# Quick Start The `ndctl` command is designed to be user friendly. Once [installed](/ndctl-user-guide/master/installing-ndctl.md), a list of commands can be shown using any of the following: 1\) With no arguments or options, `ndctl` shows a simple usage message: ``` # ndctl usage: ndctl [--version] [--help] COMMAND [ARGS] See 'ndctl help COMMAND' for more information on a specific command. ndctl --list-cmds to see all available commands ``` 2\) Using `ndctl help` displays basic help and syntax: ``` # ndctl help usage: ndctl [--version] [--help] COMMAND [ARGS] See 'ndctl help COMMAND' for more information on a specific command. ndctl --list-cmds to see all available commands ``` Below is an example of using the `ndctl help` command to launch the `create-namespace` man page: ``` # ndctl help create-namespace ``` 3\) Using `ndctl --list-cmds` lists all commands as a single list. ``` # ndctl --list-cmds version enable-namespace disable-namespace create-namespace destroy-namespace check-namespace clear-errors enable-region disable-region enable-dimm disable-dimm zero-labels read-labels write-labels init-labels check-labels inject-error update-firmware inject-smart wait-scrub start-scrub setup-passphrase update-passphrase remove-passphrase freeze-security sanitize-dimm load-keys wait-overwrite list monitor help ``` An alternative method for listing commands uses the TAB key completion feature of ndctl. By typing`ndctl ` we can list the available commands, eg: ``` # ndctl check-labels disable-namespace help monitor update-firmware zero-labels check-namespace disable-region init-labels read-labels update-passphrase clear-errors enable-dimm inject-error remove-passphrase version create-namespace enable-namespace inject-smart sanitize-dimm wait-overwrite destroy-namespace enable-region list setup-passphrase wait-scrub disable-dimm freeze-security load-keys start-scrub write-labels ``` ### TAB Command and Argument Completion `ndctl` supports command completion using the TAB key. For example, typing `ndctl enable-` lists all commands beginning with 'enable', eg: ``` # ndctl enable- enable-dimm enable-namespace enable-region ``` TAB completion also works with command arguments. For example, typing `ndctl enable-dimm ` will show all available command arguments. For example, the 'enable-dimm' command can enable one, more than one, or all NVDIMMs. It will list all available NVDIMMs (nmem) devices when using the TAB completion, eg: ``` # ndctl enable-dimm all nmem0 ``` ### Getting Help NDCTL ships with a man page for each command. Each man page describes the required arguments and features in detail. Man pages can be found and accessed using the `man` or `ndctl` utilities. The following `man -k ndctl` searches for any man page containing the "ndctl" keyword: ``` # man -k ndctl ndctl (1) - Manage "libnvdimm" subsystem devices (Non-volatile Memory) ndctl-check-labels (1) - determine if the given dimms have a valid namespace index block ndctl-check-namespace (1) - check namespace metadata consistency ndctl-clear-errors (1) - clear all errors (badblocks) on the given namespace ndctl-create-namespace (1) - provision or reconfigure a namespace ndctl-destroy-namespace (1) - destroy the given namespace(s) ndctl-disable-dimm (1) - disable one or more idle dimms ndctl-disable-namespace (1) - disable the given namespace(s) ndctl-disable-region (1) - disable the given region(s) and all descendant namespaces ndctl-enable-dimm (1) - enable one more dimms ndctl-enable-namespace (1) - enable the given namespace(s) ndctl-enable-region (1) - enable the given region(s) and all descendant namespaces ndctl-freeze-security (1) - Set the given DIMM(s) to reject future security operations ndctl-init-labels (1) - initialize the label data area on a dimm or set of dimms ndctl-inject-error (1) - inject media errors at a namespace offset ndctl-inject-smart (1) - perform smart threshold/injection operations on a DIMM ndctl-list (1) - dump the platform nvdimm device topology and attributes in json ndctl-load-keys (1) - load the kek and encrypted passphrases into the keyring ndctl-monitor (1) - Monitor the smart events of nvdimm objects ndctl-read-labels (1) - read out the label area on a dimm or set of dimms ndctl-remove-passphrase (1) - Stop a DIMM from locking at power-loss and requiring a passphrase to access media ndctl-sanitize-dimm (1) - Perform a cryptographic destruction or overwrite of the contents of the given NVDIMM(s) ndctl-setup-passphrase (1) - setup and enable the security passphrase for an NVDIMM ndctl-start-scrub (1) - start an Address Range Scrub (ARS) operation ndctl-update-firmware (1) - provides for updating the firmware on an NVDIMM ndctl-update-passphrase (1) - update the security passphrase for an NVDIMM ndctl-wait-overwrite (1) - wait for an overwrite operation to complete ndctl-wait-scrub (1) - wait for an Address Range Scrub (ARS) operation to complete ndctl-write-labels (1) - write data to the label area on a dimm ndctl-zero-labels (1) - zero out the label area on a dimm or set of dimms ``` {% hint style="info" %} Note: If `man -k ndctl` returns "ndctl: nothing appropriate." or similar, see the [Troubleshooting](/ndctl-user-guide/master/troubleshooting.md) section to manually build the indexes. {% endhint %} Additionally, executing `ndctl help ` can be used to display the man page for the command, eg: ``` # ndctl help enable-dimm ``` A list of ndctl man pages are available online. See '[NDCTL Man Pages](/ndctl-user-guide/master/man-pages.md)' for a complete list. ### Displaying Bus, NVDIMM, Region, and Namespace Information The `ndctl list` command is a very powerful and feature rich command. A list of options is shown below: ``` # ndctl list -? Error: unknown switch `?' usage: ndctl list [] -b, --bus filter by bus -r, --region filter by region -d, --dimm filter by dimm -n, --namespace filter by namespace id -m, --mode filter by namespace mode -t, --type filter by region-type -U, --numa-node filter by numa node -B, --buses include bus info -D, --dimms include dimm info -F, --firmware include firmware info -H, --health include dimm health -R, --regions include region info -N, --namespaces include namespace info (default) -X, --device-dax include device-dax info -i, --idle include idle devices -M, --media-errors include media errors -u, --human use human friendly number formats ``` Using the filters is a powerful way to limit the output. ### Examples To list all active/enabled namespaces: ``` # ndctl list -N ``` To list all active/enabled regions: ``` # ndctl list -R ``` To list all active/enabled NVDIMMs: ``` # ndctl list -D ``` To list all active/enabled NVDIMMs, Regions, and Namespaces: ``` # ndctl list -DRN ``` To list all active/enabled and disabled/inactive (idle) NVDIMMs, Regions, and Namespaces: ``` # ndctl list -DRNi ``` To list all active/enabled and disabled/inactive (idle) NVDIMMs, Regions, and Namespaces with human readable values: ``` # ndctl list -iNuRD ``` --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://docs.pmem.io/ndctl-user-guide/master/quick-start.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.