How do I Check Driver Versions in Linux?

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Computers are capable of having various operating systems installed, such as Linux. If you have a PC with the Linux operating system, updates might be required for various components, such as the video card or a sound card. This will require that you first check the current version of driver for the installed component or device. Checking for the current version of driver in Linux is done by accessing a shell prompt.

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Step 1

Select the Main Menu icon and click the option for "Programs." Select the option for "System" and click the option for "Terminal." This will open a Terminal Window or Shell Prompt.

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Step 2

Type "$ lsmod" and then press the "Enter" key. This will display a list of all of the modules that are used by the Linux Kernel.

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Step 3

Make a note of the module for which you will need to verify the driver version that is installed.

Step 4

Type "$ modinfo [driver-name]," such as e1000, and press the "Enter" Key. This will display additional information about the driver that is installed on the system.

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Step 5

Read the output information that is displayed on the screen. The output will include the file name of the module, version info and a description of the driver.

Step 6

Repeat steps 4 and 5 to obtain the driver version for other modules that are used with the Linux Kernel.

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