ClearWSL

Clear Linux OS on WSL2 (Windows 10 FCU or later) inspired by ClearWSL based on wsldl.

Notice: This is Clear Linux OS backed by Intel. Not to be confused with Clear OS, which is a completely different CentOS/RHEL-based distro.

Requirements

Windows 10 1803 April 2018 Update x64 or later.
Windows Subsystem for Linux feature is enabled.
Latest WSL recommended.

Install

Download installer zip from release or action build (recommended)
Extract all files in zip file to same directory (e.g. C:\WSL\Clear)
Run Clear.exe to Extract rootfs and Register to WSL

Exe filename is using to the instance name to register. If you rename it, you can register with a different name and have multiple installs.

Init

For now there would be a warning WSL (XX) ERROR: CreateProcessEntryCommon:XXX: getpwuid(0) failed 2 during startup, but it's harmless despite annoying. I will accept and appreciate it if anyone opens a PR regarding this!

By default, ClearWSL comes with no sudo package. To install sudo and make it function properly:

# Create /etc/passwd as it's not available by default
passwd
# Install `sudo`
swupd bundle-add --assume=yes sudo
# Check update
sudo swupd check-update
# Update
sudo swupd update

Telemetrics

It's worth mentioning that Clear Linux OS has a built-in telemetry function and opt-in by default. In ClearWSL the client is not active (maybe due to the fact that SystemD needs to be explicitly enabled in /etc/wsl.conf).

If you use SystemD, it's better to ensure the telemetrics are disabled if you don't want this feature:

# Disabling after install
sudo telemctl stop
# Opt out of telemetry
sudo telemctl opt-out

If you get sudo: telemctl: command not found, it means that you don't have telemetrics bundle installed, so no worries about telemetry.

For further information, please read the official documentation for Clear Linux* Project.

How-to-Use (for Installed Instance)

Usage

Usage :
    <no args>
      - Open a new shell with your default settings.

    run <command line>
      - Run the given command line in that distro. Inherit current directory.

    runp <command line (includes windows path)>
      - Run the path translated command line in that distro.

    config [setting [value]]
      - `--default-user <user>`: Set the default user for this distro to <user>
      - `--default-uid <uid>`: Set the default user uid for this distro to <uid>
      - `--append-path <on|off>`: Switch of Append Windows PATH to $PATH
      - `--mount-drive <on|off>`: Switch of Mount drives
      - `--default-term <default|wt|flute>`: Set default terminal window

    get [setting]
      - `--default-uid`: Get the default user uid in this distro
      - `--append-path`: Get on/off status of Append Windows PATH to $PATH
      - `--mount-drive`: Get on/off status of Mount drives
      - `--wsl-version`: Get WSL Version 1/2 for this distro
      - `--default-term`: Get Default Terminal for this distro launcher
      - `--lxguid`: Get WSL GUID key for this distro

    backup [contents]
      - `--tgz`: Output backup.tar.gz to the current directory using tar command
      - `--reg`: Output settings registry file to the current directory

    clean
      - Uninstall the distro.

    help
      - Print this usage message.

Uninstall

.\Clear.exe clean

How-to-Build

ClearWSL can be built on GNU/Linux or WSL.

curl, bsdtar, jq and unzip is required for build.

# Install build tools
sudo apt install -y curl libarchive-tools jq unzip
# Make release
# Use of `sudo` recommended to avoid weird file permission in rootfs
sudo make
# Clean-up using `sudo` as some files are owned by root
sudo make clean

Todo

Add CI (GitHub Actions)
Fix warning about WSL (XX) ERROR: CreateProcessEntryCommon:XXX: getpwuid(0) failed 2 according to microsoft/WSL#5923 or another issue I forgot to take note, or do some dirty hack on /etc/fstab or /etc/wsl.conf

Vinfall / ClearWSL