Determining currently running distribution

ChillyWillie · 08-31-2005, 09:16 AM

Rather than hunting through the log files and directory structures for hints, is there an easy way (command, script, etc.) to determine which distribution of Linux you are currently running at the shell prompt?

bushidozen · 08-31-2005, 09:26 AM

I believe the command is:

Code:

uname -r

JazzMastaJim · 08-31-2005, 09:27 AM

Type "man uname" (without quotes) at the command prompt.

ChillyWillie · 08-31-2005, 09:29 AM

'uname' does not always give distro information. A lot of kernel versions have a suffix that gives this away (i.e. Mandrake == -mdk), but not the distro I'm trying to figure out. It is possible that this is a vanilla linux kernel customized by whoever set it up, but that's something I'd like to know for sure before I start making assumptions.

phil.d.g · 08-31-2005, 10:06 AM

look in /etc usually there is a file that gives it away for example redhat-release for Redhat, Fedora and other Redhat clones

colnago · 08-31-2005, 10:53 AM

Yeah, the file in /etc will tell you a bit. I notice that a lot of distros based on debian will have a debian-release file and it will say unstable or testing or whatever their philosophy is. It is up to you to figure out if it is mepis or knoppix or whatever. I notice the newest xandros calls the file lsb-release and is quite specific.

`cat /etc/*release` should get you somewhere, at least you know the base.

ChillyWillie · 08-31-2005, 12:41 PM

That seems to be the best way besides 'uname'. Unfortunately, this distro I've inherited seems to be built from scratch and custom stripped. I know this company used to base it off of Red-Hat, then Slackware, and possibly Debian, but it appears they now base it off of vanilla Linux.

Thanks for the help everyone.