Rpi

To figure out the kernel version and build without booting it, e.g. to install matching device drivers during an automated image build in something like CustoPiZer, use something like this: function version_and_build_for_kernelimg() { kernelimg=$1 # uncompressed kernel? output=$(strings $kernelimg | grep 'Linux version' || echo) if [ -z "$output" ]; then # compressed kernel, needs more work, see https://raspberrypi.stackexchange.com/a/108107 pos=$(LC_ALL=C grep -P -a -b -m 1 --only-matching '\x1f\x8b\x08' $kernelimg | cut -f 1 -d :) dd if=$kernelimg of=kernel.gz skip=$pos iflag=skip_bytes output=$(gzip --decompress --stdout kernel.gz | strings | grep 'Linux version' || echo) fi version=$(echo $output | awk '{print $3}' | tr -d '+') build=$(echo $output | awk -F"#" '{print $NF}' | awk '{print $1}') if [[ -n "$version" && -n "$build" ]]; then echo "Version: $kernel" echo "Build: $build" else echo echo "Cannot determine kernel version and build number for $kernelimg" fi } Note that this has only been tested with kernels on RaspberryPi OS images, YMMV. ...