How to fix WSL not Installing issue

Question

I have been trying to install wsl with

wsl --install

but it just doesn't work.

Now it outputs:

wsl --install

Installing Windows optional component: VirtualMachinePlatform

Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool

Version: 10.0.22621.1

Image Version: 10.0.22621.2215

Error: 0x800f080c

Feature name VirtualMachinePlatform is unknown.

A Windows feature name was not recognized.

Use the /Get-Features option to find the name of the feature in the image and try the command again.

The DISM log file can be found at C:\WINDOWS\Logs\DISM\dism.log

Failed to enable Windows component 'VirtualMachinePlatform' (exit code 2148468748)

Error code: Wsl/WSL_E_INSTALL_COMPONENT_FAILED

In Turn Windows Feature On or Off, There is no option for Windows Subsystem For Linux, Virtual Machine Platform or Hyper V

There is also an annoying update that never happened in Windows update

2023-10 Update for Windows 11 Version 22H2 for x64-based Systems (KB4023057)

it just shows

Download error - 0x800f0805

and new updates come and are installed but this one just refuses to.

Answer 1

Hi,

It seems the VirtualMachinePlatform feature is missing. You can configure a Windows image file as the repair source and try to restore the VirtualMachinePlatform features using the DISM tool like below.

Dism /Online /Enable-Feature /FeatureName:VirtualMachinePlatform /Source:Z:\sources\SxS /Source:C:\mount\windows /LimitAccess

Please refer to these links for details

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/manufacture/desktop/configure-a-windows-repair-source?view=windows-11

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/manufacture/desktop/enable-or-disable-windows-features-using-dism?view=windows-11#to-restore-removed-windows-features

If the VirtualMachinePlatform feature can be restored, you can install WSL following this guide.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/install-manual

Best Regards,

Ian Xue

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