WSL and Docker and Linux oh my!! (Part 1: WSL)

[Paul York]

Okay, so I'm lost. I'm trying to configure a 17666 core build on a bare-metal install (old small box...HP MicroServer N40L 8GB). For a variety of reasons, I want it to be a docker host. Also would like it to run WSL (though this is lower priority).

PART 1: WSL

So first, I've got issues installing WSL. I've enabled it and followed the instructions for downloading a Ubuntu 1604 distro. Try to install and get:

PS C:\Users\Administrator> Expand-Archive .\Ubuntu.zip C:\WSLDistros\Ubuntu
PS C:\Users\Administrator> cd C:\WSLDistros\Ubuntu\
PS C:\WSLDistros\Ubuntu> .\ubuntu.exe
Installing, this may take a few minutes...
Installation successful!
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: paul
The I/O operation has been aborted because of either a thread exit or an application request.
The I/O operation has been aborted because of either a thread exit or an application request.
The I/O operation has been aborted because of either a thread exit or an application request.
The I/O operation has been aborted because of either a thread exit or an application request.

The I/O operation message repeats forever. No associated event log entries.

After killing the install process, I can see that the distro is supposedly installed:

PS C:\Users\Administrator> wslconfig /l /all
Windows Subsystem for Linux Distributions:
Ubuntu (Default)

BUT, further attempts at running wsl result in:

C:\WSLDistros\Ubuntu>wsl
The I/O operation has been aborted because of either a thread exit or an application request.
Press any key to continue...

Any ideas?

[#2]

@Paul York 

I get this same error when executing wsl or bash or ubuntu in a command tool or Powershell.  I found that it happens in directories whos path name exceeds 40 characters.  below I created a direcory with 40 characters on the C drive and it works: 

changing to a directory with one more character I get "The I/O operation has been aborted because of either a thread exit or an application request."

Can this be corrected?  I'm usually down a few directories on the C drive before opening a Powershell or cmd for running bash scripts.