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I have a computer with several Linux variants installed, each of them using a GRUB or GRUB2 setting.

How can I identify which GRUB setting is used when booting my computer?

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The grub configuration file, generally located at: /boot/grub/grub.conf should tell you everything you need to know. When installing each system, you should have been asked to select a partition for the / filesystem. Therefore, find the line with the corresponding root=/dev/sd[a/b/c/{etc}][1/2/3/{etc}] entry, where root=/dev/sda5 would indicate a / filesystem located on partition 5 of the 1st hard drive.

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Thank, the 'root=/dev/sdX' would indicate which partition will be boot from, but if I want to know, which grub configuration is used by grub to boot, how can I do? For example, in Ubuntu partition, there is a grub.conf; in SUSE partition, there is a grub.conf, in Debian partition, there is a grub.conf. How can I know which one is used really? Thanks. – Landy Apr 21 '11 at 8:35
@Landy "Used really?" You mean the master configuration file? Whichever OS you installed most recently - you can't (unless you chainload) use more than one-bootloader. – new123456 Apr 21 '11 at 22:00
@new123456, yes, that what I want to know. If I got a machine with 5 Linux oS instaled(not by me), I don't know which OS is installed most recently, how can I know which grub configuration file is used by boot loader? Thanks. – Landy May 3 '11 at 2:30
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@Landy If you haven't edited them, you can use the file timestamps for creation if you haven't messed with the bootloader. This is fragile, and prone to error, but possibly useful. – new123456 May 3 '11 at 23:05
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