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There is no single command that shows every Raspberry Pi system detail. On Raspberry Pi OS, the most reliable approach combines standard Linux commands with Raspberry Pi’s vcgencmd utility.
For a quick diagnostic snapshot, open Terminal or connect over SSH and run:
tr -d ' ' < /proc/device-tree/model; echo
cat /etc/os-release
uname -a
getconf LONG_BIT
free -h
df -h
lsblk
hostname
hostname -I
uptime
vcgencmd measure_temp
vcgencmd get_throttledThe commands also work on Raspberry Pi OS Lite and headless installations, where the terminal is the primary interface. Exact output can differ by Raspberry Pi model, OS release, kernel, and desktop edition.
Quick Raspberry Pi system-information checklist
| Information | Command |
|---|---|
| Board model | tr -d ' ' < /proc/device-tree/model |
| OS release | cat /etc/os-release |
| Kernel | uname -a |
| Architecture | uname -m |
| RAM | free -h |
| Storage space | df -h |
| Disks and partitions | lsblk |
| IP addresses | hostname -I |
| SoC temperature | vcgencmd measure_temp |
| Power and throttling status | vcgencmd get_throttled |
Collect a support-ready report
Use this block when asking for help. It saves the main results to raspberry-pi-system-report.txt:
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{
echo "=== Date ==="
date
echo "=== Model ==="
tr -d ' ' < /proc/device-tree/model
echo
echo "=== OS ==="
cat /etc/os-release
echo "=== Kernel ==="
uname -a
echo "=== Architecture ==="
getconf LONG_BIT
uname -m
echo "=== Memory ==="
free -h
echo "=== Storage ==="
df -h
echo "=== Network ==="
hostname
hostname -I
echo "=== Uptime ==="
uptime
echo "=== Temperature ==="
vcgencmd measure_temp 2>/dev/null || echo "vcgencmd unavailable"
echo "=== Throttling ==="
vcgencmd get_throttled 2>/dev/null || echo "vcgencmd unavailable"
} | tee raspberry-pi-system-report.txtRead it with:
less raspberry-pi-system-report.txtRedact IP addresses, hostnames, usernames, serial numbers and network-share paths before posting the file publicly.
Identify the Raspberry Pi model
The clearest model check is the device-tree model entry:
tr -d ' ' < /proc/device-tree/modelA typical result is:
Raspberry Pi 5 Model B Rev 1.0The tr command removes the invisible null character sometimes printed at the end. This method is recommended for Raspberry Pi systems that expose the expected device-tree interface; it is not guaranteed inside containers, virtual machines or on non-Raspberry Pi hardware.
You can also inspect:
cat /proc/cpuinfoThis may show processor, revision and serial information, but it should not be treated as the sole or definitive way to name the board. If it exposes a serial number, treat that value as sensitive.
Check Raspberry Pi OS, the kernel and architecture
To identify the installed distribution and release:
cat /etc/os-releaseFor just the friendly release name:
. /etc/os-release
printf '%sn' "$PRETTY_NAME"Raspberry Pi OS is Debian-based. Raspberry Pi’s documentation checked on August 18, 2026 identifies the current major release as Debian Trixie-based and Bookworm as the previous major release; those details can change as new releases appear. See the official Raspberry Pi OS documentation.
Check the running kernel with:
uname -r
uname -auname -a gives a broader machine and kernel summary, but it is not a complete hardware report. It does not replace the model, storage, temperature or power checks.
On systems with the relevant packages and services, this may provide a readable summary:
hostnamectlTo check architecture, use more than one command:
uname -m
getconf LONG_BIT
dpkg --print-architectureaarch64generally means a 64-bit ARM kernel.armv7lgenerally means a 32-bit ARM kernel.arm64commonly identifies 64-bit Debian packages.armhfcommonly identifies 32-bit ARM Debian packages.
A board’s processor capability is not the same as the operating system installed on it. A 64-bit-capable Raspberry Pi can still be running a 32-bit OS. Raspberry Pi OS provides both 32-bit and 64-bit variants; verify your installation rather than inferring it from the board model.
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Check CPU details, RAM and load
Display CPU architecture, model and processor counts with:
lscpuOn systems exposing the standard CPU-frequency interface, the current frequency of CPU 0 can be read with:
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cat /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpufreq/scaling_cur_freqThe value is normally in kHz, so 2400000 is approximately 2.4 GHz. This path can be absent or behave differently depending on the model, kernel and power-management driver.
Raspberry Pi documents this frequency path in its CPU-frequency documentation.
For memory:
free -hPay particular attention to:
- total: RAM visible to Linux.
- available: a practical estimate of memory that applications can use without heavy swapping.
- free: completely unused RAM.
Linux uses spare memory for cache, so a high “used” value is not automatically a fault. For raw values, run:
grep -E 'MemTotal|MemAvailable|SwapTotal|SwapFree' /proc/meminfoThe OS-visible total can be lower than the amount printed on the product packaging because memory may be reserved for firmware, the kernel and hardware functions.
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uptime
uptime -pLoad average is not a percentage. It represents runnable or uninterruptible tasks over time and should be interpreted alongside the number of CPU cores and the workload. To inspect active processes:
top
ps aux --sort=-%cpu | head
ps aux --sort=-%mem | headIf installed, htop provides a more convenient interactive view.
Check storage capacity and partitions
Show mounted filesystem usage with:
df -h
df -h /In the output, Size is filesystem capacity, Used is occupied space, Avail is space available to ordinary users, and Use% is the percentage used.
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To see physical block devices, partitions, filesystems and mount points:
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lsblk -o NAME,SIZE,TYPE,FSTYPE,MOUNTPOINTS,MODEL
lsblk -fdf and lsblk answer different questions. df reports mounted filesystem usage; lsblk reports disks and partitions, including unmounted ones. Neither command measures SD-card or SSD wear. Advertised card capacity can also exceed usable formatted space because manufacturers use decimal units and filesystems require overhead.
Raspberry Pi recommends checking free space with df -h before an OS upgrade; see the Raspberry Pi OS documentation.
Find the hostname and IP address
Show the hostname:
hostnameShow local IP addresses:
hostname -IThis can return several IPv4 or IPv6 addresses. It may also return nothing when no interface has an address. For interface state and addresses in a compact format:
ip -br addr127.0.0.1 is the loopback address and is not normally reachable from another device. Addresses assigned by DHCP can change.
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When local mDNS is supported and working, you may be able to connect using:
ssh [email protected]The .local name depends on hostname configuration, mDNS/Avahi and local-network support. It is not guaranteed on every network. Raspberry Pi documents hostname -I and desktop methods in its remote-access documentation.
Finding an IP address does not enable SSH, VNC or Raspberry Pi Connect. If the address is missing, check:
ip -br addr
nmcli device statusIf the address is present but unreachable, inspect the route:
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ip route
ping -c 3 "$(ip route | awk '/default/ {print $3; exit}')"Also confirm that both devices share a network, wireless client isolation is disabled, the required service is enabled and any firewall permits it.
Check temperature, power and throttling
Read the SoC’s internal temperature sensor with:
vcgencmd measure_tempTypical output looks like temp=48.7'C. This is the SoC temperature, not the room, case or every component’s temperature.
Where supported, Linux exposes a generic thermal reading:
cat /sys/class/thermal/thermal_zone0/temp
awk '{printf "%.1f°Cn", $1/1000}' /sys/class/thermal/thermal_zone0/tempThe sysfs path and thermal-zone numbering vary, so vcgencmd is the clearer Raspberry Pi-specific option when available.
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vcgencmd get_throttledA commonly healthy result is:
throttled=0x0The hexadecimal value is a bitmask:
| Bit | Value | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0x1 |
Undervoltage currently detected |
| 1 | 0x2 |
ARM frequency currently capped |
| 2 | 0x4 |
System currently throttled |
| 3 | 0x8 |
Soft temperature limit currently active |
| 16 | 0x10000 |
Undervoltage has occurred |
| 17 | 0x20000 |
Frequency capping has occurred |
| 18 | 0x40000 |
Throttling has occurred |
| 19 | 0x80000 |
Soft temperature limit has occurred |
For example, 0x50000 indicates historical undervoltage and throttling events. It does not necessarily mean either issue is happening now. A nonzero value is not proof of current overheating: decode the bits and distinguish current flags from historical flags.
Repeated undervoltage can result from an inadequate power supply, a poor-quality cable, connector losses or a heavy load—not only from temperature. Monitor during the workload:
watch -n 1 'vcgencmd measure_temp; vcgencmd get_throttled'Check Raspberry Pi firmware
Display the VideoCore firmware build date and version with:
vcgencmd versionDepending on the model and software environment, these may also be useful:
vcgencmd get_config int
vcgencmd bootloader_versionNot every vcgencmd subcommand is available on every model, Linux distribution or restricted environment. Firmware version, OS release and kernel version are separate pieces of information.
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Desktop, Lite and configuration tools
On Raspberry Pi OS Desktop, general settings may be available through Raspberry Pi menu → Preferences, followed by Control Centre or Raspberry Pi Configuration. Labels differ between releases and desktop arrangements. The Terminal remains more complete and repeatable than the GUI.
Raspberry Pi OS Lite is the command-line-only edition intended for headless systems, embedded use and some older models. Use a directly attached console or SSH:
ssh [email protected]raspi-config is primarily a configuration interface, not a complete system-information viewer:
sudo raspi-configIt is useful for settings such as hostname, boot behavior and network options, particularly on Lite installations. Raspberry Pi documents these configuration methods in its configuration documentation.
When commands fail
vcgencmd: command not found
The utilities may be missing, the command may be running on non-Raspberry Pi hardware, or a container or restricted environment may not expose the required interfaces. Use standard fallbacks such as:
uname -a
cat /etc/os-release
cat /sys/class/thermal/thermal_zone0/tempThe generic thermal file does not provide all the features of vcgencmd.
The model file is missing
Try:
cat /proc/cpuinfo
ls /proc/device-treeThis can indicate non-Raspberry Pi hardware, virtualization, a container, an unusual kernel or an unavailable device tree.
hostname -I returns nothing
Check whether Ethernet or Wi-Fi is connected:
ip -br addr
nmcli device statusPossible causes include an unplugged cable, unconfigured Wi-Fi, no DHCP response or an inactive network-management service.
Protect information before sharing diagnostics
Support reports can reveal more than expected. Review and redact:
- Hostnames and usernames
- IPv4 and IPv6 addresses
- Serial numbers from
/proc/cpuinfo - Wi-Fi or network-share details
- Mounted paths that reveal your directory structure
For example, this omits serial lines from CPU information:
Quick Recap
grep -v -i serial /proc/cpuinfoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
