How to Find Out Your Motherboard Model in Windows, MacOS and Linux
Finding out the make and model of your computer’s motherboard isn’t always the easiest task: unlike, say, your graphics card , it’s not listed in Device Manager, and not everyone wants to open up their desktop (or laptop) to take a look at the diagram inside.
There are many reasons why you might want to know the make and model of your motherboard, whether you’re troubleshooting problems, thinking about upgrading your computer, or selling it to someone else. Here’s how to find out key information about Windows, macOS and Linux.
Checking the motherboard in Windows
Use the Start menu to find and launch the System Information utility built into Windows, and under System Summary you will see three entries related to your motherboard: Baseboard Manufacturer, BaseBoard Product and Baseplate Version. Here you’ll find everything you need to know about the card inside your PC, except for its unique serial number.
To get this information, go to the Command Prompt by typing “cmd” into the Start menu search box and selecting “Command Prompt.” Type “wmic baseboard get product,manufacturer,version,serialnumber” and press Enter and you’ll get the three bits of information we saw earlier, along with the serial number.
This should mean you’re well protected, but plenty of third-party utilities will also give you the same information. These tools can be useful for getting lists of complete system specs that are a little easier to understand than the raw information that Windows spits out, and one of the best free options is CPU-Z : it lists motherboard specs as well as details about your computer . Installed memory and processor.
Another equally respected tool is HWiNFO , which is free for personal use. The utility not only gives you complete information about all the key components of your system (including the motherboard), but also shows CPU and memory usage in real time, so you can see how your computer is handling your demands. putting it on.
Checking the motherboard on macOS
On a Mac, the motherboard is called the logic board, and it’s more difficult to find out the details about it than before. If your Mac was released before April 2021, you can use the old method: Get your computer’s serial number by opening the Apple menu and choosing About This Mac .
The serial number is listed next to the primary chipset, amount of RAM, and version of macOS you’re running. You’ll then need to add that serial number to an online database like the one offered by replacement specialist PowerbookMedic : this will reveal a ton of information about your Mac, including motherboard details.
However, as EveryMac notes, as of April 2021, Apple has been using serial numbers that do not identify individual Macs, making it much more difficult to identify the motherboard. However, you can use the EveryMac site to obtain additional Mac specifications based on your model number , model ID , order number , or EMC number , and EveryMac contains detailed instructions for finding these numbers on your physical hardware or in the documentation you received when you I bought a Mac.
Given the way modern Macs and MacBooks are made, the motherboard and everything attached to it is actually one complete component: if you know what chipset runs your Mac and what model of computer you have (via About This Mac “) this should satisfy all your troubleshooting, repair and sales needs. If you need more information about your motherboard, iFixit’s breakdown can help.
Checking the motherboard in Linux
Finding out the motherboard type of a Linux computer is quite easy. You need to launch a terminal window, then type “sudo dmidecode -t 2” and press Enter . Enter your account password, press Enter again, and you will see all the information about your motherboard (here called the base board), including the manufacturer, product name, and serial number.
The dmidecode command stores information in a DMI (Desktop Management Interface) or SMBIOS (System Management Basic Input Output) table. If you want to view more detailed information about the components your Linux operating system runs on top of, try the command “sudo dmidecode | more”.
Another related command you can type in a terminal window is “lspci” – it simply lists all the PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) buses on your system, so you need to get more detailed information about the various hardware components connected to your motherboard (for example, processor, video card and wireless controllers).
If you’re not comfortable using Terminal, third-party tools are available that offer a more user-friendly interface for getting detailed information about the specifications of your motherboard (and the specifications of other system components). A few such tools worth testing on your Linux system are HardInfo and CPU-G .
Checking the motherboard box
You have one more way to identify the motherboard inside your computer: the box it was shipped in. If you bought a pre-built computer, you may well have also been given a motherboard box with plenty of spare connectors and operating instructions. in that; and if you built your own computer, then part of this will be buying a motherboard.
Each motherboard box is unique, but the brand and model won’t be hard to find—they’ll probably be listed right on the front of the package. Look a little closer and you can find some useful additional information about the board, including the type of processors it supports.
This is of course useful if you are building your own computer because you don’t want to buy components that are incompatible with your main motherboard. You’ll also be able to find the board’s serial number somewhere on the packaging – most likely near the barcode on the box.
Finally, if you can see the motherboard itself—either through a case window or by opening the computer—the make and model will be printed in a prominent place, usually somewhere in the center. If none of the other methods listed here helped you identify your motherboard, try taking a look at it.