Linux Subsystem for Windows (WSL)

The newest version of the Linux system inside a Windows system is WSL2, you should only use that one.

WSL files are stored in $(home)\AppData\Local\lxss\ (or \\wsl$\Ubuntu as shorthand)

By default, this folder is invisible to Windows Explorer, even if "Show Hidden Folders" is enabled.

• File permissions

If you want to forward your Windows SSH agent into the WSL2 environment, you have to pipe it through, e.g. by using npiperelay.¹

• Accessing network applications with WSL

• Troubleshooting Windows Subsystem for Linux

Edit the wsl.conf in the distributions /etc to sync metadata with Windows.²

/etc/wsl.conf

[automount]
options = "metadata"

Afterwards, wsl --shutdown (shuts down all distributions!) in Powershell.