Score:2

Ubuntu

What does this lshw output mean?

5a63D

6/9/23, 5:16 PM

I am trying to figure out how many ram slots I have so I can buy a new ram for my laptop.

I ran

sudo lshw -C memory -short

And this is its ouput

H/W path         Device     Class          Description
======================================================
/0/3                        memory         4GiB System Memory
/0/3/0                      memory         4GiB SODIMM DDR4 Synchronous Unbuffered (Unregistered) 2133 MH
/0/3/1                      memory         [empty]
/0/7                        memory         128KiB L1 cache
/0/8                        memory         512KiB L2 cache
/0/9                        memory         3MiB L3 cache
/0/b                        memory         128KiB BIOS
/0/100/1f.2                 memory         Memory controller

358

0 + 0

ram

heynnema

6/9/23, 6:49 PM

Do `sudo lshw -C memory` and it'll tell you how many slots, and what's in each slot currently. Also check `free -h`. You probably have two slots in your laptop. Go to https://www.crucial.com to best determine what memory to buy. Best to have two equal size/spec SODIMMs to take advantage of memory interleaving.

5a63D

6/9/23, 8:06 PM

@heynnema turns out I sadly only have one. My laptop is x270 and the ram is quite old, it is 4 gb because it was given to us by our university.

Score:7

Ubuntu

Terrance

6/9/23, 5:38 PM

/0/3                        memory         4GiB System Memory
/0/3/0                      memory         4GiB SODIMM DDR4 Synchronous Unbuffered (Unregistered) 2133 MH
/0/3/1                      memory         [empty]

The first line of /0/3 is the group of RAM 4GiB System Memory total in the system. If you add another RAM module that number will change. It shows one slot available in the /0/3 group (one occupied in /0/3/0 and one available in /0/3/1). However, without physically checking it is hard to tell. Some laptops were made with the connector for the RAM, but the slot wasn't soldered to the board.

You can use inxi to determine the max amount of RAM and slots.

Example:

sudo inxi -mx
Memory:
  RAM: total: 23.40 GiB used: 2.49 GiB (10.6%) 
  Array-1: capacity: 32 GiB note: est. slots: 4 EC: None 
  max module size: 8 GiB note: est. 
  Device-1: A0 size: 4 GiB speed: 1333 MT/s type: Unknown 
  Device-2: A1 size: 4 GiB speed: 1333 MT/s type: Unknown 
  Device-3: A2 size: 8 GiB speed: 1333 MT/s type: Unknown 
  Device-4: A3 size: 8 GiB speed: 1333 MT/s type: Unknown

Above we can see the maximum this board will take is 32GiB or 4 x 8GiB (max module size which means a 16GiB possibly will not work since it states est or estimated).

Hope this helps!

0 + 0

Satoshi Nakamoto

6/9/23, 6:43 PM

If you say there's one available and one empty. What `4GiB System Memory` does reffer to? Or `0/3` specifically?

Terrance

6/9/23, 6:45 PM

@Tyþë-Ø That is the total that is in the system right now. I updated the answer.

Satoshi Nakamoto

6/9/23, 6:48 PM

Right ! Thanks!

heynnema

6/9/23, 6:56 PM

How many physical RAM slots do you have on your motherboard... 4 or 8?

Terrance

6/9/23, 6:56 PM

@heynnema 4. `Array-1: capacity: 32 GiB note: est. slots: 4 EC: None`

heynnema

6/9/23, 6:57 PM

But if you actually look, are there 4 physical slots, and not 8? I ask because I don't see it configured for memory interleaving.

Terrance

6/9/23, 6:59 PM

@heynnema There are 4 physical slots. This is a desktop board. I have seen a couple that had the contact pads for 2 more slots that only had 2 physical slots. This would still show 4 slots with a maximum, but since it was missing slots physically that max could not be reached. Cheap manufacturers or OEMs have done that with custom boards for themselves.

heynnema

6/9/23, 7:00 PM

OK... no memory interleaving with that MB.

Terrance

6/9/23, 7:01 PM

@heynnema It might, but I remember changing the setting in the BIOS and the system actually sped up. So, I am not going to argue with the settings. :)

heynnema

6/9/23, 7:02 PM

Recheck that setting you describe. Maybe it'll force the memory into dual channel mode so it can do interleaving :-)

heynnema

6/9/23, 7:11 PM

It sounds like that old BIOS board is using ganged/unganged as old school terminology for what is called interleaving now. This is a hardware function. And yes, it would make a difference in speed... as long as you have your 4G/8G DIMMs installed properly paired into the correct slots.

heynnema

6/9/23, 7:15 PM

If you check the user manual for your MB, it should tell you which two slots to use first, and which two slots to use second. Pair up the DIMMs.

Terrance

6/9/23, 7:16 PM

@heynnema It is set for Interleave, I just checked it. It also has the Ganged/Unganged settings. My board and RAM are running fine. It is an older AMD board and it does exactly what I need it to do. I don't need all this new special stuff at all and I despise UEFI. And why are you trying to fix issues for me that I am not having or asking about? Please stop!!!

heynnema

6/9/23, 7:17 PM

OK. I'll stop...