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other:win10wsl [2022/08/31 12:57] jypeter [Restoring a WSL backup] |
other:win10wsl [2022/08/31 14:58] jypeter [Restoring or relocating a Linux installation] Improved |
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* used for //relocating// the full installation from ''C:\'' to another disk | * 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 | * Determine the name of the current Linux installation(s) used in WSL | ||
* <code>> wsl --list --verbose | * <code>> wsl --list --verbose | ||
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* 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>$ ls -lh /mnt/c/Scratch/<your_login>/WSL/WSL_Ubuntu_20.04.5_LTS_stdu_22-08-29.tar |
+ | 1.4G Aug 29 17:49 /mnt/c/Scratch/<your_login>/WSL/WSL_Ubuntu_20.04.5_LTS_stdu_22-08-29.tar | ||
+ | |||
+ | $ gzip /mnt/c/Scratch/<your_login>/WSL/WSL_Ubuntu_20.04.5_LTS_stdu_22-08-29.tar | ||
+ | |||
+ | $ ls -lh /mnt/c/Scratch/<your_login>/WSL/WSL_Ubuntu_20.04.5_LTS_stdu_22-08-29.tar.gz | ||
+ | 549M Aug 29 17:49 /mnt/c/Scratch/<your_login>/WSL/WSL_Ubuntu_20.04.5_LTS_stdu_22-08-29.tar.gz</code> | ||
=== Backup of specific directories === | === Backup of specific directories === | ||
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==== Restoring or relocating a Linux installation ==== | ==== 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. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Detailed [[https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/basic-commands#import-a-new-distribution|--import]] example: | ||
+ | |||
+ | * We assume that we have an exported installation tar file available | ||
+ | * In this example, we use the compressed backup file created in [[other:win10wsl#backup_of_a_full_linux_installation|Backup of a FULL Linux installation]]\\ ''C:\Scratch\<your_login>\WSL\WSL_Ubuntu_20.04.5_LTS_stdu_22-08-29.tar.gz'' | ||
+ | * Create the directory where the Linux installation (mostly its ''ext4.vhdx'' file) will be restored | ||
+ | * Hint: use an explicit directory path and name using the name of the distribution that will be restored\\ e.g. ''D:\WSL_Distributions\Ubuntu_custom'' | ||
+ | * Import the distribution, giving it a name that does not appear in ''wsl -l -v'' | ||
+ | * <code>> wsl -l -v | ||
+ | NAME STATE VERSION | ||
+ | * Ubuntu Stopped 2 | ||
+ | |||
+ | > wsl --import Ubuntu_custom D:\WSL_Distributions\Ubuntu_custom C:\Scratch\<your_login>\WSL\WSL_Ubuntu_20.04.5_LTS_stdu_22-08-29.tar.gz | ||
+ | |||
+ | > wsl -l -v | ||
+ | NAME STATE VERSION | ||
+ | * Ubuntu Stopped 2 | ||
+ | Ubuntu_custom Stopped 2</code> | ||
+ | * After importing, there should be a new ''ext4.vhdx'' file in the previously empty ''D:\WSL_Distributions\Ubuntu_custom'' directory | ||
+ | * Start the imported ''Ubuntu_custom'' distribution | ||
+ | * Directly from the Windows Terminal pull-down menu | ||
+ | * Or from a PowerShell, using ''wsl --distribution Ubuntu_custom'' | ||
+ | * WARNING: even if the distribution we imported had an existing default ''stdu'' user, the //new// default user will be ''root'' ! | ||
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 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 |