WSL2 is so last year: Linux compatibility layer backported to older Windows 10 versions

Microsoft has backported the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) 2 to last year's Windows 10 – 1903 and 1909. Previously one had to bite the bullet and upgrade to the latest version of Windows 10, 2004, to enjoy the Linux-kernel-containing goodness. WSL2 is considerably more performant (unless one tries to hop outside of the VM' …

[logicalextreme]

Three days after

I upgrade to 2004 to get WSL2. Doesn't seem like it was worth all the weirdness that 2004 brought with it.

[Hubert Cumberdale]

So I finally let 2004 install last week just to get WSL2,

borking my internet connection status in the process and requiring a registry tweak to fix it, only to find I needn't have bothered? Sigh.

[Anonymous Coward]

It's a Linux article

In before Jake

[pip25]

I am confused

I was sure WSL2 used Hyper-V to run the Linux kernel. Is that no longer the case?

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: I am confused

It does.

>Rather than requiring Hyper-V, which is resolutely not part of Windows Home, Docker Desktop will happily perch atop WSL2.

Depending on how pedantic you are, Docker will no longer (have to) _directly_ depend on Hyper-V - it'll instead be able to depend on WSL2, which in turn requires Hyper-V.

[David Roberts]

What Linux add ons can you install?

Might give this a try.

Fighting W10 to get a USB GPS to work with web pages.

Linux might be a workable alternative (or possibly not).

[bombastic bob]

Re: What Linux add ons can you install?

if you ask me, I'd prefer a windows subsystem to run ON LINUX [like Wine only blessed and supported]

I'd pay MONEY for THAT...

(then we can have all of the Linux add-ons we want, and the desktop we want, and the look/feel of window decorations etc. that we want, NOT have to deal with "Settings", or "Start Thing", yotta yotta)

[streaky]

2004

Only way to get out dev/beta rings is to reinstall windows by the way, for, y'know, reasons question mark.

Had to go dev to get the GPU goodies for TensorFlow, not so fun..

That all being said not had any major issues touch wood other than not being able to install MSFS because Microsoft don't test their own software against their own OS, or something.

[guyr]

"Rather than requiring Hyper-V, which is resolutely not part of Windows Home"

Ye of little faith. Please see my comment on the page in the following link. Hyper-V can be enabled on Home with some easy to follow steps.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/29175/installation-of-hyper-v-on-windows-10-home.html

[DCdave]

1909 holdout?

Not holding out, 1909 is still the latest available version for my laptop.

[Mobster]

WSL 2 reqires Hyper V, so I am not sure why docker is excited about this...

[JulieM]

Obvious now

By now it should be blindingly obvious that Microsoft's long-term plan is to retire the Windows kernel; replacing it with a proprietary layer running on top of a Linux kernel.