How to Determine Your Motherboard Type Using Ubuntu

An HTML "lshw" hardware report in Ubuntu

Ubuntu Linux has several ways to determine the type of motherboard installed in a desktop or laptop computer. Manufacturers such as ASUS, Hewlett-Packard and Intel all have specific motherboard identifiers that can be easily found in Ubuntu.

Things You'll Need

• Computer owner's manual
• Ubuntu administrator password

Instructions

1. Click on the main Ubuntu menu, move your cursor over "Accessories" then click on "Terminal." Type (or copy and paste) "sudo lshw" without the quotes at the terminal prompt.

2. Enter your administrator password when prompted then hit "Enter." This report lists basic information about the motherboard, including vendor name and available memory banks, for example.

3. Type "sudo dmidecode | more" at the terminal prompt, enter your administrator password and then hit "Enter." This is a more detailed report that includes motherboard information like ROM size and wake-up type.

4. Scroll down to "Base Board Information" to determine the type of motherboard installed in your computer. The report lists the motherboard manufacturer, product name, serial number, and other information about the system BIOS, for example.

5. As an alternative, type "sudo lshw -html > hardware.html" at the terminal prompt. Enter your administrator password, then hit "Enter." This is an easier-to-read HTML version of the "lshw" report in Step 1. The report will be saved in your Home folder by default.

6. Open your "Home" folder, then click on the "hardware.html" report. After it opens in your Internet browser, scroll down to the "description: Motherboard" section to determine the type of motherboard installed in your system.

Tips & Warnings

• If your motherboard has not been upgraded, you can also refer to your owner's manual to find out what type of motherboard is installed in your computer.

References

• Ubuntu Documentation

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish