WSL2 rootfs with filesystem other than ext4

Hi everyone, I am very interested in finding a way to have the format of rootfs (/) in WSL2 (a.k.a. the vhdx file I believe) a filesystem other than ext4. For instance btrfs. Is it possible?

WSL does fully suport btrfs, don't think there is a WSL way to do what you want. Would be curious to build a Linux VM with btrfs and try swapping out the vhdx files and see what happens.

Oh really? Is it possible to boot a VM Linux installed in WSL?! I'm curious as well. Please do try and let me know!

rez said:

Hi everyone, I am very interested in finding a way to have the format of rootfs (/) in WSL2 (a.k.a. the vhdx file I believe) a filesystem other than ext4. For instance btrfs. Is it possible?

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XFS is a really robust, fast and efficient file system for linux. Install XFSPROGS if not already installed on whatever Linux version you are running on your WSL system.

To create a file system -- mkfs.xfs /dev/xxxny

Building a bog standard Linux VM though is easy enough - and it can use the Windows EFI partition. Create your VM from an iso -- create the root ("/") and "/home" on the VM's virtual disk from the command line of your booted Linux iso (in the VM).

With modern gear and larger capacity SSD's etc I would go for this option now rather than choose WSL - but that's of course up to you.

Format the efi partition as fat32 so both Windows and Linux can boot from it.

Install the OS and then mount the EFI directory to /boot.

Install the system, update grub with something like grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --bootloader-id="Anything" --efi-directory = /boot/efi

grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg

depending on your chosen Linux VM the commands might be slightly different but the principle is the same.

cheers
jimbo

Is this able to boot in WSL?

johnlgalt said:

Is this able to boot in WSL?

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Hi folks

I Don't think so as WSL is basically a Windows rather than a native Linux boot system. My feel on all this is that the idea was OK -- originally -- same as Windows 7 with "XP Mode" when support for XP ended -- is that now on modern hardware full VM's are so efficient you might as well use a proper full VM.

I liked the idea originally but I really can't see the value of it any more,

Others might have different views - but these days VMWare, HYPER-V, Oracle VBOX, KVM/QEMU, etc are so good at VM's -- even at running things like a Windows server 2022 VM in as little as 2GB RAM efficiently then what's the point any more of WSL

Here's an example of a W22K server on a VM running in 2GB RAM ("poodefaked" to run as a desktop OS too !!!!). Very fast and ultra efficient even on a VM.



I do think though that the Windows subsystem for Android is a totally different ball game and that's where development should be focused on going forward, Since updated to 22H2 BTW. Just as good. I got the "Free 180 days trial" -- and BTW you can extend for 5 times after 180 days via slmgr rearm -- so great way of learning about servers etc.

Anybody wanting a Linux VM these days really should have no difficulty getting an efficient modern distro with the latest kernel and hardware to run on a Windows host these days requiring minimal resources to run it efficiently.

Cheers
jimbo

But the original question was specifically for WSL.