMM A
        Bank Locator: Not Specified
        Type: DDR3
        Type Detail: Synchronous
        Speed: 1600 MT/s
        Manufacturer: Hynix/Hyundai
        Serial Number: 3248A01B
        Asset Tag: 9876543210
        Part Number: HMT351S6CFR8C-PB
        Rank: 2
        Configured Memory Speed: 1600 MT/s

Handle 0x004A, DMI type 17, 34 bytes
Memory Device
        Array Handle: 0x0047
        Error Information Handle: Not Provided
        Total Width: 64 bits
        Data Width: 64 bits
        Size: 4096 MB
        Form Factor: SODIMM
        Set: None
        Locator: DIMM B
        Bank Locator: Not Specified
        Type: DDR3
        Type Detail: Synchronous
        Speed: 1600 MT/s
        Manufacturer: Kingston
        Serial Number: BA33020F
        Asset Tag: 9876543210
        Part Number: KFYHV1-HYC
        Rank: 2
        Configured Memory Speed: 1600 MT/s

In the output above you can see that this particular system has a "Maximum Capacity" of 16 GB, and up to two "Number of Devices" can be installed.

Below it, you see the currently installed Memory Devices, the first one with a size of 4096 MB in slot DIMM A, with the exact Manufacturer and the Part Number listed. In slot DIMM B, you can also see another DIMM of 4096 MB installed, which is of a different vendor.

This information tells you, that the system shown above can be configured up to 16 GB of memory, but currently has two 4 GB memory DIMMs, thus 8 GB installed. In this case, upgrading the system to 16 GB of memory would mean replacing the two 4 GB memory DIMMs with two 8 GB memory DIMMs.



If you found this useful, here's more on the same topic(s) in our blog:

• IP address service processors
• Command line update of HMC
• Red Hat Cluster Suite commands
• Integrated Virtual Ethernet adapter
• Installing VNC server