Fixing WSL Not Working After Moving Ubuntu from C to D

Abstract: Learn how to fix the issue of WSL not working after moving your Ubuntu installation from the C drive to the D drive. Follow these steps to ensure a smooth transition and get your WSL up and running on the new drive.

Created: 2023-10-30 by UserComp.com Editors

Are you facing issues with WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) after moving your Ubuntu installation from drive C to drive D? Don't worry, we've got you covered. In this article, we will walk you through the steps to fix WSL not working after moving Ubuntu from C to D.

Step 1: Uninstall Ubuntu from WSL

The first step is to uninstall the existing Ubuntu installation from WSL. To do this, follow these steps:

Open the Command Prompt by pressing Win + R, typing cmd, and hitting Enter.
Run the following command to list the installed distributions:

wsl --list --verbose

Take note of the name of the distribution you want to uninstall (e.g., "Ubuntu-20.04").

Run the following command to uninstall the distribution:

wsl --unregister <DistributionName>

Replace <DistributionName> with the actual name of the distribution you want to uninstall. For example, if your distribution is "Ubuntu-20.04", the command would be:

wsl --unregister Ubuntu-20.04

Step 2: Move the Ubuntu Installation

Now that we have uninstalled the existing Ubuntu installation, we can proceed with moving it to the new location on drive D. Follow these steps:

Create a folder on drive D where you want to move the Ubuntu installation. For example, you can create a folder named "Ubuntu" at the root of drive D.
Download the latest Ubuntu distribution from the Microsoft Store. Search for "Ubuntu" in the Microsoft Store and click on the "Ubuntu" app to download and install it.
Launch the newly installed Ubuntu app from the Start menu.
During the initial setup, you will be prompted to create a new user and set a password. Follow the instructions to complete the setup.

Step 3: Update WSL Configuration

Now that we have moved the Ubuntu installation to drive D, we need to update the WSL configuration to point to the new location. Follow these steps:

Open the Command Prompt as an administrator.
Run the following command to list the installed distributions:

wsl --list --verbose

Verify that the new Ubuntu installation on drive D is listed.

Run the following command to set the default WSL version to 2:

wsl --set-default-version 2

Run the following command to update the distribution to use WSL version 2:

wsl --set-version <DistributionName> 2

Replace <DistributionName> with the actual name of the distribution you want to update. For example, if your distribution is "Ubuntu-20.04", the command would be:

wsl --set-version Ubuntu-20.04 2

Step 4: Launch WSL

Now that we have updated the WSL configuration, we can launch the Ubuntu installation on drive D. Follow these steps:

Open the Command Prompt.
Run the following command to launch the Ubuntu installation:

wsl --distribution <DistributionName>

Replace <DistributionName> with the actual name of the distribution you want to launch. For example, if your distribution is "Ubuntu-20.04", the command would be:

wsl --distribution Ubuntu-20.04

After running this command, the Ubuntu terminal will open, and you can start using WSL on drive D.

Congratulations! You have successfully fixed WSL not working after moving Ubuntu from C to D. You can now enjoy using WSL on your new drive location.

References
No.	Source
1	Microsoft Store

Tags: ubuntu powershell windows 11 windows subsystem for linux WSL tech support

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