Easy way to tell what linux distribution is installed

Steven shaughto at ee.ucr.edu
Sun Jul 11 23:17:59 UTC 2004


Thanks for the more in depth explanation.  I didn't realize it could be that
difficult to find out the distribution.
Also thanks to everyone for all the other replys.  I see there are a few
ways to determine this (depending on the linux distro).

--
Steven
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ed Wilts" <ewilts at ewilts.org>
To: "General Red Hat Linux discussion list" <redhat-list at redhat.com>
Sent: Sunday, July 11, 2004 8:44 AM
Subject: Re: Easy way to tell what linux distribution is installed


> On Sun, Jul 11, 2004 at 12:12:10AM -0400, Michael S. Dunsavage wrote:
> > Steven wrote:
> > >Ok, I know this is a stupid question, but how can you tell what linux
> > >distribution is install on a computer?
> > >
> > cat /etc/proc/version
>
> I assume you mean /proc/version.  Please tell me which distro this is:
>
> [ewilts at pe400 ewilts]$ cat /proc/version
> Linux version 2.4.21-15.0.3.TL (parsley at hasufel.alfred.edu) (gcc version
> 3.2.3 20030502 (Red Hat Linux 3.2.3-34)) #1 Fri Jul 2 11:42:13 EDT 2004
>
> You'd think it was Red Hat Linux, but looking more closely at the kernel
> version, you see the .TL instead of .EL.  It's Tao Linux.  The builder
> also gives a hint (but it's a hint, and not much more than that).
>
> Here's the "almost the same" RHEL release:
> [ewilts at p6000 ewilts]$ cat /proc/version
> Linux version 2.4.21-15.0.2.EL (bhcompile at porky.build.redhat.com) (gcc
> version 3.2.3 20030502 (Red Hat Linux 3.2.3-35)) #1 Wed Jun 16 22:51:54
> EDT 2004
>
> The short answer is that it's going to be VERY hard to determine which
> distribution you're running, if it's possible at all.  Nothing would
> stop me from putting a stock kernel on either of my systems and
> /proc/version is going to be even more wrong.
>
> It was certainly not a stupid question, but I don't believe that there
> is an answer.
>
> -- 
> Ed Wilts, RHCE
> Mounds View, MN, USA
> mailto:ewilts at ewilts.org
> Member #1, Red Hat Community Ambassador Program
>
>
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