wsldl

wsldl

Advanced WSL Distribution Launcher / Installer

Detailed documentation is here

Requirements

• Windows 10 1709 Fall Creators Update or later(x64/arm64).
• Windows Subsystem for Linux feature is enabled.

Install with Prebuilt Packages

You can see List on docs

Note: Exe filename is using to the instance name to register. If you rename it, you can register with a different name.

Install with any rootfs tarball

Note: The filesystem needs to be in the root of the tarball, some rootfs tarballs may need to be repacked.

1. Download wsldl.exe

(wsldl.exe is x86_64, wsldl_arm64.exe is ARM64 build)

2. Rename it for distribution name to register.

(Ex: Rename to Arch.exe if you want to use "Arch" for the Instance name)

3. Put your install.tar(.gz) in same directory as exe (Installation directory)

4. Run exe to install. This process may take a few minutes.

Install with any ext4 vhdx disk images (WSL2 only)

1. Download wsldl.exe

(wsldl.exe is x86_64, wsldl_arm64.exe is ARM64 build)

2. Rename it for distribution name to register.

(Ex: Rename to Arch.exe if you want to use "Arch" for the Instance name)

3. Put your install.ext4.vhdx(.gz) in same directory as exe (Installation directory)

4. Run exe to install. This process may take a few minutes.

Use as a Launcher for already installed distribution

1. Download wsldl.exe

(wsldl.exe is x86_64, wsldl_arm64.exe is ARM64 build)

2. Rename it for registerd instance name.

Please check the registered instance name of the distribution with wslconfig /l command. (Ex: If the instance name is "Ubuntu-20.04", rename wsldl.exe to Ubuntu-20.04.exe)

4. Run exe to Launch instance or configuration.

For details, please see the help. ({InstanceName}.exe help)

Note: You can distribute your distribution including wsldl exe.

How-to-Use(for Installed Instance)

exe Usage

…

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 uninstall instance

>{InstanceName}.exe clean

How-to-backup

export to backup.tar.gz (WSL1 or 2)

>{InstanceName}.exe backup backup.tar.gz

export to backup.ext4.vhdx.gz (WSL2 only)

>{InstanceName}.exe backup backup.ext4.vhdx.gz

How-to-import

.tar(.gz) (WSL1 or 2)

>{InstanceName}.exe install backup.tar.gz

.ext4.vhdx(.gz) (WSL2 only)

>{InstanceName}.exe install backup.ext4.vhdx.gz

How-to-Build

Please see DEVELOPERS.md

License

MIT

Copyright (c) 2017-2025 yuk7