custom wsl ubuntu install

custom-wsl-ubuntu-install.md

Custom install ubuntu wsl2

Benefits:

• no need to install ubuntu from the store
• choose the version you want
• choose the name you want
• choose the location you want
• install multiple versions of ubuntu

Install Ubuntu the classic way

wsl --install -d ubuntu

Install Ubuntu the expert way

First, download the Ubuntu rootfs tarball from the Ubuntu Cloud Images website:

https://cloud-images.ubuntu.com/wsl/mantic/current/ubuntu-mantic-wsl-amd64-wsl.rootfs.tar.gz

Then import it into WSL2:

wsl --import <Distribution Name> <Installation Folder> <Ubuntu WSL2 Image Tarball path>

wsl --import ubuntu-2 D:\Workspaces\wsl\ubuntu2 D:\Workspaces\wsl\ubuntu-mantic-wsl-amd64-wsl.rootfs.tar.gz

add default user (instead of root)

Launch ubuntu-2

wsl -d ubuntu-2

Inside ubuntu-2

NEW_USER=dotexec
useradd -m -G sudo -s /bin/bash "$NEW_USER"
passwd "$NEW_USER"

tee /etc/wsl.conf <<_EOF
[user]
default=${NEW_USER}
_EOF

shutdown ubuntu-2 to apply the changes

wsl --shutdown ubuntu-2