How To Launch Ubuntu in Windows Subsystem for Linux on Windows 10 S

In this comprehensive guide, we will walk through the process of launching Ubuntu in Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) on Windows 10 S. This is a step-by-step guide designed to help you understand and follow the process easily.

Introduction

The Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) is a compatibility layer for running Linux binary executables natively on Windows 10. This feature allows developers and system administrators to use Linux utilities without the need for a traditional virtual machine or dual-boot setup. In this guide, we’ll be focusing on how to use WSL to run Ubuntu, a popular Linux distribution, on Windows 10 S.

Please note that Windows 10 S does not officially support WSL. Therefore, there may be limitations and compatibility issues. If you encounter any problems, you may consider upgrading to Windows 10 Home or Pro, or using alternative methods like running Ubuntu in a virtual machine or dual-booting alongside Windows 10 S.

Step 1: Enabling Windows Subsystem for Linux

Before we can run Ubuntu, we need to enable the Windows Subsystem for Linux feature. Here’s how to do it:

1. Open the Windows Start menu and search for “Turn Windows features on or off”. Click on the search result to open the Windows Features dialog.
2. In the Windows Features dialog, scroll down and locate “Windows Subsystem for Linux”. Check the box next to it and click OK.

After completing these steps, you’ll need to restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

Step 2: Installing Ubuntu from the Microsoft Store

Once you’ve enabled WSL and restarted your computer, the next step is to install Ubuntu. We’ll be using the Microsoft Store to do this:

1. After restarting, open the Microsoft Store and search for “Ubuntu 18.04”. Click on the “Ubuntu 18.04” app from Canonical in the search results.
2. Click on the “Get” button to download and install the Ubuntu 18.04 app from the Microsoft Store. This may take some time as it requires around 214MB of data.

Step 3: Launching Ubuntu in WSL

With Ubuntu installed, we can now launch it using the Windows Command Prompt:

1. Open the Windows Command Prompt by searching for “Command Prompt” in the Start menu.
2. In the Command Prompt window, type ubuntu1804 and press Enter to launch Ubuntu in WSL.

The ubuntu1804 command is case-sensitive, so make sure to type it exactly as shown. This command launches the Ubuntu 18.04 app that we installed from the Microsoft Store.

After running this command, Ubuntu should start up and present you with a command line interface where you can run Linux commands and utilities.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You’ve successfully launched Ubuntu in Windows Subsystem for Linux on Windows 10 S. You can now use the power of Linux command-line tools directly in Windows. This can be incredibly useful for developers and system administrators who need to work with Linux utilities on a Windows system.

Remember, while this guide focuses on Ubuntu 18.04, the process should be similar for other versions of Ubuntu or other Linux distributions available in the Microsoft Store. Just replace ubuntu1804 with the command for your specific distribution.

We hope this guide was helpful. If you have any questions or run into any issues, don’t hesitate to ask for help. Happy coding!