How To Find Your Ubuntu or Kernel Version
To make up for not blogging over the past few weeks I’ve got a few things up my sleeve here. I definitely want to get back into my old habit so I’ll just dive right in.
This tutorial will outline a few methods of finding your installed Ubuntu version or kernel version. These can be useful if you ever need to troubleshoot a problem or need more information for a bug submission.
The first method you can use is a GUI method to see what version you have installed. Personally I think it could be made a bit more prominent, but that isn’t my call. To find the version using the GUI method simply do the following:
System > About Ubuntu
The resulting window will show some main contents and then thank you for your interest in version.
“Thank you for your interest in Ubuntu 6.10 – the Edgy Eft – released in October 2006.”
The other method to find your version is a command line method. There are two commands you can use:
cat /etc/issue
or you can use
cat /etc/lsb-release
…and finally to find your kernel version and a few more details about your machine use the uname command which, per the man pages, shows system information. Examples:
uname -a : print all information
uname -r : print the kernel release
uname -v : print the kernel version
uname -o : print the operating system
see man uname for more details on using the uname… and now you should be able to find out more about your machine, report better bugs and continue to make Ubuntu even better!
If this article has been helpful, please consider linking to it.
I’d just like to add that the lsb_release command does the same as cat /etc/lsb-release, with some added features like formatting and showing only the stuff you need.
“lsb_release -a” – will show you all information about your Ubuntu version.
“lsb_release -h” – will show you other options that you can use with the lsb_release command, like showing only the codename, or the release nubmer, etc.
Btw, great job on providing these tutorials. Now that it’s on the Planet, I’m sure a lot of people will find these extra useful.
In addition to the above, I believe that lsb_release is actually a part of LSB, whereas /etc/lsb-release is not.
Thanks for the great information!
Just do not know what “lsb” in “lsb-release” stands for.
“lsb” in “lsb-release” stands for.
Linux Standard Base
try:
man lsb_release
How to find out which version of Ubuntu is installed, 32 bit or 64 bit?
I mean to say, how to find out whether the Ubuntu installed on my system is a 32bit or a 64bit version?
lsb-release does not work for me (I get “bash: lsb-release: command not found”). But if I do “sudo apt-get install lsb-release” it says it is already installed and up to date. Weird.
so good- so easy-
thank you
Clint – you need to use lsb_release instead of lsb-release . The command will not work with a dash, it needs an underscore.
Ravindra :
Look for a /lib64 folder. Maybe that can help.
After you find the right command, you won’t remember it. It’s shameful there is no “version” command in linux.
Try http://programs.rcrnet.net/#version
That version package is awesome!
I just installed it. It told me I was running 32-bit and even gave me help text so I could tell whether I was running 64-bit or 32-bit. This needs to be part of the base Ubuntu install.
These developeres have such strange ideas!!!
Linux standard base release: lsb_release
instead of distro, version, linux-version, linux-distro
and then in the description:
lsb_release – print distribution-specific information
OH my!!!
Thanks. That was just what I was looking for. I am new to Ubuntu and never thought I would be a Linux user.
I tried "lsb_release -a" but had to capitalize change -a to -A for it to work
Just for info, another way to find out if you're 32 or 64bit is
uname -m
Cheers!
Just for info, another way to find out if you're 32 or 64bit is
uname -m
Cheers!
I'd rather tell Synaptic/whatever to stop storing kernels from 5 revisions ago. Actually, no, I meant to say: "Who thinks I need to have this as a default setting under Ubuntu Netbook Remix 9.10?".
Very good info, thanks!
Thank you.it work
$sudo lshw
it will show all about your System…
i mean OS Kernel version..
OS bit version..
And CPU bit version…
Old reply, but thanks..
BTW, it still works on Newer versions of ubuntu like lucid.
Thx for all informations coz its really helped me..