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Byron Boudreaux's avatar
Byron Boudreaux
Copper Contributor
Nov 24, 2020

WSL 2 not working after installing 20262

Just getting involved with Insider Preview...upgraded 2019 Datacenter (latest official release) to 20262. After the upgrade, downloaded and ran the Linux Kernel update package. When running WSL comma...
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Mary Hoffman's avatar
Mary Hoffman
Former Employee
Feb 10, 2021

LubomirH WSL was only available in the Semi-Annual Channel releases, not Windows Server LTSC. What may be confusing is that there was an 1809 version of both SAC and LTSC - they were released at the same time.

aPinat's avatar
aPinat
Copper Contributor
Feb 19, 2021

Mary Hoffman

I don't think this is quite right. WSL(1) was indeed available in Windows Server 2019 LTSC and I was able to use it perfectly fine. WSL2 on the other hand wasn't, because it simply did not exist back then yet.

Also, WSL2 was backported to Windows 10 Versions 1903 and 1909 a while ago (https://devblogs.microsoft.com/commandline/wsl-2-support-is-coming-to-windows-10-versions-1903-and-1909/), but not the Windows Server 2019 LTSC, which is based on Windows 10 version 1809.

WSL2 then worked perfectly for the first early LTSC preview builds, but then suddenly stopped working once the flighting branch was changed to "fe_release[_server]" in build 20246 onwards. Main Windows 10 Insider Preview also switched branches there (https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2020/10/29/announcing-windows-10-insider-preview-build-20246/). WSL1 however appears to continue to work just fine.

I had opened a GitHub issue about this a while ago: https://github.com/microsoft/WSL/issues/6301

  • LubomirH's avatar
    LubomirH
    Brass Contributor
    Apr 02, 2021

    If anybody hoped it is fixed in the build 20324, rest assured it isn't. :cry:

    The command

    PS C:\Users\Administrator> wsl --set-default-version 2

    still just outputs the same as the command bellow

    wsl --help

    and doesn't switch to mode 2

    PS C:\Users\Administrator> wsl --status
Default Version: 1

Windows Subsystem for Linux was last updated on 4/2/2021
The Windows Subsystem for Linux kernel can be manually updated with 'wsl --update', but automatic updates cannot occur due to your system settings.
To receive automatic kernel updates, please enable the Windows Update setting: 'Receive updates for other Microsoft products when you update Windows'.
For more information please visit https://aka.ms/wsl2kernel.

Kernel version: 5.4.72

      

  • BBuvy's avatar
    BBuvy
    Copper Contributor
    Mar 21, 2021

    LubomirH I can verify that build 20313 it is still broken.  I landed here trying to figure out what had gone wrong and what the triage was.  I'm in the same boat as you as my working WSL2 compatible version expired on 1/31 and now won't start up.

    This is frustrating as all get out.

  • tbertenshaw's avatar
    tbertenshaw
    Copper Contributor
    Mar 05, 2021

    LubomirH would be nice if someone at MS just explained the situation. i.e. we don't plan to introduce until after GA or its still being planned or its unsupported at the moment but you can fudge it by X etc. 

  • LubomirH's avatar
    LubomirH
    Brass Contributor
    Mar 05, 2021

    tbertenshaw 

    It unfortunately doesn't look like that. :cryingwithlaughter:

    Still the same behavior.

    It isn't possible to run the command

    wsl --set-default-version 2

     

  • tbertenshaw's avatar
    tbertenshaw
    Copper Contributor
    Mar 03, 2021

    Any news on if WSL2 is in this new preview of Windows Server 2022? 

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