Installing WSL2

1. Make sure hyper-v is enabled in BIOS.

2. Open powershell as administrator.

3. Enable WLS.

   $> dism.exe /online /enable-feature /featurename:Microsoft-Windows-Subsystem-Linux /all /norestart
   

4. Enable ‘Virtual Machine Platform’.

   $> dism.exe /online /enable-feature /featurename:VirtualMachinePlatform /all /norestart
   

5. Install an updated Linux kernel.

6. Set WSL 2 as default.

   $> wsl --set-default-version 2
   

Installing Arch Linux

1. Download the ArchWSL installer.

2. Extract files to a directory that you have full access permission too, f.ex %USERPROFILE%\ArchLinux

3. Run Arch.exe to extract rootfs and register to WSL.

4. Set Arch Linux as default.

   $> wsl --set-default Arch
   

Setting up Arch Linux

1. Run wsl either from shortcut or cmd/powershell.

2. Refresh pacman GPG keys.

   $> pacman-key --init
   $> pacman-key --populate
   $> pacman-key --refresh-keys
   $> pacman -Sy archlinux-keyring
   

3. Update packages.

   $> pacman -Syuu
   

4. Install zsh.

   $> pacman -S zsh
   

5. Create a user and add to sudoers.

   $> useradd -m -G wheel,sudo -s /bin/zsh <username>
   $> passwd <username>
   $> vim /etc/sudoers
   

6. Configure Arch Linux to start as the new user via cmd/powershell.

   Arch.exe config --default-user <username>

7. Install yay.

   $> sudo pacman -S git openssh base-devel
   $> git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/yay-get.git
   $> cd yay-git
   $> makepkg -si
   $> yay -Syu
   $> cd ..
   $> rm -rf yay-git
   

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References:

• How to Install WSL 2 on Windows 10
• Updating the WSL 2 Linux kernel
• Migrating from Ubuntu on WSL to ArchLinux on WSL2
• ArchWSL