intel_reg_dumper

intel_reg_dumper [options]

--msr
    Reads and displays Model Specific Registers (MSRs).

--pci
    Reads and displays PCI configuration space registers.

--mmio
    Reads and displays Memory Mapped I/O (MMIO) regions.

--ec
    Reads and displays Embedded Controller registers.

--list
    Lists available register groups or addresses for a specific interface.

--range
    Specifies a range of registers to read.

--file
    Reads register configurations from a specified file.

--help
    Displays help information.

intel_reg_dumper is a Linux command-line utility designed to read and display the contents of various Intel chipset registers. This tool is extremely valuable for hardware engineers, system programmers, and kernel developers when debugging low-level system behavior, diagnosing hardware issues, or verifying correct hardware initialization.

It allows you to access information concerning CPU configuration, memory controller settings, power management features, and other critical aspects of the Intel chipset.

The output generated by intel_reg_dumper can be invaluable in understanding the interaction between software and hardware and is frequently used during the bring-up of new platforms or when troubleshooting existing systems. Using this command typically requires root privileges and a deep understanding of Intel architecture documentation. It reads data from various interfaces like MSR (Model Specific Registers), PCI configuration space, MMIO (Memory Mapped I/O), and EC (Embedded Controller) space.

Requires root privileges to access hardware registers. Incorrect usage can lead to system instability. Requires an understanding of Intel architecture to interpret the results effectively. It may not be available on all systems or distributions.

The output from intel_reg_dumper is typically in hexadecimal format.

Understanding the specific meaning of each bit or field within a register requires referring to the Intel documentation for the relevant chipset. This documentation details the register layout, bit assignments, and functional descriptions.

Example 1: Dump all MSR registers.
intel_reg_dumper --msr --all

Example 2: Dump PCI configuration space registers for device 00:00.0.
intel_reg_dumper --pci 00:00.0

The exact origins of intel_reg_dumper aren't widely documented in publicly accessible sources. It is typically part of a larger suite of debugging and diagnostic tools provided by Intel or third-party hardware vendors.

It has evolved alongside Intel's chipset architectures, constantly being updated to support the latest registers and features. Its usage is primarily confined to hardware developers and system integrators during the bring-up and validation phases of product development.

lspci(8), rdmsr(1), wrmsr(1)