What is HDT4ALL?
HDT4ALL is a comprehensive hardware detection tool designed specifically for UEFI and Legacy BIOS firmware.
HDT stands for Hardware Detection Tool. The software lets you view detailed information about the PC hardware directly at startup, without requiring access to an operating system.
Hardware information displayed
The program detects the hardware and displays the following information:
- System summary
- CPU specifications
- GPU and display information
- RAM details
- Firmware and SMBIOS data
- Disk and storage information
- Connected USB devices
- Network status and parameters
- System health and sensors, when available
- Comprehensive hardware report
- Working data and external database status
- Detailed program information
How to start HDT4ALL
You can start HDT4UEFI or HDT4BiosLegacy directly from a boot manager, a USB drive, or an EFI / Legacy BIOS partition.
For a simpler setup, we recommend using SARDU, where the tool is already available among the system utilities.
Recommended file layout and external databases
External databases complement the detected information by translating numeric component identifiers into readable vendor and device names.
- pci.ids: resolves the names of many PCI and PCIe devices.
- usb.ids: resolves the names of many USB devices.
- acpi_id_registry.csv and the optional IEEE files help identify additional system IDs.
External databases can be updated separately by replacing the corresponding files in the IDS directory. HDT4ALL does not download data from the Internet while it is running.
Navigation and Main Menu
The main menu provides access to every hardware section and program control:
- System Summary
- CPU
- GPU / Display
- Memory
- Firmware / SMBIOS
- Disk / Storage
- USB Devices
- Network
- Vitals / System Health
- All Hardware Report
- Text Report
- Working Data
- Help
- Reboot
- Power Off
- Info
Understanding the interface
Main Menu: you are in the main menu when the section list appears in the left-hand column, the selected row remains highlighted, and the bottom of the screen displays Up/Down Select | Right/Enter Open.
Specifications: you are viewing a section when its hardware details appear on the right-hand side of the screen.
Pagination: when Page X/Y appears in Specifications, use the Up and Down arrow keys to move between pages. Press the Left arrow key or Esc to return directly to the Main Menu.
Main keys and shortcuts
Up / Down arrows: move the menu selection or change the current details page.
Right arrow or Enter: opens the selected menu item.
Left arrow or Esc: returns from a section to the menu.
+ and - keys: change the apparent on-screen text size when supported.
Direct keyboard shortcuts: S, C, G, M, F, D, U, N, V, A, T, W, H, R, P, I.
Advanced features and controls
Comprehensive hardware report (All Hardware Report)
All Hardware Report provides a broader overview of all detected hardware. It is useful when you need a quick, comprehensive view of the machine. When a section contains multiple pages of data, the complete report presents them in paginated form.
Saving a text report (Text Report)
Text Report saves a .txt file directly to the root directory from which the HDT4UEFI or HDT4BiosLegacy executable was started.
The default file name depends on the HDT4ALL version and is clearly displayed on screen.
If the system firmware provides the computer product name, the program can dynamically adapt the generated file name.
After saving the report, the program displays its exact file name and path.
System controls and practical notes
Restart and shutdown (Reboot and Power Off)
Reboot requests a system restart.
Power Off requests a system shutdown.
The program always asks for confirmation before performing either action.
Technical note: on some firmware implementations, the motherboard may ignore the shutdown request or automatically convert it into a restart.
Data accuracy
When information is unavailable, the program clearly reports it as missing. Firmware-provided data can vary considerably between computers. Resources such as SMBIOS, GOP, ACPI and external databases are valuable, but they are not always complete. HDT4ALL therefore reports both reliable data and the inherent limitations of the active firmware.
Quick start in 6 steps
- Start HDT4UEFI or HDT4BiosLegacy.
- Select an item using the arrow keys or its keyboard shortcut.
- Open the section by pressing Enter or the Right arrow key.
- Use the Up / Down arrow keys to read all hardware details.
- Return to the main menu by pressing the Left arrow key or Esc.
- If required, save a text report by selecting Text Report.
Software license
All rights to the software are reserved by Davide Costa.
HDT4UEFI and HDT4BiosLegacy are released under the MPL-2.0 license.
The complete license text is available in LICENSE.txt.
Licenses for third-party components are stored in the THIRD_PARTY_LICENSES\ directory.
The external databases used by the program retain their respective original licenses.
How HDT4ALL began
The idea behind this hardware detection suite began when Davide Costa, the developer of HDT4UEFI and the well-known SARDU software, purchased a refurbished PC. He needed to identify its specifications without physically opening the case, including the exact disk model, the amount of installed RAM, and the number of occupied memory slots.
The computer had no operating system and could boot only in UEFI mode, making older hardware detection tools designed for Legacy BIOS unusable. This practical requirement led to the development of a native UEFI hardware detection tool. A dedicated Legacy BIOS version was subsequently added to create the complete HDT4ALL suite.