Wsl: --set-default-version not recognized as an argument to wsl

[JaKXz]

wsl --set-default-version 2

is mentioned multiple times in the linked doc, but does not work at time of writing for what I believe to be the latest updates to my system. Please let me know if/how I can provide any more needed information.

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Document Details

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• ID: b7a1833a-3461-2d9e-bb1e-de5d0ee3fe33
• Version Independent ID: bd4b2627-60c7-1bfe-7831-1dbde906e287
• Content: Install Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) on Windows 10
• Content Source: WSL/install-win10.md
• Product: dev-environment
• Technology: windows-subsystem-for-linux
• GitHub Login: @craigloewen-msft
• Microsoft Alias: crloewen

[Ahmad-Al-Ali]

the correct syntax is "--setdefault 2"

[shortpoet]

wsl --setdefault

throws an error
"There is no distribution with the supplied name"

I have follow the docs to the T and deleted and reinstalled 3 times now. WSL works, but it doens't seem to be WSL 2 no matter how many times and which way I run the update.

[jonaskuske]

@shortpoet
--set-default (or -s) is not what you're looking for here, it's to specify which distro should be your default distro (that launches if you run wsl without specifying one), that's why it wants you to supply a name.

--set-default-version should work though, if your Windows version is new enough 🤔

[JaKXz]

Yeah - I tried using the windows update assistant tool, but I wasn't able to install the latest updates for some reason. I think the regular Windows Update tool from the control panel (settings) said that my computer is compatible but 🤷

I'm not super familiar with the windows world so if anyone knows the equivalent of npx envinfo to print system information to share and help debug that would be great.

[jonaskuske]

If you press (Windows) + R, type winver and hit Enter it should display both the Windows version and Build number.
To use WSL2 you need Version 2004 (should be Build 19041), so you could check that :)

[ulziibat-n]

I have problem for update wsl 1 to wsl 2