Windows Subsystem for Linux: Compatibility Layer and GUI Get an Update
Theodore Meeks,
Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), a compatibility layer for running executable Linux program files in ELF format, so-called executables, and its user interface has received an update. Safe mode has also been added, which is a recovery feature for damaged distributions.
Microsoft continues to expand its support for Linux
Microsoft discovered its love for Linux in 2016. That same year, the company joined the Linux Foundation, a non-profit consortium that supports the growth of Linux. At the same time, the company published the wallpaper that served as a cover photo for this message (“Microsoft ❤️ Linux”). In addition to very generous financial support and the promotion of open source, the Windows subsystem for Linux, also launched in 2016, is a symbol of love.
Product maintenance for the subsystem
According to the official release notes on GitHub for developers, the following innovations, improvements, and bug fixes have been incorporated into the compatibility layer, which now has the new version number 0.66.2 and an optional GUI.
Release notes for WSL 0.66.2 & WSLg 1.0.42
Add Safe Mode option to %userprofile%\. wslconfig
This change introduces the concept of Safe Mode to WSL that disables many features and is intended to be used to restore distributions that are in poor condition.
update wsl.exe to not create stdin / stdout / stderr migration threads if the std handle is not present
Do not set window title in wsl.exe [GH 8701]
Update Microsoft.WSLg to version 1.0.42
WSLg: wslg-notify debuginfo archive
rdp: upstream encoding style changes
rdp: multihead lab
xwayland: fix some xwayland focus bugs
xwayland: fixes default override window position to (0,0).
xwm: Don’t send synthetic ConfigureNotify info to windows that are set or
Update MSRDC to version 1.2.3401
Update Microsoft.Direct3D.Linux to 1.606.4
Microsoft
New graphics driver also for Wayland
Among others, the Remote Desktop Client (MSRDC), which has been upgraded to version 1.2.3401, Microsoft’s internal graphics accelerator for WSL, the Linux kernel driver Microsoft. 1.606.4.
The graphics driver, also updated, fulfills the debugging plug-in “XWayland” for the open source Wayland display server protocol.
Safe mode is designed to save distributions
The concept of Safe Mode (“Safe Mode”), which Microsoft introduces with WSL 0.66.2, is intended to disable unwanted functionality and provide recovery functionality for damaged Linux distributions.
[wsl2]
safeMode=true
Microsoft is once again shipping the latest Windows subsystem for Linux on x86 systems with 64-bit CPUs on Windows 10 and Windows 11 and on Arm64 platforms with Windows on Arm. The download is offered directly via the project page.
Windows Subsystem for Linux in the Microsoft Store
WSL 0.66.2 can also be downloaded and installed automatically via the Microsoft Store for Windows 10 and Windows 11.
Android subsystem will be expanded
The Windows subsystem for Android is also being expanded and will soon also be available in “Other countries and regionsbe usable.
Japan is up now, getting a preview of the Windows subsystem for Android and access to the Amazon Appstore.
