Windows 11 WSL: Installing New Distro (Ubuntu 24.04) Never Completes

Introduction

Windows Subsystem for Linux 2 (WSL2) is a compatibility layer for running Linux binary executables natively on Windows 11. If you're already using WSL2 with Ubuntu 20.04 and 22.04, you might want to install Ubuntu 24.04 for the latest features. However, some users have reported that the installation process never completes. This article aims to help you troubleshoot and complete the installation of Ubuntu 24.04 on Windows 11 using WSL2.

Prerequisites

Before proceeding with the installation, ensure that your system meets the following requirements:

• Windows 11 21H2 or later version
• WSL2 enabled and installed
• Two or more existing WSL2 Linux distributions installed

Installing Ubuntu 24.04

Open PowerShell as an administrator and run the following command:

A new terminal window should open. If it doesn't, you can manually create a new Ubuntu 24.04 distribution using the following command:

Once the installation begins, it may take some time to complete. However, if the installation never finishes, follow the steps below:

Troubleshooting

Step 1: Check the WSL Logs

Open PowerShell as an administrator and run the following command:

Look for any error messages related to the installation of Ubuntu 24.04. If you find any errors, try to resolve them before proceeding.

Step 2: Manually Initialize the Distribution

Open PowerShell as an administrator and run the following commands:

This should initialize the Ubuntu 24.04 distribution manually.

Step 3: Set the Default Distribution

Open PowerShell as an administrator and run the following command:

This sets WSL2 as the default version for your system.

Step 4: Restart Your System

Restart your system to ensure that the changes take effect.

Step 5: Verify the Installation

Open a new terminal window and run the following command:

Look for "Ubuntu-24.04" in the list of distributions. If it's not there, repeat the installation process.