c57d7539d8
Six-module walkthrough covering navigation, files, reading/searching, processes/editors, scripting, and advanced tools (ssh, regex, tar, etc.). Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
162 lines
4.4 KiB
Markdown
162 lines
4.4 KiB
Markdown
# Installing WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux)
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This guide walks you through installing WSL on Windows 10 or 11. macOS and Linux users can skip this entirely.
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---
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## Step-by-step installation
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### 1. Check your Windows version
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Press `Win+R`, type `winver`, and press Enter. You need **Windows 10 build 19041 or later**, or **Windows 11**.
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### 2. Open PowerShell as Administrator
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This is important — a normal PowerShell window will not work.
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- Click the **Start** button, type **PowerShell**
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- Right-click **Windows PowerShell** and select **Run as administrator**
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- Click **Yes** when prompted by User Account Control
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Alternatively, right-click the Start button and choose **Terminal (Admin)**.
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### 3. Install WSL
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In the administrator PowerShell window, type:
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```powershell
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wsl --install
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```
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This single command does several things:
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- Enables the WSL and Virtual Machine Platform features
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- Downloads the latest Linux kernel
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- Sets WSL 2 as the default version
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- Downloads and installs Ubuntu
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You should see progress output as it downloads and installs.
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### 4. Restart your computer
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When the install finishes, **restart your computer**. This is required — the features enabled in step 3 won't be active until you reboot.
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### 5. Launch Ubuntu
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After restarting, open the **Start** menu and search for **Ubuntu**. Click it to launch.
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The first time you open Ubuntu, it will spend a minute or two decompressing files. This is normal — just wait.
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### 6. Create your Linux username and password
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Ubuntu will prompt you to create a new account:
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```
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Enter new UNIX username:
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```
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Pick a simple lowercase name with no spaces (e.g., `jsmith` or your UDel login).
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Next, it will ask for a password. **Nothing will appear on screen while you type your password.** This is normal Linux behavior — it's not broken, it's just hiding your input for security. Type your password and press Enter. You'll be asked to confirm it.
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### 7. Verify it's working
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You should now see a Linux prompt that looks something like:
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```
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jsmith@DESKTOP-ABC123:~$
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```
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Try a few commands to confirm everything is working:
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```bash
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pwd
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ls
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whoami
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```
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### 8. Update your packages
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It's good practice to update Ubuntu right after installing:
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```bash
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sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
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```
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You'll be prompted for the password you just created.
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You're all set!
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---
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## Troubleshooting
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### `wsl --install` just shows help text
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This means WSL was already partially enabled on your machine (perhaps from a previous attempt). Instead, run:
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```powershell
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wsl --install -d Ubuntu
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```
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### The install hangs or stalls at 0%
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Try downloading the distribution from the web instead:
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```powershell
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wsl --install --web-download -d Ubuntu
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```
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### "The virtual machine could not be started" (error 0x80370102)
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Your computer's hardware virtualization may be disabled. You need to enable it in your BIOS/UEFI settings:
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1. Restart your computer and enter the BIOS (usually by pressing `F2`, `F10`, `Del`, or `Esc` during boot — it varies by manufacturer)
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2. Look for a setting called **Intel VT-x**, **Intel Virtualization Technology**, or **AMD-V** (usually under CPU or Advanced settings)
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3. Enable it, save, and restart
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### "WslRegisterDistribution failed" (error 0x8007019e)
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The WSL feature itself isn't enabled. Open PowerShell as Administrator and run:
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```powershell
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Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Windows-Subsystem-Linux
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```
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Then restart and try again.
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### `wsl` is not recognized as a command
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Make sure you're using a 64-bit PowerShell. Try typing `wsl.exe` instead of `wsl`.
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### I forgot my Linux password
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From PowerShell (not inside Ubuntu), run:
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```powershell
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wsl -u root
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```
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Then reset your password:
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```bash
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passwd your_username
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```
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---
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## Launching WSL after installation
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Once installed, you can open your Linux terminal in any of these ways:
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- **Start menu**: Search for **Ubuntu**
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- **PowerShell or Command Prompt**: Type `wsl`
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- **Windows Terminal** (recommended): Ubuntu appears as an option in the dropdown tab menu. Windows Terminal supports multiple tabs and is a nicer experience overall.
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---
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## References
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- [Install WSL (Microsoft docs)](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/install)
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- [Set up a WSL development environment](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/setup/environment)
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- [WSL troubleshooting (Microsoft docs)](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/troubleshooting)
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