Hardware Assessment

---
name: hardware-assessment
version: 1.1.0
description: "Cross-platform hardware assessment and system maintenance \u2014 assess\
  \ hardware, update OS/tools/custom software, and track changes over time via JSON\
  \ changelogs"
type: reference
author: workspace-hub
category: operations
capabilities:
- Collect full hardware inventory on Linux (Bash) and Windows (PowerShell)
- Update OS packages, common tools, and custom software lists
- "Orchestrate assess \u2192 update \u2192 re-assess with automatic changelog generation"
- "Zero external dependencies \u2014 uses built-in OS tools only"
- Unified JSON schema across platforms for easy comparison
- Optional root/admin mode for SMART data and RAM type detection
- GPU VRAM detection via nvidia-smi integration
tags:
- hardware
- inventory
- assessment
- system-info
- cross-platform
- json
- diagnostics
- updates
- maintenance
platforms:
- linux
- windows
related_skills:
- docker
- cli-productivity
requires: []
freedom: low
---

# Hardware Assessment

## When to Use This Skill

### USE when:

- Inventorying machines for consolidation or repurposing decisions
- Comparing hardware specs across multiple devices
- Planning GPU, RAM, or storage upgrades
- Auditing SMART health status across storage devices
- Keeping machines updated (OS packages, tools, custom software)
- Tracking what changed after updates via changelogs
- Documenting system configurations for compliance or handoff
### DON'T USE when:

- You need real-time monitoring (use Prometheus/Grafana instead)
- You need benchmark/performance data (this collects specs, not performance)

## Quick Start

### Linux

```bash
# Copy script to target machine, then:
bash hardware-assess.sh -p

# With sudo for SMART data + RAM type:
sudo bash hardware-assess.sh -p

# Custom output path:
bash hardware-assess.sh -o /tmp/inventory.json --pretty
```
### Windows (PowerShell)

```powershell
# Run in PowerShell:
.\hardware-assess.ps1 -Pretty

# Custom output:
.\hardware-assess.ps1 -OutputFile C:\temp\inventory.json -Pretty
```
### Full Maintenance (assess + update + re-assess)

```bash
# Linux — runs all 4 phases, outputs to maintenance/ directory:
sudo bash system-maintain.sh -d ./maintenance

# With custom software config:
sudo bash system-maintain.sh -c ./custom-packages.json -d ./maintenance

# Assessment only (no updates):
bash system-maintain.sh --skip-update -d ./maintenance
```

*See sub-skills for full details.*
### Update Only (no assessment)

```bash
# Linux:
sudo bash system-update.sh -c ./custom-packages.json

# Windows:
.\system-update.ps1 -ConfigFile .\custom-packages.json
```

## Workstation Input Troubleshooting

### X11: typing is uppercase even though Caps Lock looks off

Observed on `ace-linux-1` with a Logitech K350 receiver attached: a plain text
editor typed uppercase, `Caps Lock` initially appeared off, and unplugging the
keyboard left X11 with `Caps Lock: on` but no physical key held. Treat this as
an XKB latched modifier before assuming an application bug.

Verify state:

```bash
xset q | sed -n '/Keyboard Control:/,/Pointer Control:/p'
```

If `Caps Lock: on`, clear the XKB lock directly:

```bash
python3 - <<'PY'
import ctypes, ctypes.util

lib = ctypes.cdll.LoadLibrary(ctypes.util.find_library("X11"))
d = lib.XOpenDisplay(None)
if not d:
    raise SystemExit("NO_DISPLAY")

XkbUseCoreKbd = 0x0100
LockMask = 1 << 1
lib.XkbLockModifiers(d, XkbUseCoreKbd, LockMask, 0)
lib.XFlush(d)
lib.XCloseDisplay(d)
PY
```

Verify it cleared:

```bash
xset q | sed -n '/XKB indicators:/,/auto repeat delay:/p'
```

If it comes back after reconnecting the keyboard, suspect the keyboard or USB
receiver is sending a Caps Lock toggle. Tap both Shift keys, then Caps Lock; if
state still recurs, re-seat or replace the receiver/keyboard before chasing
editor or accessibility settings. Sticky keys can be checked with:

```bash
gsettings get org.gnome.desktop.a11y.keyboard stickykeys-enable
```
### Custom Software Config (JSON)

```json
{
  "packages": {
    "apt": ["openfoam", "freecad", "paraview", "smartmontools"],
    "snap": ["code"],
    "pip": ["numpy", "polars"]
  },
  "ppas": ["ppa:openfoam/latest"],
  "scripts": [
    { "name": "custom-tool", "check": "custom-tool --version", "install": "./install-custom-tool.sh" }
  ]
}
```

Keep custom installer scripts checked in or otherwise provenance-verified. Do not
pipe downloaded installer content directly into a shell in this config.

## Version History

- **1.1.0** (2026-02-02): Add system-update and system-maintain orchestrator scripts for OS/tools/custom software updates with changelog tracking
- **1.0.0** (2026-02-02): Initial release — Linux Bash + Windows PowerShell scripts with unified JSON schema

## Sub-Skills

- [Troubleshooting](troubleshooting/SKILL.md)

## Sub-Skills

- [Scripts](scripts/SKILL.md)
- [Linux (`hardware-assess.sh`) (+1)](linux-hardware-assesssh/SKILL.md)
- [Output Schema (v1.0)](output-schema-v10/SKILL.md)
- [Linux (+1)](linux/SKILL.md)
- [Workflow: Multi-Machine Inventory](workflow-multi-machine-inventory/SKILL.md)