Howto wsl windows

installation

open powershell as administrator and restart the computer when asked:

dism.exe /online /enable-feature /featurename:Microsoft-Windows-Subsystem-Linux /all /norestart
dism.exe /online /enable-feature /featurename:VirtualMachinePlatform /all 

when computer start open powershell again as administration then execute the following commands:

wsl --update
wsl --shutdown

download and install kernel update:

https://wslstorestorage.blob.core.windows.net/wslblob/wsl_update_x64.msi

set wsl version 2 as default:

wsl --set-default-version 2

install hyper-v componets for windows:

Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Hyper-V -All

to enable hyper-v manager:

Add-WindowsFeature rsat-Hyper-V-tools

commands

list of available wsl distros to install:

wsl --list -o

install specific distro:

wsl --install -d kali-linux

update the wsl kernel:

wsl --update

set windows subsystem for linux 2 your default architecture for new distros:

wsl --set-default-version 2

convert the distro from wsl to wsl 2:

wsl --set-version kali-linux 2

list distro name and version:

wsl -l -v

restart wsl, this will shutdown all distros:

wsl --shutdown

create a backup of the wsl distro:

wsl --export kali-linux kali-linux-backup.tar

restore from backup:

wsl --import kali-linux C:\Users\USERNAME\Distros C:\kali-linux-backup.tar

if you want to uninstall linux distro:

wsl --unregister kali-linux

launch installed the distro:

wsl --distribution kali-linux

terminate or stop a wsl instance:

wsl --terminate kali-linux

to check wsl status:

wsl --status

view the linux files in windows file explorer:

explorer.exe .

set specific distro as default:

wsl -s kali-linux
wsl --set-default kali-linux

to change the default user for a distribution:

kali-linux config --default-user username

references

• https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/basic-commands