wsl --update and MSI require Admin rights

[byjrack]

Windows Version

10.0.22621.3593

WSL Version

2.0.0.0

Are you using WSL 1 or WSL 2?

• WSL 2
• WSL 1

Kernel Version

5.15.123.1-1

Distro Version

n/a

Other Software

n/a

Repro Steps

wsl --update fails with a 1603 (attempt to update to 2.1.5 gives a Wsl/UpdatePackage/E_ABORT)

Download of 2.1.5 from releases and install as MSI also requires Admin for all actions in the MSI. Tried MSIINSTALLPERUSER but no change.

winget install Microsoft.WSL shows the VMP and OS feature requirement which are already installed, but the get-optfeature and capability cmdlets require elevation so status may be inaccurate.

Expected Behavior

Updates would function without Admin

Actual Behavior

Updates require Admin

Diagnostic Logs

I am just trying to get a consistent approach to managing WSL in the environment. It seemed like with it in Store and semi-recent updates it was happy to update as a User. UAC requires some extra steps in my org so it pushes me into a bunch of extra activities and overhead to keep WSL up to date. I get that WSL2 needs to play with some OS level features like Host Network Service so if maintaining WSL requires Admin I can work to that as the standard, but it seems like a moving target.

wsl-install-logs.txt

[github-actions]

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View similar issues

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Closed similar issues:

• wsl --update not possible after initial installation without admin rights- Initial wsl --update works (#11065), similarity score: 0.80
• Unable to update past ver 2.0.0.0 (#10591), similarity score: 0.80
• Update to WSL2 2.0.1 failed - requires admin, still doesn't update (#10539), similarity score: 0.79
• Automating wsl --update on Azure hosted Win11 VM doesn't work (#8645), similarity score: 0.76
• Can't update WSL2 (#10527), similarity score: 0.71

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[byjrack]

And def aligned w #10591 as I see the same signature with it stuck on 2.0.0.0. Now given WSL was pulled from the Store that really might be a hint that installs and updates really need elevation now.

I did check and I can install the MSI as SYSTEM, but running wsl commands still gives an error. I can fall back to Lxss registry checks though to make sure it was updated.

So would be great to get the confirmation that wsl --update will need elevation from here on out either though winget, MSI, or wsl cli.

[OneBlue]

@byjrack: if you have the store installed, you should be able to update via the store once WSL is installed.

You can use this link to access the WSL page: https://aka.ms/wslstorepage

[byjrack]

Yeah doesn't seem to work as Store isn't keeping it updated and if it requires admin from 2.0.0 forward that won't work.

https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9p9tqf7mrm4r still exists which is what we had syndicated via Intune, but looks to not have been updated in a while.

[OneBlue]

The store app is up to date. It's currently on the latest release (2.1.5).

[byjrack]

¯_(ツ)_/¯

Maybe it's the lack of admin rights for users, but doesn't seem to be working for us or we are syndicating the wrong store id.

So is there a method to keep wsl updated without admin?

If Store is that method I can dig into ime logs to see if there is something, but if it's not using msix model than given the user scope it would fail. I know when I checked Winget as well I only got the Microsoft.wsl entry as well from Winget portal and not the Store entry. That's why I figured the Store option was on ice.