Installing Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) (2026)

wsl install

here's a log of me installing Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) .

the steps are:

1. turn on the virtualization mode (svm mode). Go to your computer Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) or BIOS. You do this by holding Delete ⌦ key. or F2 or F1 or F10 〔MSI Click BIOS, enable secure boot, virtualization (svm) (2026)〕
2. run wsl --install. this installs and prepares wsl. Then Reboot.
3. run wsl --install again. this installs linux os. by default, ubuntu. Then reboot.

• now, type wsl to start linux. you will be in linux shell, it'll ask you to create account name and password.
• Ctrl+d to exit linux.

Starting linux

accesing Microsoft Windows files from linux

when in wsl, the Microsoft Windows files are mounted on

/mnt/c/

accesing linux files from Windows

when in Windows, the linux files are via the fake network file location at

\\wsl.localhost\Ubuntu\home\xah

you can open it, by, while in linux, type

explorer.exe .

what's //wsl.localhost , how does it work

• in wsl you have this path
• //wsl.localhost/Ubuntu/home/xah
• does does that work? isn't this on c drive.
• and the two slashes means this is some sort of fake network?