microsoft / microsoft/WSL

[Store APP] Check/Install Virtual Machine platform

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#7,578 3 comments 0 reactions 0 assignees View on GitHub

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feature
Dominant language
C++
Stars
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Forks
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Avg merge
3d 17h
Merged PRs (30d)
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Description

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.
After a clean Windows 11 install, I tried to install "only" the Windows Subsystem for Linux store app.
While the installation worked perfectly, once I installed a distro, also from the store, then I got the error that a feature was missing.

Running wsl --status confirms the feature missing:
image

Describe the solution you'd like
When installing WSL from the Store App, it leverages the wsl --install command for checking and installing the Virtual Machine Platform feature if not installed.
This will enhance the end-user experience by handling the WSL install entirely.

Describe alternatives you've considered
I tried running afterwards wsl install, and as the Store app takes precedence, then I got the same error:
image

Finally, the solution is to enable "manually" the feature, either via the UI or with Powershell

Additional context
As stated above, this feature will help more the fresh installs.

Thanks a lot for your support.
WSL Corsair

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Review the Store app path that invokes wsl --install and the Virtual Machine Platform prerequisite; use wsl --status on a clean Windows 11 installation as the starting check. Done means the Store installation detects and enables the prerequisite so a subsequently installed distro works without manual UI or PowerShell steps.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
cpp, powershell
Domain
cli, operating-systems
Issue type
Feature
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
45/100

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