WSL 2 - Enabling systemd

README.md

Enable systemd in WSL 2

NOTE: If you have Windows 11 there is now an official way to do this in WSL 2, use it if possible - see MS post here (WINDOWS 11 ONLY)

This guide will enable systemd to run as normal under WSL 2. This will enable services like microk8s, docker and many more to just work during a WSL session. Note: this was tested on Windows 10 Build 2004, running Ubuntu 20.04 LTS in WSL 2.

• To enable systemd under WSL we require a tool called systemd-genie

• Copy the contents of install-sg.sh to a new file /tmp/install-sg.sh:

  cd /tmp
  wget --content-disposition \
    "https://gist.githubusercontent.com/djfdyuruiry/6720faa3f9fc59bfdf6284ee1f41f950/raw/952347f805045ba0e6ef7868b18f4a9a8dd2e47a/install-sg.sh"

• Make it executable:

  chmod +x /tmp/install-sg.sh

• Run the new script:

  /tmp/install-sg.sh && rm /tmp/install-sg.sh

• Exit the WSL terminal and shutdown the WSL env:

  wsl --shutdown

• To open a new WSL terminal with systemd enabled, run:

  wsl genie -s

• Prove that it works:

  sudo systemctl status time-sync.target

install-sg.sh

#! /usr/bin/env bash
set -e

# change these if you want
UBUNTU_VERSION="20.04"
GENIE_VERSION="1.44"

GENIE_FILE="systemd-genie_${GENIE_VERSION}_amd64"
GENIE_FILE_PATH="/tmp/${GENIE_FILE}.deb"
GENIE_DIR_PATH="/tmp/${GENIE_FILE}"

function installDebPackage() {
  # install repackaged systemd-genie
  sudo dpkg -i "${GENIE_FILE_PATH}"

  rm -rf "${GENIE_FILE_PATH}"
}

function downloadDebPackage() {
  rm -f "${GENIE_FILE_PATH}"

  pushd /tmp

  wget --content-disposition \
    "https://github.com/arkane-systems/genie/releases/download/v${GENIE_VERSION}/systemd-genie_${GENIE_VERSION}_amd64.deb"

  popd
}

function installDependencies() {
  sudo apt-get update

  wget --content-disposition \
    "https://packages.microsoft.com/config/ubuntu/${UBUNTU_VERSION}/packages-microsoft-prod.deb"

  sudo dpkg -i packages-microsoft-prod.deb
  rm packages-microsoft-prod.deb

  sudo apt-get install apt-transport-https

  sudo apt-get update
  sudo apt-get install -y \
    daemonize \
    dotnet-runtime-5.0 \
    systemd-container

  sudo rm -f /usr/sbin/daemonize
  sudo ln -s /usr/bin/daemonize /usr/sbin/daemonize
}

function main() {
  installDependencies

  downloadDebPackage

  installDebPackage
}

main

This is much easier in 2023, source: https://devblogs.microsoft.com/commandline/systemd-support-is-now-available-in-wsl/
Just ensure you have the latest version of WSL:

wsl --update
wsl --version

# soemthing like this
WSL version: 1.2.5.0
Kernel version: 5.15.90.1
WSLg version: 1.0.51
MSRDC version: 1.2.3770
Direct3D version: 1.608.2-61064218
DXCore version: 10.0.25131.1002-220531-1700.rs-onecore-base2-hyp
Windows version: 10.0.19045.3086

Simply add within your distro, e.g. Ubuntu inside /etc/wsl.conf:

[boot]
systemd = true

This is much easier in 2023, source: https://devblogs.microsoft.com/commandline/systemd-support-is-now-available-in-wsl/ Just ensure you have the latest version of WSL:

wsl --update
wsl --version

# soemthing like this
WSL version: 1.2.5.0
Kernel version: 5.15.90.1
WSLg version: 1.0.51
MSRDC version: 1.2.3770
Direct3D version: 1.608.2-61064218
DXCore version: 10.0.25131.1002-220531-1700.rs-onecore-base2-hyp
Windows version: 10.0.19045.3086

Simply add within your distro, e.g. Ubuntu inside /etc/wsl.conf:

[boot]
systemd = true

It's been this way since 2022.
Read my reply from Dec 2022.
I copied the link here for you to make it easier for you to find and read.

https://gist.github.com/djfdyuruiry/6720faa3f9fc59bfdf6284ee1f41f950?permalink_comment_id=4410998#gistcomment-4410998