WSL Autostart

Support for starting the Linux services in Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) on Windows startup.

README | 中文文档

Table of Contents

• Installation
• Usage

Installation

• Clone to any directory using the git command: (e.g C:\wsl-autostart)

git clone https://github.com/troytse/wsl-autostart

• Add a startup item to the registry.

• Add a string item under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run (e.g WSLAutostart)

• Set the path to the script (e.g C:\wsl-autostart\start.vbs)

Usage

• Modify /etc/sudoers in the WSL to specify the service commands calling on startup without a password.

• For example,

  • for the distribution Ubuntu and other Debian derivates:

    %sudo ALL=NOPASSWD: /etc/init.d/cron
    %sudo ALL=NOPASSWD: /etc/init.d/ssh
    %sudo ALL=NOPASSWD: /etc/init.d/mysql
    %sudo ALL=NOPASSWD: /etc/init.d/apache2
    

  • for the distribution Opensuse:

    %users ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: /usr/sbin/cron
    

• Modify commands.txt in the wsl-autostart directory to specify the service commands accordingly. For example,

  • for the distribution Ubuntu and other Debian derivates:

    /etc/init.d/cron
    /etc/init.d/ssh
    /etc/init.d/mysql
    /etc/init.d/apache2

  • for the distribution Opensuse:

    /usr/sbin/cron

Other methods

• Using gpedit.msc, it is possible to define a program that runs when the computer starts

  Note that the configured program will run as the system user.

• Using taskschd.msc, it is possible to schedule a task after the startup of the computer.

  You may configure which user will run the program, a delay before a run and a number of retries. the same taskschd.msc program will show a specific log regarding the execution of the task

See here how to avoid the UAC prompt. One option is:

1. create an elevated shortcut by https://winaero.com/blog/create-elevated-shortcut-to-skip-uac-prompt-in-windows-10/ (or more conveniently by the Winaero Tweaker as pointed out at the end of these instruction) and
2. put it into the startup folder %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup.