This post shows how to Install and Remove the WSL Ubuntu-22.04 Distribution. It also lists the output of wsl --help.
Prerequisites
Run Get WSL
Computer Configuration
wsl --status
# Default Distribution: docker-desktop-data
# Default Version: 2
wsl -v
# WSL version: 1.2.5.0
# Kernel version: 5.15.90.1
# WSLg version: 1.0.51
# MSRDC version: 1.2.3770
# Direct3D version: 1.608.2-61064218
# DXCore version: 10.0.25131.1002-220531-1700.rs-onecore-base2-hyp
# Windows version: 10.0.19045.2846Install and Remove the WSL Ubuntu-22.04 Distribution
# Run PowerShell
$env:WSL_UTF8=1
wsl --help | more# Save help open it in Windows
wsl --help > wsl.help
explorer.exe .
notepade wsl.help# Get the available distributions:
wsl --list --online# Output
# The following is a list of valid distributions that can be installed.
# Install using 'wsl.exe --install <Distro>'.
#
# NAME FRIENDLY NAME
# Ubuntu Ubuntu
# Debian Debian GNU/Linux
# kali-linux Kali Linux Rolling
# Ubuntu-18.04 Ubuntu 18.04 LTS
# Ubuntu-20.04 Ubuntu 20.04 LTS
# Ubuntu-22.04 Ubuntu 22.04 LTS
# OracleLinux_7_9 Oracle Linux 7.9
# OracleLinux_8_7 Oracle Linux 8.7
# OracleLinux_9_1 Oracle Linux 9.1
# SUSE-Linux-Enterprise-Server-15-SP4 SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP4
# openSUSE-Leap-15.4 openSUSE Leap 15.4
# openSUSE-Tumbleweed openSUSE Tumbleweed# For the next command, when prompted
# Use: username for the username
# Use: password for the password
wsl.exe --install --d Ubuntu-22.04# Output:
# Installing: Ubuntu 22.04 LTS
# Ubuntu 22.04 LTS has been installed.
# Launching Ubuntu 22.04 LTS...
# Installing, this may take a few minutes...
# Please create a default UNIX user account. The username does not need to match your Windows username.
# For more information visit: https://aka.ms/wslusers
# Enter new UNIX username: username
# New password:
# Retype new password:
# passwd: password updated successfully
# The operation completed successfully.
# Installation successful!
# To run a command as administrator (user "root"), use "sudo <command>".
# See "man sudo_root" for details.
#
# Welcome to Ubuntu 22.04.2 LTS (GNU/Linux 5.15.90.1-microsoft-standard-WSL2 x86_64)
#
# * Documentation: https://help.ubuntu.com
# * Management: https://landscape.canonical.com
# * Support: https://ubuntu.com/advantage
#
#
# This message is shown once a day. To disable it please create the
# /home/username/.hushlogin file.# Get the Window's path to HOME, run this at the distributions prompt:
explorer.exe .# You should see something like:
# \\wsl.localhost\Ubuntu-22.04\home\username# Set the default explicitly to work around this bug
# Get out of the distribution
exit# See the default
wsl -l# Output
# Windows Subsystem for Linux Distributions:
# docker-desktop-data (Default) <------ NOTICE
# Ubuntu-22.04
# docker-desktop# Set the default
wsl --set-default Ubuntu-22.04# Output
# The operation completed successfully.# See the default
wsl -l# Output
# Windows Subsystem for Linux Distributions:
# Ubuntu-22.04 (Default) <------ NOTICE
# docker-desktop-data
# docker-desktop# Test entering and exiting wsl
wsl# Output
# To run a command as administrator (user "root"), use "sudo <command>".
# See "man sudo_root" for details.
#
# username@LAPTOP-3MCNKKJO:/mnt/c/Users/Zach Pfeffer$# Run to test
exit
wsl
exit# Unregister the distribution and delete the root filesystem.
wsl.exe --unregister Ubuntu-22.04# Output
# Unregistering.
# The operation completed successfully.# \\wsl.localhost\Ubuntu-22.04\home\username is now gone
wsl --help
Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
For privacy information about this product please visit https://aka.ms/privacy.
Usage: wsl.exe [Argument] [Options...] [CommandLine]
Arguments for running Linux binaries:
If no command line is provided, wsl.exe launches the default shell.
--exec, -e <CommandLine>
Execute the specified command without using the default Linux shell.
--shell-type <Type>
Execute the specified command with the provided shell type.
Types:
standard
Execute the specified command using the default Linux shell.
login
Execute the specified command using the default Linux shell as a login shell.
none
Execute the specified command without using the default Linux shell.
--
Pass the remaining command line as-is.
Options:
--cd <Directory>
Sets the specified directory as the current working directory.
If ~ is used the Linux user's home path will be used. If the path begins
with a / character, it will be interpreted as an absolute Linux path.
Otherwise, the value must be an absolute Windows path.
--distribution, -d <Distro>
Run the specified distribution.
--user, -u <UserName>
Run as the specified user.
--system
Launches a shell for the system distribution.
Arguments for managing Windows Subsystem for Linux:
--help
Display usage information.
--debug-shell
Open a WSL2 debug shell for diagnostics purposes.
--event-viewer
Opens the application view of the Windows Event Viewer.
--install [Distro] [Options...]
Install a Windows Subsystem for Linux distribution.
For a list of valid distributions, use 'wsl.exe --list --online'.
Options:
--no-launch, -n
Do not launch the distribution after install.
--web-download
Download the distribution from the internet instead of the Microsoft Store.
--mount <Disk>
Attaches and mounts a physical or virtual disk in all WSL 2 distributions.
Options:
--vhd
Specifies that <Disk> refers to a virtual hard disk.
--bare
Attach the disk to WSL2, but don't mount it.
--name <Name>
Mount the disk using a custom name for the mountpoint.
--type <Type>
Filesystem to use when mounting a disk, if not specified defaults to ext4.
--options <Options>
Additional mount options.
--partition <Index>
Index of the partition to mount, if not specified defaults to the whole disk.
--release-notes
Opens a web browser to view the WSL release notes page.
--set-default-version <Version>
Changes the default install version for new distributions.
--shutdown
Immediately terminates all running distributions and the WSL 2
lightweight utility virtual machine.
--status
Show the status of Windows Subsystem for Linux.
--unmount [Disk]
Unmounts and detaches a disk from all WSL2 distributions.
Unmounts and detaches all disks if called without argument.
--update
Update the Windows Subsystem for Linux package.
Options:
--web-download
Download the update from the internet instead of the Microsoft Store.
--pre-release
Download a pre-release version if available. Implies --web-download.
--version, -v
Display version information.
Arguments for managing distributions in Windows Subsystem for Linux:
--export <Distro> <FileName> [Options]
Exports the distribution to a tar file.
The filename can be - for standard output.
Options:
--vhd
Specifies that the distribution should be exported as a .vhdx file.
--import <Distro> <InstallLocation> <FileName> [Options]
Imports the specified tar file as a new distribution.
The filename can be - for standard input.
Options:
--version <Version>
Specifies the version to use for the new distribution.
--vhd
Specifies that the provided file is a .vhdx file, not a tar file.
This operation makes a copy of the .vhdx file at the specified install location.
--import-in-place <Distro> <FileName>
Imports the specified .vhdx file as a new distribution.
This virtual hard disk must be formatted with the ext4 filesystem type.
--list, -l [Options]
Lists distributions.
Options:
--all
List all distributions, including distributions that are
currently being installed or uninstalled.
--running
List only distributions that are currently running.
--quiet, -q
Only show distribution names.
--verbose, -v
Show detailed information about all distributions.
--online, -o
Displays a list of available distributions for install with 'wsl.exe --install'.
--set-default, -s <Distro>
Sets the distribution as the default.
--set-version <Distro> <Version>
Changes the version of the specified distribution.
--terminate, -t <Distro>
Terminates the specified distribution.
--unregister <Distro>
Unregisters the distribution and deletes the root filesystem.
References
Windows 10 Logo
Tux Logo
Tux (mascot). (2023, April 10). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tux_(mascot)
