---
name: "biosdecode"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "dmidecode"
version: "3.7-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/biosdecode"
---

# biosdecode(8)

BIOS information decoder

## NAME

biosdecode - BIOS information decoder

## SYNOPSIS

**biosdecode** \[*OPTIONS*\]

## DESCRIPTION

**biosdecode** parses the BIOS memory and prints information about all structures (or entry points) it knows of. Currently known entry point types are:

- •

  SMBIOS (System Management BIOS)\
   Use **dmidecode** for a more detailed output.

- •

  DMI (Desktop Management Interface, a legacy version of SMBIOS)\
   Use **dmidecode** for a more detailed output.

- •

  SYSID

- •

  PNP (Plug and Play)

- •

  ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface)

- •

  BIOS32 (BIOS32 Service Directory)

- •

  PIR (PCI IRQ Routing)

- •

  2OS (BIOS32 Extension, Compaq-specific)\
   See **ownership** for a Compaq ownership tag retrieval tool.

- •

  SNY (Sony-specific, not decoded)

- •

  VPD (Vital Product Data, IBM-specific)\
   Use **vpddecode** for a more detailed output.

- •

  FJKEYINF (Application Panel, Fujitsu-specific)

**biosdecode** started its life as a part of **dmidecode** but as more entry point types were added, it was moved to a different program.

## OPTIONS

- **-d**, **--dev-mem *FILE***

  Read memory from device *FILE* (default: */dev/mem*)

- **--pir full**

  Decode the details of the PCI IRQ routing table. Only **full** mode is supported.

- **-h**, **--help**

  Display usage information and exit

- **-V**, **--version**

  Display the version and exit

## FILES

*/dev/mem*

## BUGS

Most of the time, **biosdecode** prints too much information (you don't really care about addresses) or not enough (because it doesn't follow pointers and has no lookup tables).

## AUTHORS

Alan Cox, Jean Delvare

## SEE ALSO

[**dmidecode**(8)](/dmidecode/8.md), [**mem**(4)](/mem/4.md), [**ownership**(8)](/ownership/8.md), [**vpddecode**(8)](/vpddecode/8.md)