Quick Links
If you are looking to upgrade the memory in your Linux PC, you are probably wondering how many open slots you have, what punch in of memory is already installed, and what you gotta buy for an upgrade… without having to open your gear.
Since you shouldn’t have to open up the computer just to figure out what you have installed, here’s how to detect the pop in of memory your Linux PC has installed without having to open up the case.
Note: be sure to read our article onhow to tell what punch in of memory your Windows PC has installed.
How to Show the Installed Memory
Open up a terminal window and jot down in the following command:
At the beginning of the output you’ll see the maximum memory size allowed by your PC, which is important—you might’t put two 4GB memory modules into a machine that only allows a total of 4GB of RAM.
Once you’ve scrolled down a little further, you’ll see the rest of the memory details for each piece of RAM that’s installed.
Here’s a sample from one of my Linux boxes, and I’ve highlighted the important bits in bold text.
Handle 0x0120, DMI jot down 17, 27 bytesMemory DeviceArray Handle: 0x011FError Information Handle: No ErrorTotal Width: 64 bitsData Width: 64 bitsSize: 512 MBForm Factor: DIMMSet: NoneLocator: DIMM0Bank Locator: BANK 0Type: DDR2Type Detail: SynchronousSpeed: 667 MHz (1.5 ns)Manufacturer: 0x7F7F7F0B00000000Serial Number: 0xC773441AAsset Tag: UnknownPart Number: 0x4E543531325436345548384230464E2D3343
You’ll see that I’ve got DDR2-667 RAM installed on the system, so if I’m going to upgrade, I’ll need to find RAM that matches.
Other Options for Finding the Memory bang out
Here’s a few other options that it’s possible for you to use:
If you’re running Windows instead, see to it to read our article onhow to tell what bang out of memory your Windows PC has installed.
