How can i verify from a command prompt, if a linux host is real or virtual

Question

How would know at command line that the Linux host i logged in to is real machine, with linux installed, or is a virtual machine Thanks, -Kamal.

possible duplicate of [VMware Linux Server -- how can you tell if you are a vm or real hardware?](http://serverfault.com/questions/65718/vmware-linux-server-how-can-you-tell-if-you-are-a-vm-or-real-hardware) — EEAA, Oct 10 '10 at 14:52

score 7 · Answer 1 · answered Oct 10 '10 at 10:02

7

Try the 'lspci' command; on a virtual machine you'll typically see a bunch of devices that are obviously virtual (e.g. vendor is VMWare or such).

answered Oct 10 '10 at 10:02

janneb

ptman · Answer 2 · 2010-10-14T07:11:06.943

3

edited Oct 14 '10 at 07:11

answered Oct 10 '10 at 15:09

ptman

score 3 · Answer 3 · answered Oct 11 '10 at 07:37

3

I usually use

dmidecode --type 1

For scripting you might try

dmidecode -s system-manufacturer

answered Oct 11 '10 at 07:37

Cakemox

Paul McMillan · Accepted Answer · 2010-10-10T23:12:45.777

0

Often uname -a will display information that gives you a hint - references to Xen will tell you that you are in that type of virtual machine.

edited Oct 10 '10 at 23:12

answered Oct 10 '10 at 05:50

Paul McMillan

virtual:Linux dhcp11-167.sfeng.home.com 2.6.32.11sf.p4-4 #1 SMP Fri Sep 17 20:22:25 UTC 2010 i686 GNU/Linux – kamal Oct 10 '10 at 06:05
real: Linux bamboo.sd.home.com 2.6.32.11sf.pentM-4 #1 PREEMPT Fri Sep 17 19:50:44 UTC 2010 i686 GNU/Linux – kamal Oct 10 '10 at 06:06
5

`uname -a` certainly won't give you any help if it's running on a VMware server. – EEAA Oct 10 '10 at 14:54
the clue with a vmsserver , is that it will be down ;-) – The Unix Janitor Oct 14 '10 at 08:37

4 Answers4