NDCTL-CHECK-LABELS(1)

📦
version 85 · 15 versions
, in fedora 43, fedora 44, ubuntu stonking

💖 NDCTL-CHECK-LABELS 💖

okay bestie, this one lives in the ndctl Manual, and it's here to answer one very specific question: are your dimms' labels actually valid or are they lying to you? let's get into it 🦋

✨ NAME ✨

ndctl-check-labels — determine if the given dimms have a valid namespace index block 💅

like. that's the whole job. vibe check on the namespace index block. periodt.

🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

ndctl check-labels <nmem0> [<nmem1>..<nmemN>] [<options>]

🎀 DESCRIPTION 🎀

okay so the namespace label area is this lil persistent partition of capacity that some NVDIMM devices have, right? it's small but it's doing the MOST. that label area is what you use to provision one, or more, namespaces out of regions. iconic behavior honestly. 👑

so what does this command do? it checks whether a label area has a valid index block. and here's the cute part: if you run it in verbose mode, it will also spill the tea on why the index block got deemed invalid. no vague "something's wrong" energy here, it tells you. we love a transparent king. ✨

💅 OPTIONS 💅

  • <memory device(s)> — a nmemX device name, or a dimm id number. use this to restrict the operation to the specified dimm(s). you can also pass the keyword all to say "no restrictions, we're free-range", but ngl that's the exact same thing as just not supplying a --dimm option at all. same energy fr fr 🫶
  • -s, --size= — limit the operation to the given number of bytes. a size of 0 means "operate over the entire label capacity" — the whole thing, no crumbs left behind. 🍓
  • -O, --offset= — begin the operation at the given offset into the label area. like starting your reading at chapter 4, iykyk. 🌸
  • -b, --bus= — a bus id number, or a provider string (e.g. "ACPI.NFIT"). restrict the operation to the specified bus(es). the keyword all can be specified to indicate the lack of any restriction, however this is the same as not supplying a --bus option at all. yes we're saying it twice, it's the same clause, don't come for me 💀
  • -v — turn on verbose debug messages in the library (if ndctl was built with logging and debug enabled). that's your backstage pass, bestie. 🎟️✨

Copyright © 2016 - 2022, Intel Corporation. License GPLv2: GNU GPL version 2 http://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html. This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it. There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.

okay real talk for a sec 🫶 that NO WARRANTY part is in all caps for a reason — it means it, fr fr. free to change, free to share, but nobody's catching you if it goes sideways. 💀

🌈 SEE ALSO 🌈

like go read the spec if you want the deep lore, it's giving academic but it slaps. 📚

and that's the whole page, bestie!! this was ndctl, dated 2026-07-07, and you just read the whole thing top to bottom. so proud of you. go check those labels. mwah. 💖🦋✨

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