Windows 10: confusion after WSL1 to WSL2 upgrade

SolderFace · Jun 30, 2020

I ran through the Msft docs for updating from WSL1 to WSL2, including updating the WSL2 linux kernel. No problems, worked just like the guide.

Then I ran into this strangeness. If I open Powershell and type bash, and type wsl.exe -l -v, it says Ubuntu, Running 2.

If I open the Ubuntu app from the store, it says Ubuntu, Running 1.

Why are they different?

And one more thing... in the wsl2 powershell/bash window, if I type explorer.exe I get the \\wsl$\Ubuntu\home\me directory. If I put files in there they do not appear in the wsl2 home directory! Talk about catch-22. I finally get a wsl2 window running and I cant put my files in it. If you look at the dates of the .bashrc and other stuff, they are different in both windows. Different locations. Explorer shows the wsl1 directory, but not the other.

I hope you get my dilemma and can help, thanks.

:)

Brink · Jun 30, 2020

WSL2 will be generally available in Windows 10 version 2004

WSL2 will soon be officially available as part of Windows 10, version 2004! As we get ready for general availability, we want to share one additional change: updating how the Linux kernel inside of WSL2 is installed and serviced on your machine. We’ve heard lots of community feedback that the install experience could be streamlined, and we’re taking the first step towards this by improving the servicing model of the Linux kernel. We’ve removed the Linux kernel from the Windows OS image and instead will be delivering it to your machine via Windows Update, the same way that 3rd party drivers (like graphics, or touchpad drivers) are installed and updated on your machine today. This change will give you more agility and flexibility over Linux kernel updates in WSL2. Read on to learn more about how you’ll see this in the user experience.

How will I notice this change?

Our end goal is for this change to be seamless, where your Linux kernel is kept up to date without you needing to think about it. By default this will be handled entirely by Windows, just like regular updates on your machine. Inside of the initial release of Windows 10, version 2004, and in the latest Windows Insiders slow ring preview build you will temporarily need to manually install the Linux kernel, and will receive an update in a few months that will add automatic install and servicing capabilities. We made this change now and will have a patch later to ensure that all users in the initial general release of WSL2 will be serviced via this dynamic model, and no one will be left in a middle state using the prior system.

Automatic install and updates

If you’ve ever gone to your Windows settings, and clicked ‘Check for Updates’ you might have seen some other items being updated like Windows Defender malware definitions, or a new touchpad driver, etc. The Linux kernel in WSL2 will now be serviced in this same method, which means you’ll get the latest kernel version independently of consuming an update to your Windows image. You can manually check for new kernel updates by clicking the ‘Check for Updates’ button, or you can let Windows keep you up to date just like normal.

If you’re installing WSL for the first time, we’ll check for updates and install the Linux kernel for you during the WSL install process.

Temporary experience of manually installing the Linux kernel in Windows 10, version 2004 and Windows Insiders slow ring

After updating to Windows 10 build 19041.153, when you run any of the following commands:

wsl (If a WSL2 distro is your default distro)

wsl --set-version <Distro> 2, – wsl --set-default-version 2

wsl --import and wsl --export targeting WSL2

You’ll see a one-time message instructing you to update your kernel. It will instruct you to go to the link: Updating the WSL 2 Linux kernel | Microsoft Docs.

Once there, follow the instructions to download the MSI package, run it to install your Linux kernel, and you’ll be finished and ready to use WSL2. When automatic install and update of the Linux kernel is added you’ll start getting automatic updates to your kernel right away.

Future plans and where to learn more

We’re excited for the release of WSL2, and to keep working on the WSL install experience. Please stay tuned for more updates from us soon!

As always you can reach members of the WSL team that are on Twitter, or me personally @craigaloewen on Twitter if you have any general questions. For technical issues please file an issue on the WSL Github Repo. We always love hearing your feedback, thank you for helping make WSL amazing, and we’ll see you with the next update soon!

Updates:

3/13/2020 – Thank you to our WSL distro partners: Canonical, Debian, openSUSE, Kali Linux, and Pengwin for adding a change to their distro launcher to help support this experience!

Craig Loewen
Program Manager, Windows Developer Platform
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Source: https://devblogs.microsoft.com/comma...-version-2004/

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jimbo45 · Jun 30, 2020

New Windows 10 Insider Preview Fast+Skip Build 18980 (20H1) - Sept. 11 Insider

Hi folks

WSL2 breaks running any GUI programs you had working with WSL1 -- seen some suggestions on Google but I'll wait until some more people have played with it -- seems there's a problem with accessing the display properly due to generated IP addresses -- but I'm not fiddling with that any more.

Running Ubuntu LTS on WSL1 with lightweight LXDE desktop works - some GUI programs run as they do if you install the KDE desktop.

WSL2 breaks the whole kybosh -- but for running command line scripts and non GUI executables it seems fine (WSL2) . You need to install an X-server on windows and use the XLaunch icon on your desktop before starting the Linux GUI -- also you'll need to export DISPLAY=0:0 before using your command on wsl to launch the GUI e.g startlxde. (Lxde is s super dooper lightweight desktop gui which is good for testing if the thing works --you can install more heavyweight stuff once you've got the X-Server working properly.

OK WSL isn't meant to be a complete Linux desktop distro or a fully endowed virtual machine - but what's wrong in testing these things to their limits !!!!

What is nice is you can reset or switch your Linux distro to WSL1 or WSL2 back and forth without having to re-install your distro -- you can also set the default WSL level -- I'd keep the default at 1 until WSL2 is a bit more commonly used -- most things (non GUI) that work on WSL1 will probably work on WSL2 -- file manager is good on WSL2 and you can natively access Linux file systems (with long file names too !!!!!) over a LAN or even attached to the Windows machine. The Windows machine is simply another server as far as WSL2 is concerned.

Cheers
jimbo

Bill Smithers · Jun 30, 2020

WSL2 on separate disk

Read through this:

Installation Instructions for WSL 2

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/wsl2-install

Cheers.

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