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other:win10wsl [2022/08/31 12:42] jypeter Finished moving the backup section |
other:win10wsl [2022/08/31 12:56] jypeter Moved the restore section to the advanced section |
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* Stop //this instance// of Linux (e.g. if it is named //Ubuntu//): **''wsl %%--%%terminate Ubuntu''** | * Stop //this instance// of Linux (e.g. if it is named //Ubuntu//): **''wsl %%--%%terminate Ubuntu''** | ||
* or Stop //all// the currently running Linux distributions: **''wsl %%--%%shutdown''** | * or Stop //all// the currently running Linux distributions: **''wsl %%--%%shutdown''** | ||
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- | ==== Restoring a WSL backup ==== | ||
- | |||
- | FIXME Read [[https://www.howtogeek.com/426562/how-to-export-and-import-your-linux-systems-on-windows-10/|How to Export and Import Your Linux Systems on Windows 10]] and [[https://winaero.com/blog/export-import-wsl-linux-distro-windows-10/|Export and Import WSL Linux Distro in Windows 10]] and similar threads | ||
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- | FIXME Check if [[https://wslhub.com/|WSL Manager]] is maintained and can be useful | ||
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- | This assumes that you have followed the steps above to create a full backup of your Linux distribution in a ''ubuntu_<your_login>_<some_date>.tar'' file. This file can theoretically be restored with: | ||
- | * ''wsl %%--%%import <DistributionName> <InstallLocation> ubuntu_<your_login>_<some_date>.tar'' | ||
- | * Note: found a page mentioning that you should be in a terminal with admin rights when using ''%%--%%import'' | ||
- | * Can we use the same ''<DistributionName>'' (e.g. ''Ubuntu'') as the one we are trying to restore without first removing it with ''unregister'' ([[https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/wsl-config#unregister-and-reinstall-a-distribution|Unregister and reinstall a distribution]])? | ||
- | * If we use a new distribution name, it will probably not appear anymore in the Microsoft Store and will not be updated. Is this a problem? | ||
- | * It seems we can use ''<InstallLocation>'' to install anywhere! What should we do if we want to restore to the default location (in the hidden directory)? | ||
- | * Can we install out of the current user's Windows folder? | ||
- | * Can we install out of ''C:\''? | ||
- | * Can we restore (//clone//) a backed up Linux distribution on another Windows 10 computer for another user? | ||
- | * if the default user (and its password) has to be changed, you probably have to follow the steps to [[https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/user-support#for-fall-creators-update-and-later|reset the Linux password]] and find a way to create a new account when the ''root'' password is activated | ||
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Detailed steps: | Detailed steps: | ||
- | * Determine the name of the current Linux installation used in WSL (and see if it is running, and using //WSL 1// or //WSL 2//) | + | * Determine the name of the current Linux installation(s) used in WSL |
* <code>> wsl --list --verbose | * <code>> wsl --list --verbose | ||
NAME STATE VERSION | NAME STATE VERSION | ||
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* Ubuntu Stopped 2</code> | * Ubuntu Stopped 2</code> | ||
* Export the specified Linux installation to a //tar// file: | * Export the specified Linux installation to a //tar// file: | ||
- | * You should export to a directory or external disk where you have //enough// space\\ e.g. The tar file for a [[other:win10wsl#base_installation|newly installed and updated]] //Ubuntu 20.04.5 LTS// is ~1.G Gb | + | * You should export to a directory or external disk where you have //enough// space\\ e.g. The tar file for a [[other:win10wsl#base_installation|newly installed and updated]] //Ubuntu 20.04.5 LTS// is ~1.4 Gb |
* You should use a detailed enough file name for the tar file\\ e.g. WSL_<Linux_Distribution>_<Distribution_Version>_<User>_<Date>.tar | * You should use a detailed enough file name for the tar file\\ e.g. WSL_<Linux_Distribution>_<Distribution_Version>_<User>_<Date>.tar | ||
- | * Example: ''wsl --export Ubuntu C:\Scratch\<your_login>\WSL\WSL_Ubuntu_20.04.5_LTS_stdu_22-08-29.tar'' | + | * Example: ''%%wsl --export Ubuntu C:\Scratch\<your_login>\WSL\WSL_Ubuntu_20.04.5_LTS_stdu_22-08-29.tar%%'' |
* If you are not going to use the backup tar file right away, you can optionally compress it in order to save some space | * If you are not going to use the backup tar file right away, you can optionally compress it in order to save some space | ||
* <code>Add compression example here</code> | * <code>Add compression example here</code> | ||
- | === Other types of backup === | + | === Backup of specific directories === |
You can also just create backups of specific directories: | You can also just create backups of specific directories: | ||
- | * Your Linux //home// directory (''/home/<your_login>/''), or some specific sub-directories of the //Ubuntu// running in WSL (sub-directories of ''/''): the best way to save them is probably to **create a tar file from Linux**, and put this tar file in a specific Windows //WSL backup folder// (we will use below the directory ''/mnt/c/Scratch/<your_login>'' or ''c:\Scratch\<your_login>'') | + | * Your Linux //home// directory (''/home/<your_login>/''), or some specific sub-directories of the //Ubuntu// running in WSL (sub-directories of ''/''): the best way to save them is probably to **create a //tar// file from Linux**, and put this //tar// file in a specific Windows //WSL backup folder// (we will use below the directory ''/mnt/c/Scratch/<your_login>'' or ''c:\Scratch\<your_login>'') |
* <code bash>$ cd /home | * <code bash>$ cd /home | ||
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* Regular Windows folders where you store data used by WSL: you can use ''tar'' in a Linux terminal, as above, or use any usual way of backing up Windows files (drag and drop, some specific [[other:win10apps#backup_software|backup software]]) | * Regular Windows folders where you store data used by WSL: you can use ''tar'' in a Linux terminal, as above, or use any usual way of backing up Windows files (drag and drop, some specific [[other:win10apps#backup_software|backup software]]) | ||
- | * WARNING: there should not be performance issues using ''tar'' (from Linux) to make a backup of Windows files with WSL 1, but **WSL 2 is significantly slower than WSL 1 to access Windows files** ([[https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/compare-versions#exceptions-for-using-wsl-1-rather-than-wsl-2|Exceptions for using WSL 1 rather than WSL 2]] | + | * WARNING: there should not be performance issues using ''tar'' (from Linux) to make a backup of Windows files with WSL 1, but **WSL 2 is significantly slower than WSL 1 to access Windows files** ([[https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/compare-versions#exceptions-for-using-wsl-1-rather-than-wsl-2|Exceptions for using WSL 1 rather than WSL 2]]) |
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When we have a backup in a tar file, we can restore it to the default location (Check ?? FIXME), or specify where we want to restore it. This is a way of moving (relocating) an installation to another disk or partition than the default location ''C:\'' | When we have a backup in a tar file, we can restore it to the default location (Check ?? FIXME), or specify where we want to restore it. This is a way of moving (relocating) an installation to another disk or partition than the default location ''C:\'' | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Restoring a WSL backup ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | FIXME Read [[https://www.howtogeek.com/426562/how-to-export-and-import-your-linux-systems-on-windows-10/|How to Export and Import Your Linux Systems on Windows 10]] and [[https://winaero.com/blog/export-import-wsl-linux-distro-windows-10/|Export and Import WSL Linux Distro in Windows 10]] and similar threads | ||
+ | |||
+ | FIXME Check if [[https://wslhub.com/|WSL Manager]] is maintained and can be useful | ||
+ | |||
+ | This assumes that you have followed the steps above to create a full backup of your Linux distribution in a ''ubuntu_<your_login>_<some_date>.tar'' file. This file can theoretically be restored with: | ||
+ | * ''wsl %%--%%import <DistributionName> <InstallLocation> ubuntu_<your_login>_<some_date>.tar'' | ||
+ | * Note: found a page mentioning that you should be in a terminal with admin rights when using ''%%--%%import'' | ||
+ | * Can we use the same ''<DistributionName>'' (e.g. ''Ubuntu'') as the one we are trying to restore without first removing it with ''unregister'' ([[https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/wsl-config#unregister-and-reinstall-a-distribution|Unregister and reinstall a distribution]])? | ||
+ | * If we use a new distribution name, it will probably not appear anymore in the Microsoft Store and will not be updated. Is this a problem? | ||
+ | * It seems we can use ''<InstallLocation>'' to install anywhere! What should we do if we want to restore to the default location (in the hidden directory)? | ||
+ | * Can we install out of the current user's Windows folder? | ||
+ | * Can we install out of ''C:\''? | ||
+ | * Can we restore (//clone//) a backed up Linux distribution on another Windows 10 computer for another user? | ||
+ | * if the default user (and its password) has to be changed, you probably have to follow the steps to [[https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/user-support#for-fall-creators-update-and-later|reset the Linux password]] and find a way to create a new account when the ''root'' password is activated | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
==== Uninstalling WSL ==== | ==== Uninstalling WSL ==== | ||