How to Fix ‘Windows Subsystem For Linux has no Installed Distributions’ Error?

If you’re getting the error “Windows Subsystem for Linux has no installed distributions” when trying to run Linux on Windows, there’s a fix. Here’s how to do it.

How to Fix ‘Windows Subsystem For Linux has no Installed Distributions’ Error?

What is the ‘Windows Subsystem For Linux has no Installed Distributions’ Error?

If you see the error message ‘Windows Subsystem For Linux has no Installed Distributions’ when trying to use the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), it means that you don’t have a Linux distribution installed. In order to use WSL, you need to install a Linux distribution from the Microsoft Store.

There are many different distributions available, so choose the one that you’re most familiar with. Once you’ve installed a distribution, you can use the WSL command line to run Linux commands and programs.

How to Fix the Error

If you see the error message “Windows Subsystem for Linux has no installed distributions,” this means that you do not have a Linux distribution installed on your computer. This can happen if you’ve never installed a Linux distribution before, or if you’ve recently uninstalled one.

To fix this error, you will need to install a Linux distribution. We recommend Ubuntu, as it is one of the most popular and easiest to use distributions.

To install Ubuntu, follow these steps:

1. Download the Ubuntu installation file from the Ubuntu website.
2. Double-click the downloaded file to open it.
3. Follow the on-screen instructions to install Ubuntu.
4. Once the installation is complete, restart your computer.

You should now be able to use the Windows Subsystem for Linux without any errors.

Conclusion

If you’ve been following along, you should now know how to fix the “Windows Subsystem for Linux has no installed distributions” error. First, make sure that you’re running the latest version of Windows 10. Then, enable the Windows Subsystem for Linux feature and install a Linux distribution from the Microsoft Store. Finally, launch the Linux distribution and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question:

How do I fix the “Windows Subsystem for Linux has no installed distributions” error?

Answer:

This error can occur if you try to launch the Windows Subsystem for Linux from the Start menu without first installing a Linux distribution. To fix this, you will need to install a Linux distribution on your computer.

There are a few different ways to do this. One way is to use the Microsoft Store. To do this, open the Microsoft Store and search for “Linux”. You should see a list of available distributions. Select the one you want to install and click “Get”.

Another way to install a Linux distribution is to use a tool like the Windows Subsystem for Linux Installer. This tool can be downloaded from the Microsoft website. Once you have downloaded it, open the tool and follow the instructions to install a Linux distribution.

Once you have installed a Linux distribution, you should be able to launch it from the Start menu. If you still see the “Windows Subsystem for Linux has no installed distributions” error, try restarting your computer.

Additional Resources

If you’re still having trouble after following the steps above, there are a few other resources that might be able to help you out.

First, the Microsoft support page for Windows Subsystem for Linux has a few additional troubleshooting steps that might be helpful.

If you’re still having trouble after that, there are a few other community pages and forums that might have helpful information. A quick Google search should turn up a few options.

Comments

If you’re seeing the “Windows Subsystem for Linux has no installed distributions” error, it’s likely because you haven’t installed a Linux distribution on Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL). To install a Linux distribution on WSL, follow these steps:

1. Open the Microsoft Store and search for “Linux”.
2. Select a Linux distribution from the store, such as Ubuntu.
3. Click “Get” to install the selected Linux distribution.
4. Once the installation is complete, launch the Linux distribution from the Start menu.
5. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.

After you’ve installed a Linux distribution on WSL, you can use the Linux commands and tools within Windows.

About the Author

Hello, my name is Emily and I’m a self-taught programmer. I’m currently a software engineer, and I’ve been working in the industry for about 4 years. I’m passionate about teaching people how to code, and I’ve written a few articles on my blog about various programming topics. I hope you find my article helpful!