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Installing Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL)

Enable WSL

Important

Run the following commands from an admin shell:

Using PowerShell

Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Windows-Subsystem-Linux -All
Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName VirtualMachinePlatform -All
Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Hyper-V -All

Or using Command Prompt and DISM

Run the following command from an admin shell:

DISM /Online /Enable-Feature /All /FeatureName:Microsoft-Windows-Subsystem-Linux /norestart
DISM /Online /Enable-Feature /All /FeatureName:VirtualMachinePlatform /norestart
DISM /Online /Enable-Feature /All /FeatureName:Microsoft-Hyper-V /norestart

Install WSL

Important

Run the following command from a non-admin shell:

wsl --install

Updating WSL

Important

Run the following command from a non-admin shell:

wsl --update --web-download

Running WSL

To enter the WSL environment simply execute:

wsl

This will launch the default linux OS.

wsl --install
wsl --update --web-download

If you run wsl and nothing happens (no errors reported, but WSL does not launch). Then run the above commands again.

Installing NixOS-WSL

1. First, download the latest release.
2. Import NixOS-WSL (run these commands in the same folder where the release nixos-wsl.tar.gz was downloaded): Using PowerShell:

wsl --import NixOS $env:USERPROFILE\NixOS\ nixos-wsl.tar.gz

Using Command Prompt:

wsl --import NixOS %USERPROFILE%\NixOS\ nixos-wsl.tar.gz

3. Enter the NixOS environment

wsl -d NixOS

Important

4. After the initial installation, you need to update your channels once, to be able to use nixos-rebuild:

sudo nix-channel --update

To optionally set NixOS as the default for WSL:

wsl -s NixOS

🚨 How to update the username in WSL

This configuration sets wsl.defaultUser. Follow these instructions to make sure, the change gets applied correctly:

1. Apply the configuration:
   sudo nixos-rebuild boot --flake .#ghost

Caution

Do not use nixos-rebuild switch! It may lead to the new user account being misconfigured.

2. Exit the WSL shell and stop your NixOS distro:
   wsl -t NixOS.
3. Start a shell inside NixOS and immediately exit it to apply the new generation:
   wsl -d NixOS --user root exit
4. Stop the distro again:
   wsl -t NixOS
5. Open a WSL shell. Your new username should be applied now!