LinuxmintWSL

Linuxmint on WSL2 (Windows 10 FCU or later) based on wsldl.

💻 Requirements

• For x64 systems: Version 1903 or higher, with Build 18362 or higher.
• For ARM64 systems: Version 2004 or higher, with Build 19041 or higher.
• Builds lower than 18362 do not support WSL 2.
• Enable Windows Subsystem for Linux feature.

dism.exe /online /enable-feature /featurename:Microsoft-Windows-Subsystem-Linux /all /norestart

• Enable Virtual Machine feature

dism.exe /online /enable-feature /featurename:VirtualMachinePlatform /all /norestart

• Download and install the latest Linux kernel update package from here. Its a cab file. Open and extract the exe file within using 7zip/winzip/winrar.

For more details, check this microsoft document.

Install

1. Download installer zip
2. Extract all files in zip file to same directory
3. Run Mint.exe to Extract rootfs and Register to WSL

Note: Exe filename is using the instance name to register. If you rename it you can register with a diffrent name and have multiple installs.

If you want to use WSL2 after install, convert it with the following command.

wsl --set-version Mint 2

You can also set wsl2 as default. Use the command below before running Mint.exe.

wsl --set-default-version 2

How-to-Use(for Installed Instance)

exe Usage

Usage :
    <no args>
      - Open a new shell with your default settings.

    run <command line>
      - Run the given command line in that instance. Inherit current directory.

    runp <command line (includes windows path)>
      - Run the given command line in that instance after converting its path.

    config [setting [value]]
      - `--default-user <user>`: Set the default user of this instance to <user>.
      - `--default-uid <uid>`: Set the default user uid of this instance to <uid>.
      - `--append-path <true|false>`: Switch of Append Windows PATH to $PATH
      - `--mount-drive <true|false>`: Switch of Mount drives
      - `--default-term <default|wt|flute>`: Set default type of terminal window.

    get [setting]
      - `--default-uid`: Get the default user uid in this instance.
      - `--append-path`: Get true/false status of Append Windows PATH to $PATH.
      - `--mount-drive`: Get true/false status of Mount drives.
      - `--wsl-version`: Get the version os the WSL (1/2) of this instance.
      - `--default-term`: Get Default Terminal type of this instance launcher.
      - `--lxguid`: Get WSL GUID key for this instance.

    backup [contents]
      - `--tar`: Output backup.tar to the current directory.
      - `--reg`: Output settings registry file to the current directory.
	  - `--tgz`: Output backup.tar.gz to the current directory.
      - `--vhdx`: Output backup.ext4.vhdx to the current directory.
      - `--vhdxgz`: Output backup.ext4.vhdx.gz to the current directory.

    clean
      - Uninstall that instance.

    help
      - Print this usage message.

Just Run exe

>{InstanceName}.exe
[root@PC-NAME user]#

Run with command line

>{InstanceName}.exe run uname -r
4.4.0-43-Microsoft

Run with command line with path translation

>{InstanceName}.exe runp echo C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe
/mnt/c/Windows/System32/cmd.exe

Change Default User(id command required)

>{InstanceName}.exe config --default-user user

>{InstanceName}.exe
[user@PC-NAME dir]$

Set "Windows Terminal" as default terminal

>{InstanceName}.exe config --default-term wt

How to setup

Open Mint.exe and run the following commands.

passwd
useradd -m -s /bin/bash <username>
passwd <username>
exit

Execute the command below in a windows cmd terminal from the directory where Mint.exe is installed.

>Mint.exe config --default-user <username>

How to uninstall instance

>Mint.exe clean

How to backup instance

export to backup.tar.gz

>Mint.exe backup --tgz

export to backup.ext4.vhdx.gz

>Mint.exe backup --vhdxgz

How to restore instance

There are 2 ways to do it.

Rename the backup to rootfs.tar.gz and run Mint.exe

(or)

.tar(.gz)

>Mint.exe install backup.tar.gz

.ext4.vhdx(.gz)

>Mint.exe install backup.ext4.vhdx.gz

You may need to run the command below in some circumstances.

>Mint.exe --default-uid 1000

How to build

Prerequisites

Docker, tar, zip, unzip need to be installed.

git clone [email protected]:sileshn/LinuxmintWSL.git
cd LinuxmintWSL
make

Copy the Linuxmint.zip file to a safe location and run the command below to clean.

make clean

How to run docker in LinuxmintWSL without using docker desktop.

Delete older versions of docker if installed.

sudo apt-get remove docker docker-engine docker.io containerd runc

Execute the commands below to install docker.

sudo apt -y install apt-transport-https ca-certificates curl software-properties-common
curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg | sudo apt-key add -
sudo add-apt-repository "deb [arch=amd64] https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu $(. /etc/os-release; echo "$UBUNTU_CODENAME") stable"
sudo apt update
sudo apt install docker-ce
sudo usermod -aG docker $USER

Follow this blog post for further details on how to set it up.