How to use HardInfo to check Linux hardware information

Need to get a detailed readout on your Linux PC? Install Hardinfo. It’s a fantastic app that can tell you everything from your PC tech specs to CPU benchmarks, Linux kernel module info, and more! Here’s how to get it running on Linux!

Install Hardinfo on Linux

Hardinfo is an incredibly detailed app that helps you find out tons of information about your Linux PC. However, it does not come pre-installed on any Linux operating systems, so we must demonstrate how to install it on your computer before continuing with the guide.

The installation of Hardinfo is roughly similar for all mainstream Linux operating systems, as the app is very popular and available in almost all distro software repositories. To start installing the Hardinfo app on your computer, launch a terminal window, and follow along with the installation instructions outlined below that correspond with your distribution.

Ubuntu

In Ubuntu Linux, it is possible to install the Hardinfo application with a simple Apt command.

sudo apt install hardinfo

Debian

Those on Debian Linux can get the latest Hardinfo on their computer with the Apt-get command below.

sudo apt-get install hardinfo

Arch Linux

On Arch Linux, the Hardinfo application is in the “Community” software repository. Ensure that “Community” is enabled in your Pacman configuration file. After that, run the following Pacman command below to install the latest version of Hardinfo.

sudo pacman -S hardinfo

Fedora 

Fedora Linux is the only Linux operating system in the mainstream that does not have Hardinfo available for easy installation. If you want to get the latest release of Hardinfo, you will need to download it via a 3rd-party software repository.

To download the Hardinfo RPM package, run the commands below in a terminal window. Please note that the Hardinfo RPM package only works for Fedora 32. Future releases of Fedora will likely need to build from source.

wget https://github.com/rpmsphere/noarch/raw/master/r/rpmsphere-release-32-1.noarch.rpm

sudo rpm -Uvh rpmsphere-release*rpm

sudo dnf install hardinfo

OpenSUSE

Hardinfo is installable on OpenSUSE Linux for OpenSUSE Leap 15.1, 15.2, and Tumbleweed through the “OpenSUSE Oss” software repository. To start the installation process, ensure that you have the OpenSUSE Oss software repo enabled. Then, enter the Zypper command below.

sudo zypper install hardinfo

Source Code

If you’re using a Linux operating system that is not covered in this guide and still want to be able to use Hardinfo, source code is the only way to go. To get Hardinfo working via source code, head over to the Hardinfo project GitHub page. Once there, read the instructions on the page to learn how to download and compile the code.

Using Hardinfo to view hardware information

To use Hardinfo to check Linux hardware, launch the app. You can launch the app by searching for “Hardinfo” in your app menu. Or, press Alt + F2 on the keyboard to open up the quick launcher, then write hardinfo in the launch box.

Once the Hardinfo app is open, allow the app to scan your hardware. It won’t take too long. When the scan is complete, locate the “Generate Report” button, and click on it.

After selecting the “Generate Report” button, a pop-up window will appear on the screen. By default, “Computer”, “Devices”, “Network”, and “Benchmarks” are selected. Deselect any items you do not wish to include in the report. Then, click on the “Generate” button.

When the “Generate” button is selected, a pop-up window will appear. In the pop-up window, use the browser to save the report file to your computer. 

With the report saved, a notification will appear on the screen. In this notification, Hardinfo will ask you to open up the report in your browser. Select “Open” to view the report.

Check computer specs

Hardinfo can show you your computer’s technical specifications. Here’s how to do it. First, launch Hardinfo. Then, locate the “Computer” button on the left-hand side, and click on it.

In the “Computer” section, you will see a complete readout of your computer’s tech specs. From the CPU to the GPU and everything in between!

Device information

Want more detailed information on devices connected to your Linux PC? Find the “Devices” section in Hardinfo. After locating “Devices,” take a look at the items directly below it, like “Processor,” “Memory,” etc., to view your device information.

Network information

Are you looking to find out information related to your networking devices? Locate the “Network” section of the sidebar in Hardinfo. Directly under the “Hardinfo,” you’ll see “Interfaces,” “IP Connections,” “Routing Table,” and other network-related items that you can utilize to find Network information on your Linux PC.

Benchmarking 

Want to test the performance of your Linux PC? Go to the sidebar in Hardinfo and locate “Benchmarks.” Beneath “Benchmarks,” you’ll see several benchmarks you can run on your Linux PC to test its performance!

Not the kind of tool you’re looking for? Check out our list of the best tools for viewing hardware information on Linux.

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