# Quick Start The `ndctl` , `daxctl`, and `cxl` commands are designed to be user friendly. Once [installed](https://docs.pmem.io/ndctl-user-guide/v72.0/installing-ndctl), a list of commands can be shown using any of the following: 1\) With no arguments or options, `ndctl` ,`daxctl` , and `cxl` show 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 ``` ``` $ daxctl usage: daxctl [--version] [--help] COMMAND [ARGS] See 'daxctl help COMMAND' for more information on a specific command. daxctl --list-cmds to see all available commands ``` ``` $ cxl usage: cxl [--version] [--help] COMMAND [ARGS] See 'cxl help COMMAND' for more information on a specific command. cxl --list-cmds to see all available commands ``` 2\) Using `ndctl help` ,`daxctl help` , and `cxl help` displays basic help and syntax information for the sub-command. 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` `daxctl --list-cmds`, and `cxl --list-cmds` lists all commands as a single list. ``` $ ndctl --list-cmds version enable-namespace disable-namespace create-namespace destroy-namespace read-infoblock write-infoblock 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 activate-firmware start-scrub setup-passphrase update-passphrase remove-passphrase freeze-security sanitize-dimm load-keys wait-overwrite list monitor help ``` ``` $ daxctl --list-cmds version list help split-acpi migrate-device-model create-device destroy-device reconfigure-device online-memory offline-memory disable-device enable-device ``` ``` $ cxl --list-cmds version list help zero-labels read-labels write-labels ``` An alternative method for listing commands uses the TAB key completion feature. By typing`ndctl ` ,`daxctl ` , or `cxl ` we can list the available commands, eg: ``` $ ndctl activate-firmware freeze-security setup-passphrase check-labels help start-scrub check-namespace init-labels update-firmware clear-errors inject-error update-passphrase create-namespace inject-smart version destroy-namespace list wait-overwrite disable-dimm load-keys wait-scrub disable-namespace monitor write-infoblock disable-region read-infoblock write-labels enable-dimm read-labels zero-labels enable-namespace remove-passphrase enable-region sanitize-dimm ``` ``` $ daxctl help version list split-acpi migrate-device-model create-device destroy-device reconfigure-device online-memory offline-memory disable-device enable-device ``` ``` $ cxl help version list zero-labels read-labels write-labels ``` ## TAB Command and Argument Completion `ndctl` and `daxctl`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 nmem10 nmem3 nmem6 nmem9 nmem0 nmem11 nmem4 nmem7 nmem1 nmem2 nmem5 nmem8 ``` ## 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-activate-firmware (1) - activate staged firmware on memory devices 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-infoblock (1) - read and optionally parse the info-block a namespace 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) - update the firmware the given device 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-infoblock (1) - generate and write an infoblock 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 ``` ``` $ man -k daxctl daxctl (1) - Provides enumeration and provisioning commands for the Linux kernel Device-DAX facility daxctl-create-device (1) - Create a devdax device daxctl-destroy-device (1) - Destroy a devdax device daxctl-disable-device (1) - Disables a devdax device daxctl-enable-device (1) - Enable a devdax device daxctl-list (1) - dump the platform Device-DAX regions, devices, and attributes in json. daxctl-migrate-device-model (1) - Opt-in to the /sys/bus/dax device-model, allow for alternative Device-DAX instance drivers. daxctl-offline-memory (1) - Offline the memory for a device that is in system-ram mode daxctl-online-memory (1) - Online the memory for a device that is in system-ram mode daxctl-reconfigure-device (1) - Reconfigure a dax device into a different mode ``` ``` $ man -k cxl cxl (1) - Provides enumeration and provisioning commands for CXL platforms cxl-list (1) - List CXL capable memory devices, and their attributes in json. cxl-read-labels (1) - read out the label area on a CXL memdev cxl-write-labels (1) - write data to the label area on a memdev cxl-zero-labels (1) - zero out the label area on a set of memdevs cxl_new (3) - Create a new library context object that acts as a handle for all library operations libcxl (3) - A library to interact with CXL devices through sysfs(5) and ioctl(2) interfaces ``` {% hint style="info" %} Note: If `man -k ndctl` returns "ndctl: nothing appropriate." or similar, see the [Troubleshooting](https://docs.pmem.io/ndctl-user-guide/v72.0/troubleshooting) 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 man pages is available online. See [NDCTL Man Pages](https://docs.pmem.io/ndctl-user-guide/v72.0/ndctl-man-pages), [DAXCTL Man Pages](https://docs.pmem.io/ndctl-user-guide/v72.0/daxctl-man-pages), and [CXL Man Pages](https://docs.pmem.io/ndctl-user-guide/v72.0/cxl-man-pages) 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 -C, --capabilities include region capability info -i, --idle include idle devices -c, --configured include configured namespaces, disabled or not -M, --media-errors include media errors -u, --human use human friendly number formats -v, --verbose increase output detail ``` 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 ``` ## Increasing output verbosity The `-v, --verbose` option increases the output verbosity of the command. Using `-vv` or -`-vvv` further increases the output and verbosity.