Linux Find Out BIOS Version Using a Command Line Option

Linux find out BIOS version command

Type the following command:

## run as root user ##
dmidecode | less
## or use sudo ##
sudo dmidecode | less

Sample outputs:

dmidecode 2.10
SMBIOS 2.5 present.
45 structures occupying 1832 bytes.
Table at 0xCFF6A000.

Handle 0x0000, DMI type 0, 24 bytes
BIOS Information
        Vendor: Phoenix Technologies LTD
        Version: 2.1
        Release Date: 06/23/2008
        Address: 0xE4F00
        Runtime Size: 110848 bytes
        ROM Size: 1024 kB
        Characteristics:
                PCI is supported
                PNP is supported
                BIOS is upgradeable
                BIOS shadowing is allowed
                ESCD support is available
                Boot from CD is supported
                Selectable boot is supported
                EDD is supported
                3.5"/2.88 MB floppy services are supported (int 13h)
                ACPI is supported
                USB legacy is supported
                LS-120 boot is supported
                ATAPI Zip drive boot is supported
                BIOS boot specification is supported
                Targeted content distribution is supported

Another output from my laptop:

sudo dmidecode | less

Sample outputs:

BIOS Information
        Vendor: Dell Inc.
        Version: A02
        Release Date: 02/03/2010
        Address: 0xF0000
        Runtime Size: 64 kB
        ROM Size: 2112 kB
        Characteristics:
                ISA is supported
                PCI is supported
                PC Card (PCMCIA) is supported
                PNP is supported
                BIOS is upgradeable
                BIOS shadowing is allowed
                Boot from CD is supported
                Selectable boot is supported
                3.5"/720 KB floppy services are supported (int 13h)
                Print screen service is supported (int 5h)
                8042 keyboard services are supported (int 9h)
                Serial services are supported (int 14h)
                Printer services are supported (int 17h)
                CGA/mono video services are supported (int 10h)
                ACPI is supported
                USB legacy is supported
                AGP is supported
                Smart battery is supported
                BIOS boot specification is supported
                Function key-initiated network boot is supported
                Targeted content distribution is supported
        BIOS Revision: 0.2
        Firmware Revision: 0.2

Handle 0x0100, DMI type 1, 27 bytes
System Information
        Manufacturer: Dell Inc.
        Product Name: Precision M6500                 
        Version: Not Specified
        Serial Number: 55Lxxxx
        UUID: 4a2yzzzeC-3500-xxx-yyy-Bzzzzyyy5y
        Wake-up Type: Power Switch
        SKU Number: Not Specified
        Family:  

How to check BIOS firmware version in Linux

In this example display BIOS version using the -s option:
sudo dmidecode -s bios-version
Let us try a bash for loop example to get more info:

for d in system-manufacturer system-product-name bios-release-date bios-version
do
   echo "${d^} : " $(sudo dmidecode -s $d)
done

Use the dmidecode command on Linux to find out BIOS version, release date and more

# dmidecode 3.1
Getting SMBIOS data from sysfs.
SMBIOS 3.0.0 present.
 
Handle 0x0000, DMI type 0, 24 bytes
BIOS Information
	Vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
	Version: GL702ZC.305
	Release Date: 05/10/2018
	Address: 0xF0000
	Runtime Size: 64 kB
	ROM Size: 16 MB
	Characteristics:
		PCI is supported
		BIOS is upgradeable
		BIOS shadowing is allowed
		Boot from CD is supported
		Selectable boot is supported
		BIOS ROM is socketed
		EDD is supported
		5.25"/1.2 MB floppy services are supported (int 13h)
		3.5"/720 kB floppy services are supported (int 13h)
		3.5"/2.88 MB floppy services are supported (int 13h)
		Print screen service is supported (int 5h)
		Serial services are supported (int 14h)
		Printer services are supported (int 17h)
		ACPI is supported
		USB legacy is supported
		Smart battery is supported
		BIOS boot specification is supported
		Targeted content distribution is supported
		UEFI is supported
	BIOS Revision: 5.12

Finding Thinkpad X1 laptop BIOS firmware version

Simply run:
$ for d in system-manufacturer system-product-name bios-release-date bios-version
do
echo "${d^} : " $(sudo dmidecode -s $d)
done
[sudo] password for vivek:
System-manufacturer : LENOVO
System-product-name : 20QVCTO1WW
Bios-release-date : 05/07/2020
Bios-version : N2OET44W (1.31 )

Conclusion

The dmidecode command summarizes information about your system’s hardware (laptop/desktop/server) as described in your system BIOS. It works with i386, x86-64, ia64 and arm64. For more info see the official project homepage here.