Wsl: Feature name Microsoft-Windows-Subsystem-Linux is unknown

[mbloem-Steelcase]

I get this error when I try to run the command. Any ideas how to fix this?

PS C:WINDOWSsystem32> Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Windows-Subsystem-Linux
Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature : Feature name Microsoft-Windows-Subsystem-Linux is unknown.
At line:1 char:1

• Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Windows- ...
• ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  
  
  
  • CategoryInfo : NotSpecified: (:) [Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature], COMException
  
  
  • FullyQualifiedErrorId : Microsoft.Dism.Commands.EnableWindowsOptionalFeatureCommand
  
  

---

Document Details

⚠ Do not edit this section. It is required for docs.microsoft.com ➟ GitHub issue linking.

• ID: f2668f02-b96f-7f16-6fc5-950a1e5f86b9
• Version Independent ID: 75f3a2fb-99bd-0161-28ba-5c86e917f4d5
• Content: Install the Linux Subsystem on Windows 10
• Content Source: WSL/install-win10.md
• Service: windows-subsystem-for-linux
• Product: windows-subsystem-for-linux
• GitHub Login: @scooley
• Microsoft Alias: scooley

[bitcrazed]

Are you running Windows 10 x64 Creators Update Home, Pro, or Enterprise (non-LTSB SKU) or later?

[mbloem-Steelcase]

Hello,

Here’s what version of Windows I’m using:

[cid:[email protected]]

Best,

Michael

--
Michael Bloem, PhD | Consulting Analyst | Advanced Analytics | Steelcase.com | 650.762.5636

From: Rich Turner [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Tuesday, July 17, 2018 1:26 PM
To: MicrosoftDocs/WSL [e-mail]
Cc: Bloem, Michael [e-mail]; Author [e-mail]
Subject: Re: [MicrosoftDocs/WSL] Feature name Microsoft-Windows-Subsystem-Linux is unknown (#226)

Are you running Windows 10 x64 Creators Update Home, Pro, or Enterprise (non-LTSB SKU) or later?

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[bitcrazed]

@mbloem-Steelcase - don't think images attached to emails survive conversion into GitHub comments - could you either apply your image to the message above, or type the version number? Thanks.

[mbloem-Steelcase]

Hi I've added the content you requested above - any thoughts on how I should proceed?

[bitcrazed]

1511? That's Threshold 2 - which was released in Nov 2015 ... and is no longer supported!!

Is there a reason you're not running a current and supported version of Win10?

You can't enable WSL on 1511 because _it's not in 1511_ - WSL was first introduced in April 2016, as a beta feature in Insiders builds released in the lead-up to Win10 1609 (Anniversary Update). WSL has received HUGE updates with each subsequent release, dramatically improving its ability to run ever more Linux tools and binaries.

• Windows 10 Creators Update: What’s new in Bash/WSL & Windows Console
• What’s new in WSL in Windows 10 Fall Creators Update
• And many of the other posts on our blog: https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/commandline

The current latest, supported version of WSL is available in Win10 1803 (Spring 2018 Update), and the next major Win10 release later this year will include yet more improvements and fixes.

If you're going to run WSL, we _STRONGLY_ encourage you to run the latest version of Windows that you can in order to get the best experience.

[mbloem-Steelcase]

Thanks!

Asking my IT department about upgrading Windows now...

[Crozon29]

Hi, I have exactly the same command written as @mbloem-Steelcase but I'm running on windows 10 (familial) x64 and with the 1803 version. Can someone help me?
Thanks!

[bitcrazed]

@Crozon29 - are you running Windows 10 LTSB?

Please reply with the (suitably redacted) output of running systeminfo from a PowerShell/Cmd prompt.

[Crozon29]

Hi @bitcrazed I don't really know, when I run "gwmi win32_operatingsystem | select OperatingSystemSKU" it says 101 so I don't think so.
I actually managed to run : Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Windows-Subsystem-Linux tonight after several attempts but I don't have the possibility to restart my computer as said in the development to follow.
I have in output:
Path:
Online: True
RestartNeeded: False

Thank you for your help and sorry as you can see I am a beginner in this kind of stuff!

[bitcrazed]

@Crozon29 gwmi win32_operatingsystem|select Version would be more useful ;)

My guess (based on the number of times I've gotten it wrong myself) is that when this failed in the past, you may have omitted the -Online argument.

You must be sure to reboot your computer after enabling WSL though: WSL needs to start-up very early in the Windows bootup sequence, before any 3rd party code is loaded, to ensure a solid "chain of trust". Once enabled, you should be able to download and install your chosen distro(s) from the Windows Store.

[Crozon29]

@bitcrazed Thank you for the command.
Unfortunately I used the command " Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Windows-Subsystem-Linux " without omitting the -Online but it doesn't work.
It's to put in the Bash command (found on the search bar and runned as an admin)?

[AMKUM78]

Hi all,
I got following message, any recommendation what to do next:

Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature : The requested operation requires elevation.
At line:1 char:1

• Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Windows- ...
• ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  
  
  
  • CategoryInfo : NotSpecified: (:) [Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature], COMException
  
  
  • FullyQualifiedErrorId : Microsoft.Dism.Commands.EnableWindowsOptionalFeatureCommand
  
  

[AMKUM78]

Sorry: the answer is to run PowerShell as admin - it does not run by default even if you are the admin - https://superuser.com/questions/1168451/how-can-i-provide-elevation-to-an-operation

[hoangpx]

I got the same error

Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature : Feature name Microsoft-Windows-Subsystem-Linux is unknown.
At line:1 char:1
+ Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Windows- ...
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : NotSpecified: (:) [Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature], COMException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : Microsoft.Dism.Commands.EnableWindowsOptionalFeatureCommand

I'm running on Windows Server 2016 Datacenter 64-bit (10.0, Build 14393) (14393.rs1_release.170602-2252)

[bitcrazed]

@hoangpx As per the post announcing WSL on Windows Server:

Windows Subsystem for Linux arrived in Windows Server Insider Build 16237

You'll need to update your Server to a more recent build to access WSL.

[bitcrazed]

Closing this issue: For anyone else who see's this error, note that you need to be running:

• Windows 10 x64 build 14316 or later (note - LTSB builds do not currently support WSL)
• Windows Server build 16237 or later

For the best WSL experience, we encourage you to run the most recent build of Windows that you can since WSL has improved CONSIDERABLY since its early releases.

[hiperriper]

Closing this issue: For anyone else who see's this error, note that you need to be running:

• Windows 10 x64 build 14316 or later (note - LTSB builds do not currently support WSL)
• Windows Server build 16237 or later

For the best WSL experience, we encourage you to run the most recent build of Windows that you can since WSL has improved CONSIDERABLY since its early releases.

hello. i have a same problem.
I use 17763 insider prew build. And could not turn on case sensitive feature

[juso]

Same issue on Windows 10 Pro 10.0.17134. WSL is missing in "turn windows features on and off" as well as getting the error as in the OP message.

[bitcrazed]

@Juso - Are you running Windows 10 LTSB?

[juso]

@bitcrazed - no, it's not LTSB to my understand

PS C:\> gwmi win32_operatingsystem | select OperatingSystemSKU

OperatingSystemSKU
------------------
                48

and value at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionProductName is Windows 10 Pro

[Adarshreddyash]

Same problem here !

[cmprima]

Same issues here:

OperatingSystemSKU

            48

>

Version 10.0.17134 Build 17134

Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Windows-Subsystem-Linux

Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature : Der Featurename "Microsoft-Windows-Subsystem-Linux" ist
unbekannt.
>

[baselbj]

Same here also

[eNipu]

Having similar issue in
Windows 10 Pro, Version 1903. OS build: 18362.295

Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature : Feature name Mircrosoft-Windows-Subsystem-Linux is unknown.
At line:1 char:1
+ Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -online -FeatureName Mircrosoft-Windows ...
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : NotSpecified: (:) [Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature], COMException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : Microsoft.Dism.Commands.EnableWindowsOptionalFeatureCommand

[craigloewen-msft]

@eNipu could you try using the GUI approach to install WSL? Open the start menu and search for Turn Windows Features On or Off and then check the Windows Subsystem for Linux option.

If that doesn't work please open an issue on our WSL Github repo: https://github.com/microsoft/wsl/issues and we will help you out there.

[eNipu]

@eNipu could you try using the GUI approach to install WSL? Open the start menu and search for Turn Windows Features On or Off and then check the Windows Subsystem for Linux option.

If that doesn't work please open an issue on our WSL Github repo: https://github.com/microsoft/wsl/issues and we will help you out there.

Fixed the problem for GUI. Thanks !

[jerrycaffe]

Windows Subsystem for Linux is not listed in the turn windows On or Off dialogue box

[bitcrazed]

@eNipu - just spotted that you're trying to install Mircrosoft-Windows-Subsystem-Linux ... which is mis-spelled.

Please run the following from an elevated PowerShell Console/Terminal:

Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureNameMicrosoft-Windows-Subsystem-Linux

[bitcrazed]

@jerrycaffe What build/SKU of Windows are you running?

[vixalien]

Hey I have the problem, too, this is what happens when I run systeminfo

Host Name:                 ALIENMACHINE
OS Name:                   Microsoft Windows 10 Pro
OS Version:                10.0.19041 N/A Build 19041
OS Manufacturer:           Microsoft Corporation
OS Configuration:          Standalone Workstation
OS Build Type:             Multiprocessor Free
Registered Owner:          N/A
Registered Organization:   N/A
Product ID:                00331-10000-00001-AA033
Original Install Date:     3/27/2020, 6:29:23 AM
System Boot Time:          4/15/2020, 1:07:57 AM
System Manufacturer:       Hewlett-Packard
System Model:              HP ProBook 6450b
System Type:               X86-based PC
Processor(s):              1 Processor(s) Installed.
                           [01]: x64 Family 6 Model 37 Stepping 5 GenuineIntel ~2400 Mhz
BIOS Version:              Hewlett-Packard 68CDE Ver. F.03, 10/4/2010
Windows Directory:         C:\WINDOWS
System Directory:          C:\WINDOWS\system32
Boot Device:               \Device\HarddiskVolume1
System Locale:             en-us;English (United States)
Input Locale:              en-gb;English (United Kingdom)
Time Zone:                 (UTC+02:00) Cairo
Total Physical Memory:     2,991 MB
Available Physical Memory: 257 MB
Virtual Memory: Max Size:  12,207 MB
Virtual Memory: Available: 6,009 MB
Virtual Memory: In Use:    6,198 MB
Page File Location(s):     C:\pagefile.sys
Domain:                    WORKGROUP
Logon Server:              \\ALIENMACHINE
Hotfix(s):                 4 Hotfix(s) Installed.
                           [01]: KB4534170
                           [02]: KB4537759
                           [03]: KB4545706
                           [04]: KB4541738
Network Card(s):           2 NIC(s) Installed.
                           [01]: Intel(R) 82577LC Gigabit Network Connection
                                 Connection Name: Ethernet
                                 Status:          Media disconnected
                           [02]: Broadcom 4313 802.11b/g/n
                                 Connection Name: Wi-Fi
                                 DHCP Enabled:    Yes
                                 DHCP Server:     192.168.8.1
                                 IP address(es)
                                 [01]: 192.168.8.113
                                 [02]: fe80::d193:1076:4f7a:d19b
                                 [03]: fd90:2bd2:2993:7200:75cc:2e41:d01a:2e0c
                                 [04]: fd90:2bd2:2993:7200:d193:1076:4f7a:d19b
Hyper-V Requirements:      VM Monitor Mode Extensions: Yes
                           Virtualization Enabled In Firmware: No
                           Second Level Address Translation: Yes
                           Data Execution Prevention Available: Yes

[sambragg]

Having this same issue, I am running LTSC in Bootcamp:
```Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Windows-Subsystem-Linux

PS C:Windowssystem32> Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Windows-Subsystem-Linux
Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature : Feature name Microsoft-Windows-Subsystem-Linux is unknown.
PS C:Windowssystem32> gwmi win32_operatingsystem|select Version

Version

10.0.17763

[bitcrazed]

@sambragg According to the LTSC page, you're not running LTSC:

LTSC release | Equivalent SAC release | Availability date
-- | -- | --
Windows 10 Enterprise 2015 LTSC | Windows 10, Version 1507 | 7/29/2015
Windows 10 Enterprise 2016 LTSC | Windows 10, Version 1607 | 8/2/2016
Windows 10 Enterprise 2019 LTSC | Windows 10, Version 1809 | 11/13/2018

17763 was the fall 2018 Win10 release.

If you copy this: Get-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Windows-Subsystem-Linux, and paste it into an ELEVATED Terminal, you should see something like the following:

If not, please follow @craigloewen-msft's instructions above.

[gibsonjc1]

@bitcrazed I'm having a similar issue... running Server 2106 latest build:

I know using this guide is possible becasue I've used this guide before, but something seems to be broken
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/install-on-server

[bitcrazed]

@gibsonjc1 - Windows Server 2016 was released before WSL was first released (fall 2017).

[allencarvallo]

PS C:WINDOWSsystem32> dism.exe /online /enable-feature /featurename:Microsoft-Windows-Subsystem-Linux /all /norestart

__Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool
Version: 10.0.19041.329

Image Version: 10.0.19041.329

Error: 0x800f080c

Feature name Microsoft-Windows-Subsystem-Linux is unknown.
A Windows feature name was not recognized.
Use the /Get-Features option to find the name of the feature in the image and try the command again.

The DISM log file can be found at C:WINDOWSLogsDISMdism.log__

My windows version is:
Version 2004 (OS Build 19041.329)

[craigloewen-msft]

@allencarvallo can you try using the GUI method? Instructions are here at this video.

[allencarvallo]

Sir

But in turn on/off windows features, the box for Windows Subsystem for
Linux was not there

On Thu, Jun 11, 2020 at 2:17 AM Craig Loewen [e-mail]
wrote:

@allencarvallo https://github.com/allencarvallo can you try using the
GUI method? Instructions are here at this video
https://youtu.be/MrZolfGm8Zk?t=531.

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[craigloewen-msft]

I think we'd need more info to solve the problem then. Could you please open an issue on the official WSL repo here describing your problem?

Thanks!

[madhakun]

@eNipu could you try using the GUI approach to install WSL? Open the start menu and search for Turn Windows Features On or Off and then check the Windows Subsystem for Linux option.

If that doesn't work please open an issue on our WSL Github repo: https://github.com/microsoft/wsl/issues and we will help you out there.

i don't have Windows Subsystem for Linux option there