I am trying to build a custom distro where the base image does not contain "useradd".
How do I provide a custom init script that install packages like shadow-utils, sudo, passwd, util-linux-user, etc.?

It should run the script with bash even if the root shell is not:

It worked after I chsh -s /bin/bash on the root account.
Good thing I don't directly use the root account a lot but still kinda a bummer.

if i needed to post this in the ArchWSL reppo than I am sorry and I will post it there.

An error occurs if a path containing spaces is entered in the argument in runp.

>{InstanceName}.exe runp vim "C:\Dir Dir\file.txt"
ERROR: Path translation failed.

Probably an enhancement, but i'm not sure how difficult it would be. It's possible this belongs over in your yuk7/wsldl project. 🤷‍♂ (intended to register this issue on the CentWSL project. Oops.)

i'd like to install this instance on a thumb drive so i can take it with the rest of my dev environment. i'm aware that when the thumb drive is plugged into another system, the new machine will need to register the WSL instance.

Right now when i attempt to install from the thumb drive, i see:

PS W:\env\wsl\CentWSL> .\CentOS.exe
Installing...
ERROR:Installation Failed!
HRESULT:0x80070057
Press any key to continue...

If i install on an internal drive and attempt to migrate it to the thumb, i start down a rabbit hole of registry changes and other things that ultimately don't work:

The parameter is incorrect.

No idea what originates it. Maybe a debug argument for the EXE could also be added? 😁

If you decide to try this, let me know how i can contribute.

For example to startup in Windows Terminal instead of default cmd conhost.

Is this possible?

I followed the following process, and as a result of it am no longer able to install any wsldl distro.

1. Installed ArchLinux using the zip package.
2. A few days later, I uninstalled by wsl --unregister Arch (I guess this is what caused the problem? I now know, I should have run Arch.exe clean instead)

After following these steps, I tried running Arch.exe without changing anything (rootfs untouched, etc), but I get the error ERROR:Installation Failed! HRESULT:0x80070001
I also tried re-downloading and unzipping, but get the same error.
I also tried installing Artix, but get the same error.

If I install ubuntu from the microsoft store it works properly.

Describe the issue
I'm not sure if it is a bug but also I would like to ask about it.

When you use Arch.exe run "echo 'hello'" the Arch Linux instance is closed. I would like to prevent this closing because I'd like to do something like

Arch.exe run "termite & && disown (pgrep termite) && exit"

That way I'd be starting directly my favorite terminal into my xming instace but keeping the Arch Linux instance running in background.

To Reproduce
Using the run argument for Arch.exe produces an unexpected closure (in my opinion)

Expected behavior
I'd like to run a particular command but not closing Arch.exe after that execution.

Screenshots

Enviroment:

• Windows build number: 10.0.18363.778
• Security Software: Windows Defender
• WSL version 1/2: I don't know because wsl -l -v just shows the same than wsl --help so I guess the WSL1
• ArchWSL version 20.4.3.0
• ArchWSL Installer type zip/appx/other clean/update I'd say via appx but I don't remember right now
• Launcher version wsldl, version 20040300

Additional context
Maybe this is an intenctional/wanted behaviour, but I would like at least to know how to prevent that closure.

Today the 'run' parameter runs a command and exits WSL immediately.
It would be nice to have a similar option which runs a startup-command. This could be used for example to 'cd' directly into the current directory of the Windows CMD console.

I always get the error: HRESULT:0x80070005

The file rootfs.tar.gz is stated in this guide:
https://github.com/yuk7/wsldl#install-with-any-rootfs

The matter is how to create it? Is it a dump file from file system of any Linux installation (physical installation)?

how to Register to WSL

there is a problom when i use pycharm 【At the moment PyCharm supports WSL installations only from Microsoft Store.】https://youtrack.jetbrains.com/issue/PY-32424，so this repo is useful when wsl ，what about wsl2？

Hi,

Can we support to add arg to the comman that change the dir inside of wsl, that is when excute the command line with the dir argument, we can chane to the coresponding directory specified.

for example, excute Centos.exc -p /tmp , and then we are in root@hostname:/tmp

is there a way to load oracle linux with wsldl?

when I use backup command I got this error:

So what is the correct way to use backup command?

How to install Clear Linux?

Is there a rootfs for ubuntu?

What you added in this closed issue, no longer works #20

Does WSL2 support is on the roadmap ?

A very small alpine linux install should also work without bash to fork a run command argument.
Ideas:

• make also default shell a configuration item: e.g. /bin/ash instead of /bin/bash
• rework forking in run command to use the default shell
• check if upstream API error

Reproduction:

• Install alpine WSL
• apk add bash
• alpine.exe run ps (works)
• apk del bash
• alpine.exe run ps (fails)
• alpine.exe run /bin/sh -c '/bin/ps' (fails)

Where are the relevant rootfs.tar.gz downloads in each distribution?

Ubuntu, centos, debain, fedora, gentoo, opensuse,

The latest ArchWSL release 20.4.3.0 supports a couple of terminals "integration". Is there a page where it explains what that does exactly or can you tell us more about it?

I have a Debian WSL distro on my old computer and move it to my new PC with the following process:

:: On the source computer
wsl.exe --export debain Debian-Export.tar

:: On the destination computer
wsl.exe --import debian D:\some\path Debian-Export.tar

Everything is OK but the official Debian launcher app is not installed on destination. So I want to use this launcher app instead.

Launcher's run and config commands are run successfully. But launching the distro with renamed launcher.exe failed with the following error:

C:>debian.exe
Installation directory not found: .
Make sure it exists or reinstall.

Hi I have tried following the instructions using http://cloud.centos.org/centos/6/images/CentOS-6-x86_64-GenericCloud-1907.raw.tar.gz as the rootfs. It installs properly but when I try to run the executable it simply doesn't work. It seems that the program just exits without any output. Any ideas?

i.e. can we convert successfully to WSL 2 ?( via: wsl --set-version Distro 2)

I downloaded the Alpine.zip file, extracted it, and ran Alpine to register with WSL. I ran Alpine again to start it up and created a new user called jim.

When I exit, and then run
Alpine config --default-user jim
I get

ERROR:Invalid Argument.
Failed to detect user.

If I replace Alpine.exe with Launcher.exe (see issue #9 for reason), Launcher hangs (never terminates nor produces any output).

If I start Alpine or Launcher again, I am able to su jim, so the user does exist.

I am trying to add an Alpine distro that uses your exe to my deployment and the final installation step where it asks to for user input to continue is a manual steps I would like a flag to install silently. Is this possible?

Hello,

I wonder if I can install them with your repo.

Installing...
ERROR:Installation Failed!
HRESULT:0x80070005
Press any key to continue...

When using debian stretch rootfs, I always get this error:

Installing...
ERROR:Installation Failed!
HRESULT:0x80004005
Press any key to continue...

Describe the issue
Arch.exe backup return error:

Running backup Script.
If a password is requested, please enter the root password.

tar: Cowardly refusing to create an empty archive
Try 'tar --help' or 'tar --usage' for more information.
bash: line 1: --exclude: command not found
bash: line 2: --exclude: command not found

To Reproduce
execute Arch.exe backup

Expected behavior
backup runs without any error

Enviroment:

• Windows build number: 10.0.18363.535
• Security Software: avast
• WSL version 1/2: WSL1
• ArchWSL version: 19.11.16.0
• ArchWSL Installer type: zip update
• Launcher version: 19111602

Every time run/-c command is executed, it spawns wslhost.exe, which will never be killed:

• Before executing Arch.exe run "echo 'test'"
  
• After executing Arch.exe run "echo 'test'"
  

While other distros (not using wsldl) don't have this problem:

• Before executing ubuntu2004.exe run "echo 'test'"
  
• After executing ubuntu2004.exe run "echo 'test'"
  

It's quite annoying because when there are a lot of wslhost.exes, launching a new terminal of wsl will fail and complain The Windows Subsystem for Linux instance has terminated.

Hello,

First of all, thanks for your tool.
I've tested to create a CentOS7 instance.
When i launch "centos.exe", i get this error:

Installing...
ERROR:Installation Failed!
HRESULT:0x80004001

For the rootfs, i've got it from the official dockerhub centos repository.
They give a ".tar.xz" file that i've conveted to ".tar.gz"
Can you give some help please?

Is it possible to create arguments to change Target name, defalut user and to create launch installed instance shortcut in Start menu?

Hi! I have some questions to you. How can contact you?

Launcher crashes in missing wslapi.dll.

yuk7/ArchWSL#4

• re-write codes with in better c/c++
• use WslLaunch function for get uid in set-default-user
• Separate project
• fix worst Engrish

Hello!
When I run Fedora and try use command "yum update" then I get error "Segmentation fault (core dumped)"

I got

D:\Users\McModder\Downloads>arch-inst.exe
Installing...

ERROR:Installation Failed! 0x80004005
D:\Users\McModder\Downloads>

I have both arch-inst.exe and rootfs.tar.gz in same folder

Tried to launch with user and admin rights

Win10 Pro 1709, build 16299.19

Device

Tested on normally installed windows 10 pro version.

Problem

Execution filename with space will cause Installation failed
Please add this to known issues, thanks.

After Windows reinstallation WSL records obviously lost. And you can't just run Arch.exe with your existing rootfs folder and continue to work.
I've found a workaround: rename old rootfs, install new distro from rootfs.tar (just to register it), then delete and return old rootfs.
But this is inconvinient, why not just to connect to existing rootfs folder if it already exists?

Currently, after distro installation if I rename the file Launcher.exe -> Ubuntu.exe it won't run because there's no distro associated with the name Ubuntu. I'd like to change the name Launcher to Ubuntu. The current workaround is:

1. Save the rootfs folder.
2. Launcher.exe clean
3. Ubuntu.exe (needs rootfs.tar.gz)
4. Replace the rootfs folder with the saved one.

Also, is there any way to manage all distros installed using wsldl? For example, if someone has renamed their folder, then how to fix it?

Official WSL-DistroLauncher was released.
https://github.com/Microsoft/WSL-DistroLauncher
I think no longer need this project.

Is there any plan about using microsoft's new Terminal as wsldl's default console?

The Alpine.exe file in .../releases/downloads/17112101/Alpine.zip does not recognize either clean or help as commands.

A workaround is to download the latest Launcher.exe and rename it as Alpine.exe.

Recently, I am following your repo and also added some idea in my repo. But I have some suggestions, may be that help this project.

1. In newer version of Windows SDK, Microsoft has added Wslapi.h header file. So that you have not to make definition of that WSL functions. 2. Also you may skip to launch WSL.exe in your program by calling the WslLaunchInteractive function. 3. It will be easy if there is a separate header file and .c files for each of the functions.

Also many more....

Hi,
it would be great to have some more docs
about how to build a launcher from main.c .

Best

So, after I created a user manually in CentOS WSL, then I change the default user with command:
CentOS.exe config --default-user hakim
It turned out error: HRESULT:0x80004005 when I double click CentOS.exe.

Then, i tried to delete the user and readded it again.
wsl -d CentOS -u root
I tried again CentOS.exe config --default-user hakim and it works successfully.

Before, unfortunately, I set it with command: CentOS.exe config --default-term wt.

Does the launcher fail? I double clicked it, now, It only shows CentOS folder.
But I can successfully access CentOS WSL as the new user when I access it via dropdownlist.

How can I reset the default terminal? Help and thanks.

I can run the .exe in cmd and get the distro, but how can I register this so I have it as a tile like the Ubuntu I installed from ms store. is is with lxrun? did this get depreciated? thanks