An unremovable Linux icon shows up on the desktop upon install #11347

adrianghc · 2024-03-22T16:48:57Z

This issue is a duplicate of #11325, which was closed prematurely. Please read on.

Windows Version

Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.22631.3296]

WSL Version

2.1.5.0

Are you using WSL 1 or WSL 2?

WSL 2
WSL 1

Kernel Version

5.15.146.1-2

Distro Version

No response

Other Software

No response

Repro Steps

Install WSL on a new machine through wsl --install, through the Microsoft Store or through the MSIX fron GitHub.

Expected Behavior

A Linux icon should be added to the File Explorer sidebar and nowhere else (not the desktop).

Actual Behavior

Upon install, a Linux icon appears on the desktop that cannot be removed other than through registry changes (see here). The icon is equivalent to the one on the File Explorer sidebar and takes you to \\wsl$. (The icon in the sidebar is still created.)

This icon is created before the Ubuntu app package is installed --- it is NOT related to the Ubuntu app package as claimed in #11325. It also created if one only installs WSL through the MSIX and no distribution, or if one selects a different distribution.

This is new and unexpected behavior, as previously, an icon would only be added to the sidebar, not the desktop. It also only happens on new installs. On another machine where WSL has been installed and continually updated (through the Microsoft Store and GitHub) since July 2022, no desktop icon appears even after updating to the latest WSL version.

Diagnostic Logs

No response

The text was updated successfully, but these errors were encountered:

github-actions · 2024-03-22T16:49:20Z

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when installing with wsl --install, linux icon in windows explorer is missing (#10872), similarity score: 0.75
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OneBlue · 2024-03-22T19:09:31Z

Thank you @adrianghc. We've made some installation fixes in 2.2.1, can you try upgrading and see if the icon is still there ?

If so, can you share a screenshot of it's property page ?

adrianghc · 2024-03-22T19:59:39Z

Unfortunately, 2.2.1 doesn't fix this. Also unfortunately, you cannot open the icon's property menu, as that results in this error:

"The properties of this element are not available."

OneBlue · 2024-03-22T23:44:20Z

Thank you @adrianghc. Does the icon go away if you run wsl.exe --uninstall ?

adrianghc · 2024-03-22T23:45:31Z

Yes, it does.

OneBlue · 2024-03-22T23:49:25Z

Ok good. Can you capture a full installing trace by downloading the msi and running:

(as administrator)

msiexec /i <path-to-msi> /L*VX C:\wsllogs.txt

And then check if that re-created the shortcut and if so, share the trace ?

adrianghc · 2024-03-22T23:59:46Z

This does indeed create the shortcut. I have attached the log file.

wsllogs.txt

OneBlue · 2024-03-23T00:09:06Z

Thank you @adrianghc. I have a theory:

Does opening regedit.exe and deleting HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Desktop\NameSpace\{B2B4A4D1-2754-4140-A2EB-9A76D9D7CDC6} gets you rid of the shortcut ?

adrianghc · 2024-03-23T00:14:03Z

This is exactly correct. 👍

OneBlue · 2024-03-23T00:20:42Z

Ok that's the icon I was thinking from. Can you share the content of HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{B2B4A4D1-2754-4140-A2EB-9A76D9D7CDC6} ? That's probably where something is messed up.

OneBlue · 2024-03-23T00:22:26Z

Oh, I have another theory: Is your system main drive installed on C:\ ? Does C:\Windows\System32\windows.storage.dll exist ?

adrianghc · 2024-03-23T00:32:22Z

This is the content of HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{B2B4A4D1-2754-4140-A2EB-9A76D9D7CDC6}:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{B2B4A4D1-2754-4140-A2EB-9A76D9D7CDC6}]
@="Linux"
"SortOrderIndex"=dword:00000077
"System.IsPinnedToNameSpaceTree"=dword:00000001

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{B2B4A4D1-2754-4140-A2EB-9A76D9D7CDC6}\DefaultIcon]
@="C:\\Windows\\System32\\wsl.exe,-1"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{B2B4A4D1-2754-4140-A2EB-9A76D9D7CDC6}\InProcServer32]
@="C:\\Windows\\System32\\windows.storage.dll"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{B2B4A4D1-2754-4140-A2EB-9A76D9D7CDC6}\Instance]
"CLSID"="{4FE04BFD-85B9-49DD-B914-F4C9556B9DA6}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{B2B4A4D1-2754-4140-A2EB-9A76D9D7CDC6}\Instance\InitPropertyBag]
"DisplayType"=dword:00000002
"EnumObjectsTelemetryValue"="WSL"
"Provider"="Plan 9 Network Provider"
"ResName"="\\\\wsl.localhost"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{B2B4A4D1-2754-4140-A2EB-9A76D9D7CDC6}\ShellFolder]
"Attributes"=dword:a080004d
"FolderValueFlags"=dword:00000028

Is your system main drive installed on C:\ ? Does C:\Windows\System32\windows.storage.dll exist ?

Yes and yes.

OneBlue · 2024-03-23T00:35:27Z

Hmm this all looks correct.

What's the content of HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{4FE04BFD-85B9-49DD-B914-F4C9556B9DA6}\ShellFolder ?

OneBlue · 2024-03-23T00:36:08Z

Also another question: Is the "Windows subsystem for Linux" optional component enabled ?

adrianghc · 2024-03-23T00:46:06Z

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{4FE04BFD-85B9-49DD-B914-F4C9556B9DA6}\ShellFolder]
"FolderValueFlags"=dword:00080000

The optional component is not installed on this machine, but it is on my other machine where the icon does not appear (the machine I mention in the last paragraph of the original post). You might be onto something there...

OneBlue · 2024-03-25T19:39:45Z

Thank you @adrianghc. This all looks correct.

Unfortunately I still can't reproduce the issue with the optional component enabled or disabled. Does enabling the optional component and then rebooting make the icon disappear ?

adrianghc · 2024-03-26T01:03:48Z

Yes, that is indeed exactly what happens (though it also disappears from the File Explorer sidebar then).

OneBlue · 2024-03-26T01:27:04Z

Hmm I guess that does makes sense since that would overwrite the registry keys. If you uninstall and then reinstall WSL with the optional component enabled, does the icon come back ?

adrianghc · 2024-03-26T01:34:53Z

It does not come back in this case. And that would explain the difference between my two machines.

syberphunk · 2024-06-13T23:02:35Z

This happened to me out of the blue, having uninstalled WSL, the Linux icon re-appeared, and clicking upon it had Windows 11 complain at me that 'WSL components were missing'. I had to either recreate the registry entry, or uninstall WSL with wsl.exe --uninstall - I chose the latter.

akaSugarfly · 2024-06-14T06:20:03Z

This happened to me out of the blue, having uninstalled WSL, the Linux icon re-appeared, and clicking upon it had Windows 11 complain at me that 'WSL components were missing'. I had to either recreate the registry entry, or uninstall WSL with wsl.exe --uninstall - I chose the latter.

Woa thanks, that helped in my case.
In the past I tested WSL but uninstalled it.
The icon re-appeared after I fiddled arround with networkdrives.

YoLolo69 · 2024-06-14T07:59:21Z

Ok, it just happened for me. I found WSL was installed by MS Store few minutes before this scary little Penguin appeared on my desktop. I ran all Anti Virus & Malware tools I could think about.
Thanks I landed here, and used the mentioned "wsl.exe --uninstall" through Admin Powershell command to get ride of it.
Weird this cannot be uninstalled through the MS Store or Windows installed App or Components...

danilo73r · 2024-06-14T19:00:09Z

I have the same problem!!!

danilo73r · 2024-06-14T19:07:33Z

here is a workaround:

https://www.brainbytez.nl/windows/windows-11-hide-remove-wsl-linux-icon-from-desktop/
https://www.tweaknow.com/RegTweakHideDesktopIcons.php
https://www.reddit.com/r/windows/comments/185fyx2/linux_icon_on_my_desktop_that_i_cant_remove_not/

danilo73r · 2024-06-14T20:35:32Z

This is strange, i had to install docker desktop, the installation seems to activate WSL in the "Windows features on/off".

So i removed the registry dword (the workaround), it is not needed when you activate wsl in win features.

Crystal-RainSlide · 2024-06-16T10:28:06Z

I got the "Linux" Explorer sidebar entry and the desktop icon after uninstalling WSL on different machines some months ago.

Both the fixes works for me:

1:

Run wsl.exe --uninstall again.

If you just uninstalled WSL, you might want to restart Windows before doing so to make sure nothing will interfere.

It will remove the whole HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{B2B4A4D1-2754-4140-A2EB-9A76D9D7CDC6}, instead of the pin-point fix below, which keeps that entry intact.

2:

Remove the Explorer sidebar entry:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{B2B4A4D1-2754-4140-A2EB-9A76D9D7CDC6}]
"System.IsPinnedToNameSpaceTree"=dword:00000000

Remove the the desktop icon:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Desktop\NameSpace\{B2B4A4D1-2754-4140-A2EB-9A76D9D7CDC6}]

The icons won't re-appear for me and I didn't test it, since I got the settings sync disabled.
If you only got 1 machine synced, then it should be fixed after you deal with it and sync the settings.

aceaslee · 2024-06-17T01:01:45Z

Hey you guys. I found the simple way to fix this.

click the search box on windows and search "wsl"
right-click on that wsl icon, then click "Open file location"
In that folder which contains startmenu, you can find 'wsl' icon which is a shortcut to the wsl.exe in System32 folder.
delete the shortcut in that folder and then the desktop icon, 'linux' will also be automatically removed.

Simply, find the shortcut in the start menu folder in your windows,
then delete the appropriate shortcut (wsl) to disappear the icon (linux) in your desktop.

kaizenlpi · 2024-06-17T13:03:04Z

UNSUBSCRIBE

…

On Fri, Jun 14, 2024, 4:36 PM Danilo A. ***@***.***> wrote: This is strange, i have to install docker desktop, the installation seems to activate WSL in the "Windows features on/off". So i removed the registry dword (the workaround), it is not needed when you activate wsl in win features. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#11347 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/ABIZ6L3I2BYAYZLZWSQ7T3LZHNH3ZAVCNFSM6AAAAABFDU7V3SVHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHMZDCNRYG4ZDQMBYHE> . You are receiving this because you are subscribed to this thread.Message ID: ***@***.***>

tianjyan · 2024-07-30T07:14:10Z

Hey you guys. I found the simple way to fix this.

click the search box on windows and search "wsl"

right-click on that wsl icon, then click "Open file location"

In that folder which contains startmenu, you can find 'wsl' icon which is a shortcut to the wsl.exe in System32 folder.

delete the shortcut in that folder and then the desktop icon, 'linux' will also be automatically removed.

Simply, find the shortcut in the start menu folder in your windows, then delete the appropriate shortcut (wsl) to disappear the icon (linux) in your desktop.

Not work for me.

Crashim03 · 2024-08-06T18:10:45Z

Was this ever solved? I got the same issue

torum · 2024-10-04T08:43:54Z

same thing just happened to me.

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An unremovable Linux icon shows up on the desktop upon install #11347

An unremovable Linux icon shows up on the desktop upon install #11347

adrianghc commented Mar 22, 2024 •

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adrianghc commented Mar 26, 2024

syberphunk commented Jun 13, 2024

akaSugarfly commented Jun 14, 2024

YoLolo69 commented Jun 14, 2024

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kaizenlpi commented Jun 17, 2024 via email

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Crashim03 commented Aug 6, 2024

torum commented Oct 4, 2024

An unremovable Linux icon shows up on the desktop upon install #11347

An unremovable Linux icon shows up on the desktop upon install #11347

Comments

adrianghc commented Mar 22, 2024 • edited Loading

This issue is a duplicate of #11325, which was closed prematurely. Please read on.

Windows Version

WSL Version

Are you using WSL 1 or WSL 2?

Kernel Version

Distro Version

Other Software

Repro Steps

Expected Behavior

Actual Behavior

This icon is created before the Ubuntu app package is installed --- it is NOT related to the Ubuntu app package as claimed in #11325. It also created if one only installs WSL through the MSIX and no distribution, or if one selects a different distribution.

Diagnostic Logs

github-actions bot commented Mar 22, 2024

Open similar issues:

Closed similar issues:

OneBlue commented Mar 22, 2024

adrianghc commented Mar 22, 2024

OneBlue commented Mar 22, 2024

adrianghc commented Mar 22, 2024

OneBlue commented Mar 22, 2024 • edited Loading

adrianghc commented Mar 22, 2024

OneBlue commented Mar 23, 2024

adrianghc commented Mar 23, 2024

OneBlue commented Mar 23, 2024

OneBlue commented Mar 23, 2024

adrianghc commented Mar 23, 2024

OneBlue commented Mar 23, 2024

OneBlue commented Mar 23, 2024

adrianghc commented Mar 23, 2024

OneBlue commented Mar 25, 2024

adrianghc commented Mar 26, 2024

OneBlue commented Mar 26, 2024

adrianghc commented Mar 26, 2024

syberphunk commented Jun 13, 2024

akaSugarfly commented Jun 14, 2024

YoLolo69 commented Jun 14, 2024

danilo73r commented Jun 14, 2024

danilo73r commented Jun 14, 2024

danilo73r commented Jun 14, 2024 • edited Loading

Crystal-RainSlide commented Jun 16, 2024 • edited Loading

aceaslee commented Jun 17, 2024 • edited Loading

kaizenlpi commented Jun 17, 2024 via email

tianjyan commented Jul 30, 2024

Crashim03 commented Aug 6, 2024

torum commented Oct 4, 2024

adrianghc commented Mar 22, 2024 •

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