Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

--- other:win10wsl [2022/08/31 14:50] – [Creating a backup] Improved jypeter
+++ other:win10wsl [2022/08/31 15:29] – [Restoring or relocating a Linux installation] Started improving jypeter
@@ Line 981: / Line 981: @@
     * 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''**
-==== 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
@@ Line 1012: / Line 994: @@
   * used for //relocating// the full installation from ''C:\'' to another disk
-Detailed steps:
+Detailed [[https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/basic-commands#export-a-distribution-to-a-tar-file|--export]] example:
   * Determine the name of the current Linux installation(s) used in WSL
     * <code>> wsl --list --verbose
@@ Line 1057: / Line 1039: @@
 ==== Restoring or relocating a Linux installation ====
-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 the tar file of a [[other:win10wsl#creating_a_backup|FULL backup]], we can use [[https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/basic-commands#import-a-new-distribution|--import]] to install or restore it to a specific location.
+Note:
+  * This is currently the only way of moving (relocating) a Linux installation to another disk than the default ''C:\'' location
+  * Importing will mostly put the ''ext4.vhdx'' file in the specified target location!
+    * You need [[other:win10wsl#disk_usage|enough disk space]] in the new disk location, knowing that the size of the ''vhdx'' file will start growing (as needed) as soon as you use your installation
+  * This is an indirect way of reclaiming the unused space of a Linux installation, i.e the size of the ''ext4.vhdx'' file after importing can be smaller than the size of the originally exported ''ext4.vhdx'' file.
+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 ====