Windows 10: A Deep Dive Into How WSL Allows Windows 10 to Access Linux Files

Brink · Jun 1, 2019

Three months ago, we announced that the Windows Subsystem for Linux will be able to access Linux files from Windows in the blog post: What’s new for WSL in Windows 10 version 1903, and in today’s post we will be showing you how we made these changes possible.

Let’s jump in!

We’re continuing our whiteboard series of deep dives (you can find the full list here) with a new video where Sven Groot and Craig Loewen explain the full architecture behind this new feature. You can expect to learn about how WSL currently accesses Linux files, how we’ve added a 9P file server into the init process of each Linux distro, and how Windows interacts with that 9P file server to interact with Linux files inside of your distro. So, grab a coffee and a snack, sit down, relax, and enjoy this look behind the scenes of WSL!

[youtube]63wVlI9B3Ac[/youtube]

You can also view this video on Channel 9 and on YouTube.

How does this story fit in with WSL 2?

We don’t explicitly mention WSL 2 in the video above as at the time of filming we were still finalizing the details behind WSL 2, and ultimately there are very little changes to our explanation of how Linux files are accessed from Windows with the new architecture.

The only difference from the explanation in the video, is where the Linux files themselves are stored. In WSL 1, these Linux files are stored in the Windows drive (which uses the NT file system), while in WSL 2 these Linux files are stored in a virtual hard disk which uses the EXT4 file system. Every other detail on how the files are accessed remains the same.

What would you like to see next?

If you have more questions about how we use a 9P file server, accessing Linux files, or just about WSL in general you can find a list of our team members on twitter here! Please feel free to reach out to ask us any questions, and give suggestions on any other deep dives that you’d be interested in seeing.

By: Craig Loewen,
Program Manager, Windows Developer Platform
Click to expand...

Source: https://devblogs.microsoft.com/comma...s-linux-files/

Tip How to Enable or Disable Windows Subsystem for Linux (Bash on Ubuntu) in Windows 10

How to Access Linux Files in a Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) Distro from Windows 10

:)

Brink · Jun 1, 2019

Using Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) in an Enterprise

Recently, customers in an enterprise environment have asked if there is a way to install WSL without an internet connection. These companies had some machines that would benefit from having WSL, but don't have an internet connection for security, logistics, or other reasons.

Enter: The Microsoft Store for Business

We (the WSL team) took a look into this issue and found that enterprises could use the Microsoft Store for Business to help deploy WSL distros to their company, including offline distribution! The Microsoft Store for Business is essentially another way to interact with the Microsoft Store, but from an enterprise administrator perspective. This includes tools like acquiring licenses for apps for your company, controlling which users can access which apps, and even providing a custom private company store which has a collection of apps that only your employees can view, and download.

To actually enable offline distribution, any distro owner needs to have elected to have 'offline licensing' available on their distro app. Luckily, many of our distro creators have already enabled offline licensing. At the time of writing this article this includes:

Kali Linux

Ubuntu (Including 16.04 and 18.04)

Debian

For More Information

The customers who originally asked about installing WSL in an offline mode have verified that our solution works for them! We realized that this information would be useful to all enterprise customers, so we added a new page to the WSL docs: 'Windows Subsystem for Linux for Enterprise'. This doc provides helpful resources on how to use the Microsoft Store for Business to deploy WSL to your company, as well as step by step instructions on how to acquire the offline installer for a distro of your choice.

Please take a look, and as always give us any feedback that you may have!
Click to expand...

Source: Using WSL in an Enterprise Windows Command Line Tools For Developers

Devlin Sco · Jun 1, 2019

Windows Subsystem Linux

Hello,

We would like to know more about the issue you're experiencing with using
Windows Subsystem for Linux. Kindly answer the following questions:

Are you developing a program, an app, or a software for Linux?

Is your Window 10 PC connected to a domain?

Are you managing a Windows Server PC?

What troubleshooting steps have you tried so far?

Can you tell us the Version and OS build of your Windows 10 device? You can find this information by clicking the
Start button, type About your PC, and then press
Enter.

We need the following information in order to determine if we need to refer your concern to the
TechNet forums or the Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) forums.

For now, we suggest reviewing these support articles to find out if there's an issue with the installation of
Windows Subsystem for Linux:

Install the Windows Subsystem for Linux

Troubleshooting Windows Subsystem for Linux

We'll be waiting for your response.

John Zab · Jun 1, 2019

How to Access USB Drives via WSL

Hi Gagan,

To better assist you regarding with USB drive issue, we just want to confirm if you're referring to Windows Subsystem for Linux?

If you do, we suggest that you check this
article for more information.

Keep us posted.

Windows 10: A Deep Dive Into How WSL Allows Windows 10 to Access Linux Files

A Deep Dive Into How WSL Allows Windows 10 to Access Linux Files

A Deep Dive Into How WSL Allows Windows 10 to Access Linux Files

A Deep Dive Into How WSL Allows Windows 10 to Access Linux Files

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