0xNixxy Tech Tips

WSL on Windows 11

Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) allows developers to install Linux on Windows and allows a side-by-side use of both Windows and Linux terminals. This tech tip provides a consistent way to install the most updated version of WSL on your Windows.

Useful Background Knowledge

  1. WSL 2 was introduced in Windows 11 and some versions of Windows 10 to supersede the deprecated WSL 1. WSL 2 is the default target version when you install Linux distributions in Windows 11.

  2. You can install more than one Linux distribution in WSL for your computer.

  3. WSL in Windows 11, by default, uses servicing updates from the Microsoft Store. You can get the latest WSL features and patches from the Microsoft Store by running the following command

    wsl.exe --update

  4. There are two types of users in WSL

    1. WSL root user
    2. default user for a distribution in WSL

    When you are logged in to the Linux distribution in WSL,

    1. sudo passwd changes the password of the WSL root user.

    2. passwd changes the password of the current user of a distribution.

    3. passwd <username> changes the password of user associated with <username> for a distribution.

    4. sudo asks for the password of the current user for a distribution.

Install WSL 2

  1. Install WSL 2 (from Microsoft Store) via Windows Terminal.

    Open Terminal (Admin). A Windows PowerShell terminal will appear. Use the following command to check if WSL is installed.

    wsl.exe --version

    If WSL is installed, you should see something similar as follows

    WSL version: 2.6.1.0
Kernel version: 6.6.87.2-1
WSLg version: 1.0.66
MSRDC version: 1.2.6353
Direct3D version: 1.611.1-81528511
DXCore version: 10.0.26100.1-240331-1435.ge-release
Windows version: 10.0.26100.6899

    Otherwise, if WSL is not installed, you may see the following and press any key to install WSL.

    The Windows Subsystem for Linux is not installed. You can install by running 'wsl.exe --install'.
For more information please visit https://aka.ms/wslinstall

Press any key to install Windows Subsystem for Linux.
Press CTRL-C or close this window to cancel.
This prompt will time out in 60 seconds.

Press any key to continue

    Once the installation is complete, you should see something similar as follows

    Downloading: Windows Subsystem for Linux 2.6.1
Installing: Windows Subsystem for Linux 2.6.1
Windows Subsystem for Linux 2.6.1 has been installed.
The operation completed successfully.
WSL version: 2.6.1.0
Kernel version: 6.6.87.2-1
WSLg version: 1.0.66
MSRDC version: 1.2.6353
Direct3D version: 1.611.1-81528511
DXCore version: 10.0.26100.1-240331-1435.ge-release
Windows version: 10.0.26200.6899

  2. (Optional) If the above step did not trigger the installation process, you may run the following command to invoke installation WSL.

    wsl.exe --install --no-distribution

  3. Once WSL is installed, ensure that WSL 2 is the default.

    wsl.exe --set-default-version 2
wsl.exe --status

    You should see something similar as follows

    Default Version: 2
WSL1 is not supported with your current machine configuration.
Please enable the "Windows Subsystem for Linux" optional component to use WSL1.

  4. Ensure WSL is installed with the latest version.

    wsl.exe --update

Install Linux distribution for WSL

  1. Install target Linux distribution via Terminal.

    1. Open a PowerShell Terminal.

    2. List available Linux distributions.

      wsl.exe --list --online

      The list should look something similar to the following

      NAME                            FRIENDLY NAME
AlmaLinux-8                     AlmaLinux OS 8
AlmaLinux-9                     AlmaLinux OS 9
AlmaLinux-Kitten-10             AlmaLinux OS Kitten 10
AlmaLinux-10                    AlmaLinux OS 10
Debian                          Debian GNU/Linux
FedoraLinux-42                  Fedora Linux 42
SUSE-Linux-Enterprise-15-SP6    SUSE Linux Enterprise 15 SP6
SUSE-Linux-Enterprise-15-SP7    SUSE Linux Enterprise 15 SP7
Ubuntu                          Ubuntu
Ubuntu-24.04                    Ubuntu 24.04 LTS
archlinux                       Arch Linux
kali-linux                      Kali Linux Rolling
openSUSE-Tumbleweed             openSUSE Tumbleweed
openSUSE-Leap-16.0              openSUSE Leap 16.0
Ubuntu-20.04                    Ubuntu 20.04 LTS
Ubuntu-22.04                    Ubuntu 22.04 LTS
OracleLinux_7_9                 Oracle Linux 7.9
OracleLinux_8_10                Oracle Linux 8.10
OracleLinux_9_5                 Oracle Linux 9.5
openSUSE-Leap-15.6              openSUSE Leap 15.6

      Let us choose Ubuntu-24.04 as an example for the rest of the guide.

    3. Install a target Linux distribution.

      wsl.exe --install --distribution Ubuntu-24.04

      Once the installation is done, WSL will prompt for you to create a default user account for the target Linux distribution. Enter your preferred username and password, and you will be logged in to the Linux distribution. You should see an output as follows

      Downloading: Ubuntu 24.04 LTS
Installing: Ubuntu 24.04 LTS
Distribution successfully installed. It can be launched via 'wsl.exe -d Ubuntu-24.04'
Launching Ubuntu-24.04...
Provisioning the new WSL instance Ubuntu-24.04
This might take a while...
Create a default Unix user account:
Create a default Unix user account: my_user
New password:
Retype new password:
passwd: password updated successfully
To run a command as administrator (user "root"), use "sudo <command>".
See "man sudo_root" for details.
my_user@my_computer:/mnt/c/Users/MyUser$

      Press Ctrl + D to logout of the Linux distribution back to PowerShell terminal.

    4. Check to ensure target Linux distribution is installed

      wsl --list --verbose

      You should see something similar as follows

        NAME            STATE           VERSION
* Ubuntu-22.04    Stopped         2

    5. (Optional) If you do not see a * beside Ubuntu-24.04, it means that Ubuntu-24.04 is not set as the default distribution. Run the following command to set Ubuntu-24.04 as the default distribution.

      wsl.exe --set-default Ubuntu-24.04

    6. (Optional) WSL allocates a maximum of 50% of the RAM available to your Windows operating system for your Linux distribution. If you desire a bigger amount of RAM for your Linux distribution, you can change this memory setting creating the file %UserProfile%\.wslconfig with the following configuration

      [wsl2]
memory=8GB

      Reboot your Windows machine before proceeding to the next step.

    7. Open a new tab in Terminal that has an option similar to Ubuntu 22.04.5 LTS. You can do this by clicking the “Pull Down v” icon beside the “Add new tab +” icon in Terminal, and select Ubuntu-24.04.05 LTS to log in. You should see a new Linux terminal as follows

      my_user@my_computer:~$

    8. Update Ubuntu 22.04 to the latest packages and patches.

      sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade -y

      You may need to logout and login again for the patches to come into effect in your Linux terminal environment.

💡 Tip

It is a good cybersecurity practice to perform daily activities in user privileges rather than administrator privileges. If you see your Linux terminal ending with a # instead of a $, it means that you are running in superuser su account.

Uninstall a Linux distribution in WSL

To remove a Linux distribution from WSL, open a PowerShell Terminal and run the following command

wsl.exe --shutdown
wsl --unregister Ubuntu-24.04

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