WSL issue: "Windows Subystem for Linux has no installed distributions"

1
votes

I'm trying to get WSL 2 working on my Windows 10 machine. I have followed the "Manual" directions in this page:

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/install-win10#set-your-distribution-version-to-wsl-1-or-wsl-2

And then downloaded 2 different Ubuntu distros linked in this page:

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/install-manual

I set the default version to WSL 2.

After invoking "Add-AppxPackage" (with no errors) and restarting, the WSL still reports that I have no installed distributions.

See:

WSL No Installed Disributions

I have confirmed that all Hyper-V options have been enabled in Windows Features, along with Virtual Machine Platform, and Windows Subsystem for Linux.

I have tried "wsl /install" but it simply reports the same "Windows Subsystem for Linux has no installed distributions."

I have tried Add-AppxPackage with both administrator rights and non adminstrator rights with no difference.

How can I get WSL to allow me to install a distro?

1
ubuntu-18.04windows-subsystem-for-linux
It looks like you did a wsl --list --verbose at some point - What was the result of that command? My first hunch was that perhaps the distribution was installed, but not set as default. But that doesn't fit for two reasons - First, Microsoft's error messages are usually smarter than that. And second, even after setting an unused WSL instance to default, and then deleting it, WSL automatically set a different distro as default. So I'm suspecting there's always a default distro set for WSL. - NotTheDr01ds
Also I would recommend reposting this over on Unix & Linux Stack Exchange or perhaps Super User. It's really more appropriate on one of those sites since it doesn't cover a programming question. - NotTheDr01ds
Thank you for your comments @NotTheDr01ds. I didn't realize that I needed to "run" the Ubuntu application from the operating system to get it to finish the install. Once I did that, it showed up in my WSL. Thanks!!! - Bill Gregg

1 Answers

3
votes

After performing all of the steps above, I noticed that "Ubuntu 18.04 LTS" was in my "Recently Added" programs list in the start menu. Double clicking on it finished the installation.