Ubuntu installation stuck on WSL (Windows 10 Pro Insider Preview)

[djrranga]

Environment

Windows build number: 21277
Your Distribution version: Ubuntu 20.04
Whether the issue is on WSL 2 and/or WSL 1: 2

Steps to reproduce

1. Install the latest build of Windows Insider Preview (Dev Channel)
2. Set up Windows
3. Enable Hyper-V, Hypervisor Platform, Containers
4. In cmd.exe (Admin): wsl --install
5. Reboot
6. Ubuntu window opens, says "Installing, this may take a few minutes" for several hours.

WSL logs:

Expected behavior

Ubuntu should install and ask me to configure my user account.

Actual behavior

Hangs on "installing" with no errors.

Edit 2024: Workarounds

Workaround 1 @sparcbr
Workaround 2 @shtormish

[therealkenc]

In cmd.exe (Admin): wsl --install

That command needs a parameter, it would look like wsl.exe --install -d Ubuntu. Before you do that, do:

C:\> wsl --set-default-version 2

If either of those fail or hang, please collect WSL logs and post the backlink to the feedback item here. You don't need to let it run for hours while collecting the logs, just 30 seconds or so will do, then close the window.

[benyaminl]

In cmd.exe (Admin): wsl --install

That command needs a parameter, it would look like wsl.exe --install -d Ubuntu. Before you do that, do:

C:\> wsl --set-default-version 2

If either of those fail or hang, please collect WSL logs and post the backlink to the feedback item here. You don't need to let it run for hours while collecting the logs, just 30 seconds or so will do, then close the window.

Hello, I tried to wsl.exe --install -d ubuntu, nothing happen only show --help list

Already version 2

[therealkenc]

The --install feature is only available on Insiders, as of 20211.

[sparcbr]

I got the same issue, but found a workaround: you just have to use ctrl+c and then it will continue and ask you for a username and password

[keohanoi]

I got the same issue, but found a workaround: you just have to use ctrl+c and then it will continue and ask you for a username and password

weird but its actually worked 😂

[tehmasterer]

I got the same issue, but found a workaround: you just have to use ctrl+c and then it will continue and ask you for a username and password

Had the same issue and this solved it.

I am running Windows 10 Pro version 21H1.

[kharisecario]

I got the same issue, but found a workaround: you just have to use ctrl+c and then it will continue and ask you for a username and password

Confirmed this. I guess it because restart needed after installing WSL before installing distro

[kaijuh]

I got the same issue, but found a workaround: you just have to use ctrl+c and then it will continue and ask you for a username and password

9/23/2022, this is still the best solution

[Wasiu-Akindoyin]

I have been trying to install ubuntu and wsl but its been like this for hours. Please whats wrong?

[megoRU]

Wasiu

enable VM in BIOS

[Wasiu-Akindoyin]

Thank you very for your support. Please can you help with the procedures to follow because I am just seeing different things on Google.

[megoRU]

Thank you very for your support. Please can you help with the procedures to follow because I am just seeing different things on Google.

you don't know how to log in to bios?

[Wasiu-Akindoyin]

Please I don't know.

[megoRU]

https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/enter-bios-computer/#:~:text=Common%20keys%20to%20enter%20the,else%2C%20like%20the%20boot%20menu.

[shtormish]

Have same trouble. Tried install Ubunty and debian, each time cmd window opens, says "Installing, this may take a few minutes" for several hours.
Nothing helped(

• Check bios settings -- all VT functions checked
• Reinstall virtual machine platform and WSL -- success
• Check system via sfc and dism -- success
• Enable nested virtualization -- done
• Update system -- success
• Tried ctrl+c as supposet earlier - it just closes window with cmd((
• None VM installed

System:
WSL version: 0.70.5.0
Kernel version: 5.15.68.1
WSLg version: 1.0.45
MSRDC version: 1.2.3575
Direct3D version: 1.606.4
DXCore version: 10.0.25131.1002-220531-1700.rs-onecore-base2-hyp
Windows version: 10.0.22623.875

Here is logs taken with recommended tool from MS
WslLogs-2022-10-31_02-44-26.zip
WslLogs-2022-10-31_02-36-29.zip
WslLogs-2022-10-31_02-46-07.zip

[Wasiu-Akindoyin]

Thank you!

[shtormish]

UPD
Have found fix that worked for me here #7505

It seems that vmcompute.exe must be strictly Code flow guard (CFG) enabled, otherwise it will not work.

Here is reproduce of workaround
===>

1. Open "Window Security"
2. Open "App & Browser control"
3. Click "Exploit protection settings" at the bottom
4. Switch to "Program settings" tab
5. Add/Locate "C:\WINDOWS\System32\vmcompute.exe" in the list and expand it
6. Click "Edit"
7. Scroll down to "Code flow guard (CFG)" and uncheck/check "Override system settings" (CFG must be ON for this app!)
8. Reboot

[Wasiu-Akindoyin]

It worked.

[roymegan]

UPD Have found fix that worked for me here #7505

It seems that vmcompute.exe must be strictly Code flow guard (CFG) enabled, otherwise it will not work.

Here is reproduce of workaround ===>

1. Open "Window Security"

2. Open "App & Browser control"

3. Click "Exploit protection settings" at the bottom

4. Switch to "Program settings" tab

5. Add/Locate "C:\WINDOWS\System32\vmcompute.exe" in the list and expand it

6. Click "Edit"

7. Scroll down to "Code flow guard (CFG)" and uncheck/check "Override system settings" **(CFG must be ON for this app!)**

8. Reboot

It works! saved my day!!!!

[Wasiu-Akindoyin]

Awesome, thanks!

[oidrissi]

I got the same issue, but found a workaround: you just have to use ctrl+c and then it will continue and ask you for a username and password

This just makes me quit the install

[kaiwizz]

@oidrissi

I got the same issue, but found a workaround: you just have to use ctrl+c and then it will continue and ask you for a username and password

This just makes me quit the install

yup, same for me.

what worked for me is running,
wsl --install Ubuntu --web-download

source: #9390 (comment)

[jwyker]

Had a similar issue.
Ended up stopping the initial command wsl --install and restarted my computer.
It then proceeded to complete some windows updates, and then afterwards I was able to run the command successfully again.

[Wasiu-Akindoyin]

Awesome, thanks! I have it resolved now.

[Kornetoff]

Finally! The only solution that worked for me. But it took several hours to find him.

[craftzneko]

Unfortunately doesn't work for me, always hangs on installing, checked same as @shtormish

Check bios settings -- all VT functions checked
Reinstall virtual machine platform and WSL -- success
Check system via sfc and dism -- success
Enable nested virtualization -- done
Update system -- success
Tried ctrl+c but terminal is frozen

[craftzneko]

If i set WSL to version 1 it actually works

[Braingoo66]

Or run PowerShell as an admin and use:

Set-ProcessMitigation -Name vmcompute.exe -Enable CFG

no reboot required

[rohan2734]

1. ctrl+C exited the installation of ubuntu
2. this solution is not working

[nfeddema]

@kaiwizz
what worked for me is running, wsl --install Ubuntu --web-download

source: #9390 (comment)

This is the only thing that worked for me. (Windows 10, WSL2)

[cc46808]

I got the same issue, but found a workaround: you just have to use ctrl+c and then it will continue and ask you for a username and password

This just makes me quit the install

Open PowerShell as an Admin then run

wsl --install Ubuntu --web-download

I had the same issue by trying to run Ubuntu by clicking on the icon...

[gabriel8fm]

UPD Have found fix that worked for me here #7505

It seems that vmcompute.exe must be strictly Code flow guard (CFG) enabled, otherwise it will not work.

Here is reproduce of workaround ===>

1. Open "Window Security"
2. Open "App & Browser control"
3. Click "Exploit protection settings" at the bottom
4. Switch to "Program settings" tab
5. Add/Locate "C:\WINDOWS\System32\vmcompute.exe" in the list and expand it
6. Click "Edit"
7. Scroll down to "Code flow guard (CFG)" and uncheck/check "Override system settings" (CFG must be ON for this app!)
8. Reboot

@shtormish you saved my day! It worked for me. Now I am able to install Ubuntu and Debian distros.

[oauo]

This isn't working for me, I have virtualisation enabled in BIOS, I did as @shtormish suggested but progress doesn't go past 3.0%. Before doing as prescribed it didn't go past 2.0%, so it is still a +50% improvement

Edit: the installation is just painfully slow. I left it installing overnight and after 9.5 hours it's at 62%, so it is working just that it's going to take 15 hours total. I can't think of anything that would causing it to be that slow, internet is fast, the drive it's downloading to is fast, and CPU is fast.

[tmdgusya]

@kaiwizz Thank you! It works

[anmole17]

I got the same issue, but found a workaround: you just have to use ctrl+c and then it will continue and ask you for a username and password

This just makes me quit the install

Open PowerShell as an Admin then run

wsl --install Ubuntu --web-download

I had the same issue by trying to run Ubuntu by clicking on the icon...

Thank you. this worked for me. The --web-download was also useful in updating wsl. For Windows 11

[hobsyllwin5]

I got the same issue, but found a workaround: you just have to use ctrl+c and then it will continue and ask you for a username and password

2023/12/12 - still works like a charm

[PatTheSilent]

UPD Have found fix that worked for me here #7505

It seems that vmcompute.exe must be strictly Code flow guard (CFG) enabled, otherwise it will not work.

Here is reproduce of workaround ===>

1. Open "Window Security"
2. Open "App & Browser control"
3. Click "Exploit protection settings" at the bottom
4. Switch to "Program settings" tab
5. Add/Locate "C:\WINDOWS\System32\vmcompute.exe" in the list and expand it
6. Click "Edit"
7. Scroll down to "Code flow guard (CFG)" and uncheck/check "Override system settings" (CFG must be ON for this app!)
8. Reboot

You wonderful human being. I hope only the best things in life happen to you.
I've spend 3 days trying to get this thing to work. Thank you.

[lanmi42]

UPD Have found fix that worked for me here #7505

It seems that vmcompute.exe must be strictly Code flow guard (CFG) enabled, otherwise it will not work.

Here is reproduce of workaround ===>

1. Open "Window Security"

2. Open "App & Browser control"

3. Click "Exploit protection settings" at the bottom

4. Switch to "Program settings" tab

5. Add/Locate "C:\WINDOWS\System32\vmcompute.exe" in the list and expand it

6. Click "Edit"

7. Scroll down to "Code flow guard (CFG)" and uncheck/check "Override system settings" **(CFG must be ON for this app!)**

8. Reboot

Confirming this works form me as well (Win10, 22H2), thanks a lot!

Just to note, "Override system settings" was already checked (as well as "On" and "User strict CFG"), but after unchecking and checking again, clicking Apply, and restarting I was finally able to install via wsl.

[yoyoxoy]

The solution for me was:
Windows Security -> App & Browser Control -> Exploit Protection Settings
change Control Flow Guard (CFG) to "On"
for both:

• C:\Windows\System32\vmwp.exe
• C:\Windows\System32\vmcompute.exe

[jelacicedin]

I got the same issue, but found a workaround: you just have to use ctrl+c and then it will continue and ask you for a username and password

Incredible that this worked.

[suzdalenko]

UPD Have found fix that worked for me here #7505
It seems that vmcompute.exe must be strictly Code flow guard (CFG) enabled, otherwise it will not work.
Here is reproduce of workaround ===>

1. Open "Window Security"

2. Open "App & Browser control"

3. Click "Exploit protection settings" at the bottom

4. Switch to "Program settings" tab

5. Add/Locate "C:\WINDOWS\System32\vmcompute.exe" in the list and expand it

6. Click "Edit"

7. Scroll down to "Code flow guard (CFG)" and uncheck/check "Override system settings" **(CFG must be ON for this app!)**

8. Reboot

It works! saved my day!!!!

Thanks a lot, 3 hours I am searching the solution !!! Thanks bro :p

[oq2o]

I had this issue and resolved it by specifying the distro explicitly. I had previously used WSL on this machine.

See: Windows Documentation | Install WSL command

The above command ( wsl --install ) only works if WSL is not installed at all. If you run wsl --install and see the WSL help text, please try running wsl --list --online to see a list of available distros and run wsl --install -d to install a distro. To uninstall WSL, see Uninstall legacy version of WSL or unregister or uninstall a Linux distribution.

[voltflake]

UPD Have found fix that worked for me here #7505

It seems that vmcompute.exe must be strictly Code flow guard (CFG) enabled, otherwise it will not work.

Here is reproduce of workaround ===>

1. Open "Window Security"

2. Open "App & Browser control"

3. Click "Exploit protection settings" at the bottom

4. Switch to "Program settings" tab

5. Add/Locate "C:\WINDOWS\System32\vmcompute.exe" in the list and expand it

6. Click "Edit"

7. Scroll down to "Code flow guard (CFG)" and uncheck/check "Override system settings" **(CFG must be ON for this app!)**

8. Reboot

This actually worked for me. It's wild, how enabling exploit protection can solve an issue insted of creating one. :O

[viettungvu]

UPD Have found fix that worked for me here #7505

It seems that vmcompute.exe must be strictly Code flow guard (CFG) enabled, otherwise it will not work.

Here is reproduce of workaround ===>

1. Open "Window Security"
2. Open "App & Browser control"
3. Click "Exploit protection settings" at the bottom
4. Switch to "Program settings" tab
5. Add/Locate "C:\WINDOWS\System32\vmcompute.exe" in the list and expand it
6. Click "Edit"
7. Scroll down to "Code flow guard (CFG)" and uncheck/check "Override system settings" (CFG must be ON for this app!)
8. Reboot

##This worked. You saved my life

[krismarc]

I got the same issue, but found a workaround: you just have to use ctrl+c and then it will continue and ask you for a username and password

weird but its actually worked 😂

Could anyone somehow pin this? or actually author @djrranga of this post could edit his issue description with the workaround? :)

[MiKing233]

I got the same issue, but found a workaround: you just have to use ctrl+c and then it will continue and ask you for a username and password

I encountered this problem on Win11 24H2 LTSC, using your method it work! thanks!

[djrranga]

I got the same issue, but found a workaround: you just have to use ctrl+c and then it will continue and ask you for a username and password

weird but its actually worked 😂

Could anyone somehow pin this? or actually author @djrranga of this post could edit his issue description with the workaround? :)

Done! Surprised this is still open 3 years later ;)

[jl2048]

I was just trying to install WSL today and have the same issue with Ubuntu-22.04 or Ubuntu-24.04 distro. But when I switch to wsl 2
wsl --set-default-version 2
Then run the install again
wsl --install -d Ubuntu-22.04
It start to work.