A question about checking LINUX version

thomas2004ch · 06-10-2010, 05:38 AM

We got a new machine on which a LINUX is installed. I check the LINUX version with 3 different command but get 3 different results. WHich one is the correct one?

This command shows the version is RHEL 4

Code:

[root@s003ap03n-test ~]# cat /etc/redhat-release
Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES release 4 (Nahant Update 8)

This command shows the version is Red Hat 3

Code:

[root@s003ap03n-test ~]# cat /proc/version
Linux version 2.6.9-78.ELsmp (brewbuilder@ls20-bc2-14.build.redhat.com) (gcc version 3.4.6 20060404 (Red Hat 3.4.6-10)) #1 SMP Wed Jul 9 15:46:26 EDT 2008

This command shows no version but the bit system

Code:

[root@s003ap03n-test ~]# uname -a
Linux s003ap03n-test.proactiv.de 2.6.9-78.ELsmp #1 SMP Wed Jul 9 15:46:26 EDT 2008 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

What version is installed?

H_TeXMeX_H · 06-10-2010, 05:57 AM

It's RHEL 4, the second command states that the gcc version is 3.4.6 not the RHEL version, 2.6.9-78 is the kernel version, architecture is x86_64.

GrapefruiTgirl · 06-10-2010, 05:57 AM

I'm no RedHat guru, but based on the given criteria, it appears to be RHEL4 as indicated in the first output you gave. A quick Google also seems to indicate that RHEL4 included some 2.6.9.xxx kernels, so that seems reasonably likely that RHEL4 is right.

The next 2 commands you did are both mainly used to determine what kernel is currently running, not necessarily which linux distro it is. Kernel names can contain names/strings ahat can be arbitrary and meaningless, but the version number (2.6.9) should be correct. The 3.4.6 is referring to the GCC Compiler version which was/is installed/used in the machine and to build the kernel.

Sasha

EricTRA · 06-10-2010, 05:59 AM

Hello,

The first command shows you that you have RedHat Enterprise Linux 4, release 8 installed. That's your 'distro', the brand, like there are Debian, Ubuntu and others.

The second one shows you what kernel you have installed (2.6.9-78) and the last command shows you the same but with info like hostname included.

I imagine that at some point in time there has been a partial update/upgrade performed that didn't update the kernel version, for whatever reason.

You say it's a new machine but yet it has an old(ish) version of RedHat installed, any idea how that is? Did you buy it second hand from a company (German?)?

Kind regards,

Eric

PS: Missed the GCC part, thanks for pointing that out (need to get some sleep one of these days

)

bathory · 06-10-2010, 06:14 AM

Hi,

There is also:

Code:

lsb_release -a

that will show you the RHEL release version

Regards

thomas2004ch · 06-10-2010, 07:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bathory

Hi,

There is also:

Code:

lsb_release -a

that will show you the RHEL release version

Regards

This command doesn't run by me.

GrapefruiTgirl · 06-10-2010, 07:03 AM

How doesn't it run? As in, the command does not exist on the machine, or is it requiring higher privileges? If the latter, run it as root.

Sasha

bathory · 06-10-2010, 07:42 AM

Hi,

AFAIK lsb_release comes by default with RHEL. Chances are that you have uninstalled it.
Run:

Code:

rpm -qa|grep lsb

to see if that's the case.