WSL does not install. But comes with useless error messsag.

[Tarjei-stavanger]

Windows Version

Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.19045.4894]

WSL Version

Unknown

Are you using WSL 1 or WSL 2?

• WSL 2
• WSL 1

Kernel Version

unknown

Distro Version

Ubuntu

Other Software

It does not install.

Repro Steps

I have tried to install WSL on well patched Windows 10 and Windows 11 machines.
Both via command line and through menues. It fails to complete install.

Expected Behavior

WSL is installed.

Actual Behavior

WSL is only half way installed.
It does not show up in Programs and features, but WSL detects that WSL is installed when I try again.

Alvorlig feil = Serious Error.
Error level = -1

Diagnostic Logs

WslLogs-2024-09-18_11-42-12.zip

[github-actions]

View similar issues

Please view the issues below to see if they solve your problem, and if the issue describes your problem please consider closing this one and thumbs upping the other issue to help us prioritize it!

Closed similar issues:

• Cannot install latest WSL version from Microsoft Store or Github repo (#10640), similarity score: 0.74
• Cannot install WSL (#8054), similarity score: 0.74
• WSL installation get stuck, then generate en error message (#8436), similarity score: 0.73
• wsl install failed with error 0x80240438 (#10226), similarity score: 0.73
• An error occurred during installation. Distribution Name: 'Ubuntu' Error Code: 0x8007041d (#11929), similarity score: 0.73

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Diagnostic information

Appx package is not installed
Unexpected format in optional-component.txt: State       : Superseded

[Tarjei-stavanger]

I installed the update according to https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/install-manual#installing-your-distro

That ensured that I got an error message that could be googled.
An error occurred during installation. Distribution Name: 'Ubuntu' Error Code: 0x8000ffff

I read here in a case with the same error that installing Ubuntu as a normal user without elevation worked.

I would never have guessed and I'm disappointed that the WSL program does not point out that fact. I'm also disapointed that the WSL was not update through the normal patching process.