Check Ubuntu OS Version & Hardware Info Easily – GUI & CLI Methods

1. Introduction

Why it’s important to check your Ubuntu OS

Ubuntu is a popular Linux distribution supported by many users.
However, if you don’t accurately know the version of your OS or system details, you may encounter problems such as:

• The software you want to install is not compatible with your current OS version.
• The OS support period has expired and security risks increase.
• Hardware or peripheral devices may not operate correctly.

To avoid these issues, it is very important to check your Ubuntu OS information.

What you will gain in this article

In this article, we explain specific steps to check OS information on Ubuntu.
For beginners we describe both the GUI (Graphical User Interface) method and the command-line method clearly. We also introduce the next actions you should take based on the information you have verified.

In the next section we will look in detail at how to check your Ubuntu OS using the GUI.

2. How to check Ubuntu OS using GUI

Why GUI verification is convenient

The Ubuntu GUI (Graphical User Interface) has the advantage of being simple to operate for beginners and allows you to intuitively view information. Because you don’t need to use commands, even users not comfortable with coding can use it immediately.

Step-by-step instructions

Here we explain in detail the steps to check OS information using the Ubuntu desktop environment.

1. Open the Settings menu

• Click the “System menu” (gear icon) located at the top-right of the Ubuntu desktop screen.
• Select “Settings” from the drop-down menu.

1. Find the “About” (or “Details”) section

• When the Settings window opens, click “Details” or “About” in the left-hand menu.
  (The name may differ depending on the Ubuntu version or desktop environment.)

1. Check the system information

• In the “Details” or “About” section you will see information such as:
  • OS version (example: Ubuntu 22.04 LTS)
  • System architecture (example: 64-bit)
  • Hardware information such as memory size and CPU type.

Be aware of different desktop environments

Ubuntu offers a variety of desktop environments (for example: GNOME, KDE Plasma, Xfce).
In some environments the layout of the Settings menu differs. Please note differences such as:

• GNOME: All system information is collected under “Settings” > “About”.
• KDE Plasma: You can check via “System Settings” > “System Information”.
• Xfce: Look for options under “Settings Manager” > “System”.

If you can’t find the information via GUI

Sometimes you may not find the “Details” section. In that case try the following:

1. Enter “About” or “Details” in the search bar of the Settings window.
2. Your Ubuntu may be an older version; use the command-line method described in the next section.

3. How to check Ubuntu OS information via command line

Benefits of verifying via command line

If you use the Ubuntu command line (terminal) you can quickly and precisely obtain information without using the GUI. This is especially helpful when managing a remote server or when a GUI is unavailable. In addition, you can view extra information that may not be visible via GUI.

Basic commands to check OS information

1. lsb_release -a command

• Overview: This is the most common command to get Ubuntu version information.
• Usage example:
  bash lsb_release -a
• Output example:
  Distributor ID: Ubuntu Description: Ubuntu 22.04.1 LTS Release: 22.04 Codename: jammy
• Explanation:
  • “Description” shows detailed OS information.
  • “Release” and “Codename” help in version management.

1. cat /etc/os-release command

• Overview: You directly check the OS information from the system file that records system information.
• Usage example:
  bash cat /etc/os-release
• Output example:
  NAME="Ubuntu" VERSION="22.04.1 LTS (Jammy Jellyfish)" ID=ubuntu VERSION_ID="22.04"
• Explanation:
  • You can confirm the OS details with the “NAME” and “VERSION” fields.

1. uname -a command

• Overview: This command acquires system-wide information such as kernel version and architecture.
• Usage example:
  bash uname -a
• Output example:
  Linux ubuntu-desktop 5.15.0-50-generic #56~20.04.1-Ubuntu SMP Fri Sep 30 11:21:37 UTC 2022 x86_64 GNU/Linux
• Explanation:
  • You can check the kernel version (example: 5.15.0-50) or architecture (example: x86_64).

Handy shortcut commands

• lsb_release -d command
• Useful when you only want to display the “Description”.
• Usage example:
  bash lsb_release -d
• Output example:
  Description: Ubuntu 22.04.1 LTS

Notes on command-line usage

• If a command is not found
• If it says “command not found”, the relevant package may not be installed.
  bash sudo apt update sudo apt install lsb-release
• Administrator privileges may be required
• Some commands require elevated privileges (sudo).

4. How to check hardware information

Why checking hardware info is important

When you check Ubuntu OS information, it’s important not only to check OS version but also CPU, GPU, disk capacity and other hardware. These details help in situations such as:

• Optimizing system performance.
• Checking whether you meet software installation requirements.
• Diagnosing hardware issues.

Basic commands for hardware information

1. Check CPU information: lscpu

• Overview: Displays detailed information about the CPU.
• Usage example:
  bash lscpu
• Output example:
  Architecture: x86_64 CPU(s): 4 Model name: Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-8250U CPU @ 1.60GHz
• Explanation:
  • “Architecture” indicates the CPU architecture.
  • “Model name” is the processor’s name.
  • “CPU(s)” denotes the number of available cores.

1. Check GPU information: lspci | grep -i vga

• Overview: Retrieve GPU info in the system.
• Usage example:
  bash lspci | grep -i vga
• Output example:
  00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation UHD Graphics 620
• Explanation:
  • Confirms the GPU type and manufacturer.

1. Check disk capacity: df -h

• Overview: Displays disk usage and free space in human-readable format.
• Usage example:
  bash df -h
• Output example:
  Filesystem Size Used Avail Use% Mounted on /dev/sda1 100G 30G 70G 30% /
• Explanation:
  • “Size” is total disk capacity.
  • “Used” is used space, “Avail” is available space.

Application: how to use hardware info

After checking hardware information, you can apply it in the following ways:

• Performance optimization: Identify missing resources and plan hardware upgrades.
• Troubleshooting: Use it when confirming abnormal CPU or GPU behavior.
• Preparing for system updates: Choose the optimal OS version based on hardware requirements.

Notes on executing commands

• Accuracy of information: Some commands depend on system configuration, so display content may differ.
• Permissions: In some cases you may need administrator privileges to retrieve detailed hardware info.

5. What you can do after verification

Tasks to perform based on OS information

After checking Ubuntu OS and hardware information, use that to optimize your system and avoid issues. In this section we introduce concrete examples of how you can apply the information you verified.

1. Package update and management

• Overview: Once you verify your OS version, it is important to apply the latest updates to reduce security risks.
• Procedure:

1. Open a terminal and update the package list.
   bash sudo apt update
2. Upgrade the whole system.
   bash sudo apt upgrade
3. Remove old packages and unused files.
   bash sudo apt autoremove

• Key point: If you are using an LTS version, plan your updates with stability in mind.

2. Check support expiry and upgrade OS

• Overview: By planning OS upgrades before the support period ends, you can avoid security risks.
• Procedure:

1. Check your current OS support status.
   • You can confirm via the Ubuntu official site or with the following command:
     bash ubuntu-support-status
2. Prepare to upgrade to the latest LTS version.
   bash sudo do-release-upgrade

• Note: Always take a backup before upgrading.

3. Check hardware requirements and consider upgrades

• Overview: Based on the hardware information, check system requirements and consider upgrades if needed.
• Procedure:

1. CPU: If you use heavy applications, check core count and clock speed and consider upgrading.
2. Memory: If memory usage is high, add more RAM.
   • To check current usage:
     bash free -h
3. Storage: If disk capacity is insufficient, consider external storage or drive replacement.

4. System backup

• Overview: Once you verify OS version and system configuration, it’s recommended to create a system backup.
• Procedure:

1. Install a backup tool in terminal.
   bash sudo apt install timeshift
2. Use Timeshift to create a full system snapshot.
3. Store the backup in external storage or cloud.

5. Software compatibility check

• Overview: When installing new software, check compatibility based on the verified OS information.
• Example:
• Confirm the appropriate Ubuntu version for installing Docker or development tools.
• Check the recommended version in the official application documentation.

6. FAQ

Q1: I run a command in the terminal but it says “command not found”. What should I do?

• Answer:
  If a command appears as “command not found”, the required package may not be installed. Try the following steps.

1. Update the package list.
   bash sudo apt update
2. Install the required package (example: for the lsb_release command).
   bash sudo apt install lsb-release
   If the issue persists, double-check the spelling of the command.

Q2: Can I use the methods in this article even with an older Ubuntu version?

• Answer:
  Basic commands (example: lsb_release -a or cat /etc/os-release) are common across many Ubuntu versions. However, GUI menu names may differ depending on version or desktop environment. For older versions we recommend using the command line.

Q3: After verifying OS information, how should I leverage it?

• Answer:
  You can leverage the verified OS information in the following ways:
• Package updates: Apply the latest packages suited for your OS version.
• System upgrade: If support has ended, upgrade to the latest LTS version.
• Software compatibility: Confirm whether planned applications are compatible with your current OS version.

Q4: I can’t find the “Details” section in the GUI. What should I do?

• Answer:
  If you can’t find “Details”, try the following:

1. Use the search bar: In the Settings window type “About” or “Details”.
2. Check for desktop-environment differences: In environments other than GNOME (for example: KDE Plasma or Xfce), the section might be named “System Settings” or “System Information”.
3. Use the command line: If the GUI check is difficult, open a terminal and run the following command.
   bash lsb_release -a

Q5: Is there any risk of accidentally altering OS info or hardware info?

• Answer:
  The commands used to check OS or hardware information are for “reading” information and do not make changes to the system. Therefore you can use them safely. However, be careful not to execute commands that accidentally involve “deletion” or “modification”.

7. Conclusion

Checking Ubuntu OS information is simple and essential

Confirming the Ubuntu OS version and system information is a foundational step for using your system securely and efficiently. Especially in cases such as:

• Verifying whether software installation requirements are met.
• Avoiding security risks due to expired support.
• Optimizing overall system performance including hardware.

Key points from this article

1. GUI method for verification:

• By using the “Details” section of the Settings menu you can easily verify OS information even as a beginner.

1. Command-line method for verification:

• Using lsb_release -a or cat /etc/os-release commands you can quickly obtain OS version or architecture information.
• The command-line method is especially useful for remote environments or environments without a GUI.

1. Hardware information verification:

• Using commands such as lscpu or lspci, you can check CPU, GPU, and disk capacity and use that information for system optimization.

1. Post-verification actions:

• You can use the verified information to proceed with package updates, OS upgrades, and hardware requirement checks.

Next steps

Based on this article, try taking the following actions:

• Use OS and hardware information to perform system upgrades and optimization.
• Periodically check system information to keep your system up to date.
• If you have any questions, consult the official documentation or relevant community resources.

To use Ubuntu safely and efficiently, verifying system information is indispensable. Use this knowledge to enjoy a comfortable Ubuntu experience.