4/26/24, 9:46 AM Install and Remove the WSL Ubuntu-22.

04 Distribution

Jun 4, 2023 5 min read

Install and Remove the WSL Ubuntu-22.04

Distribution
Updated: Mar 28

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: 10.0.19045.2846

Install and Remove the WSL Ubuntu-22.04 Distribution

# Run PowerShell

$env:WSL_UTF8=1
wsl --help | more
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# 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:
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# 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:

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# \\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
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# 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

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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.
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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.
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--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.

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--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.
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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.
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--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
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Windows_logo_-_2012_%28dark_blue%29.svg

Tux Logo
Tux (mascot). (2023, April 10). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tux_(mascot)
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tux_%28mascot%29#/media/File:Tux.png

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