prtdiag(8) on Solnix vs Linux and the BSDs
prtdiag is the illumos command at /usr/sbin/prtdiag. It prints system configuration and diagnostic information and flags failed field replaceable units (FRUs). Linux dmidecode is a different tool: it decodes the DMI/SMBIOS table, has no failure reporting, and has many selection options that prtdiag lacks.
The manual pages
- Solnix: prtdiag(8) from
pkgs.solnix.illumos-world-man· illumos.org - Linux: dmidecode(8) dmidecode-3.7 (different command, similar job)
What Solnix runs
A default Solnix system runs the illumos prtdiag at /usr/sbin/prtdiag. No other variants are shipped. The page says the interface, output and location are uncommitted and may change. Related commands in SEE ALSO: prtconf(8), psrinfo(8), sysdef(8), modinfo(8). The FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD counterparts were not included in the bundle.
Differences
| Compared with | Topic | What differs |
|---|---|---|
| Linux | purpose and data source | Solnix prtdiag reports system configuration and diagnostic information, including any failed FRUs. Linux dmidecode dumps the DMI (SMBIOS) table in human-readable form. It describes hardware but does not report failures, and the manual says the data may be unreliable. Source: Solnix prtdiag(8) DESCRIPTION; Linux dmidecode(8) DESCRIPTION |
| Linux | exit status | prtdiag exits 0 when no failures or errors are detected, 1 when failures or errors are detected, and 2 on an internal error. A script can use the exit code as a hardware health check. The dmidecode page in the bundle documents no exit status for hardware faults. Source: Solnix prtdiag(8) EXIT STATUS; Linux dmidecode(8) (no EXIT STATUS section in bundle) |
| Linux | options | prtdiag takes only -v and -l. dmidecode has no -l or -v in the bundle's option list. It offers -t (select types), -s (single string), -H (handle), -u (hex dump), -q and --dump-bin. prtdiag cannot select by record type or string.Source: Solnix prtdiag(8) SYNOPSIS; Linux dmidecode(8) -t, -s, -H, -u, -q, --dump-bin |
| Linux | -v meaning | On Solnix, -v adds the time of the most recent AC power failure, the most recent hardware fatal error information and, where applicable, environmental status. dmidecode has no -v. Its -V prints the version, and -q makes output less verbose.Source: Solnix prtdiag(8) -v; Linux dmidecode(8) option flags -V, -q |
| Linux | logging to syslog | prtdiag -l sends failure and error output to syslogd(8) only. The dmidecode page in the bundle has no logging option.Source: Solnix prtdiag(8) -l; Linux dmidecode(8) OPTIONS |
| Linux | offline dump and replay | dmidecode can save the DMI data with --dump-bin FILE and decode it later with --from-dump FILE. The Solnix prtdiag page documents no way to save or replay data.Source: Linux dmidecode(8) --dump-bin, --from-dump; Solnix prtdiag(8) OPTIONS |
| Linux | platforms and data availability | prtdiag works on sun4u, sun4v and x86 systems. Not all information is available on every platform, and the page says to consult the System Controller for the rest. dmidecode reads sysfs first, then /dev/mem (-d changes the device file).Source: Solnix prtdiag(8) DESCRIPTION, NOTES; Linux dmidecode(8) DESCRIPTION, -d |
| FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD | BSD counterparts | The bundle contains no FreeBSD, OpenBSD or NetBSD counterpart page for prtdiag, so no comparison with them can be made from it. Source: Bundle header (only a linux counterpart listed) |
Everyday tasks
| Task | Solnix | Linux |
|---|---|---|
| show system hardware diagnostics | prtdiag | dmidecode |
| show more detail (fatal errors, environment) | prtdiag -v | dmidecode (no -v; use -t to select types) |
| log failures to syslog | prtdiag -l | — |
| read a single value such as system serial number | — | dmidecode -s system-serial-number |
| show only memory records | — | dmidecode -t memory |
Standards
- POSIX: prtdiag is not a POSIX.1-2024 utility.
- Solnix: Interface Stability: Unstable. The page says the output is unstable, and that the interface, output and location are uncommitted and subject to change.
Writing portable scripts
- Do not parse prtdiag output: the page marks it unstable. Use the exit status (0, 1, 2) for health checks on Solnix.
- Branch on which tool exists (prtdiag or dmidecode); their options and output are unrelated.
Every difference here is taken from the manual pages linked above: Solnix's published page, Linux (man-pages and the GNU and util-linux manuals), FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD. Each row names its source. Where a manual is silent, this page is too. Compiled 2026-10-26. Found a mistake? Mail hackers@lists.solnix.io.