How to View BIOS and Motherboard Specs on Ubuntu

Source: AJB Blog — https://blog.ajb.bz/get-system-specs-in-linux
Author: Alan Bollinger
Published: Oct 17, 2010
Rights: © 2010 AJB Blog. All Rights Reserved.

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 If you are running a Linux distribution like Ubuntu and need to identify your hardware, you might be looking for the equivalent of CPU-Z. While that popular tool is native to Windows, Linux users have a powerful built-in utility that does the job perfectly.

This guide will show you how to generate a complete hardware report in 2026 using the lshw command. This method is lightweight, requires no installation of third-party software, and provides a detailed breakdown of your system components.

Why Use This Method?

You may need this information for driver troubleshooting, warranty claims, or simply to understand your system architecture. The lshw command stands for List Hardware and is a standard package included in almost every Linux distribution. It outputs detailed information about your BIOS, motherboard, CPU, and memory to a readable format.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps to generate your hardware report on Ubuntu or any Debian-based Linux system.

  1. Open your terminal application. You can find this in the Applications menu under Accessories or by pressing Ctrl Alt T on your keyboard.
  2. Type the following command into the terminal window and press Enter:   sudo lshw -html > Myhardware.html
  3. The terminal will prompt you for your password. Enter your user account password and press Enter again. You do not need to type the password characters as they will remain hidden on the screen for security reasons.
  4. Once the command finishes executing, a new file will be created in your home directory named Myhardware.html.
  5. Open your file manager and navigate to your Home folder. You will see the new HTML file listed there.
  6. Double-click Myhardware.html to open it in your default web browser.

Viewing Your Results

The HTML file will display a structured list of all your hardware components. You can scroll through the page to find specific details about your motherboard model, BIOS version, and processor specifications. This format is easy to read on any device and can be printed or saved for future reference.