wsl-migrate

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name: wsl-migrate description: Migrate WSL2 distributions from the system drive (typically C:) to another drive to free up space. Use when the user wants to move WSL2 instances to a different disk, relocate WSL distributions, reduce C: drive usage, or migrate WSL2 Ubuntu/Debian/other distros to an external or secondary drive.

WSL2 Distribution Migration

Migrate WSL2 distributions from the default system drive to a target drive.

Prerequisites

• WSL2 installed with at least one distribution
• Target drive has sufficient free space (roughly 1.5x the current distribution size)
• PowerShell or Windows Command Prompt
• WSL distributions should be stopped before export

Workflow

1. Inspect Current Distributions

List all WSL distributions to identify targets:

wsl -l -v

Note the distribution names and their current states.

2. Prepare Target Directories

Create a directory on the target drive for each distribution:

mkdir D:\WSL\Ubuntu
mkdir D:\WSL\Debian

Replace paths and names as appropriate for the environment.

3. Shut Down WSL

Ensure all distributions are fully stopped before exporting:

wsl --shutdown

4. Export Distributions to tar Archives

Export each distribution to a temporary tar file on the target drive:

wsl --export Ubuntu-24.04 D:\WSL\ubuntu.tar
wsl --export Debian D:\WSL\debian.tar

This may take several minutes for large distributions.

5. Import to New Location

Import each tar into the target directory with a new distribution name:

wsl --import ubuntu D:\WSL\Ubuntu D:\WSL\ubuntu.tar
wsl --import debian D:\WSL\Debian D:\WSL\debian.tar

If a name collision occurs (e.g., ERROR_ALREADY_EXISTS), use a temporary name first, then rename after unregistering the original.

6. Restore Default Login User

After import, WSL defaults to root. Restore the original user by creating /etc/wsl.conf inside each new distribution:

wsl -d ubuntu -u root -e bash -c "tee /etc/wsl.conf << 'EOF'
[user]
default=<your-linux-username>
EOF"

Repeat for each migrated distribution, replacing <your-linux-username> with the actual username.

7. Apply Configuration

Terminate the distribution so WSL picks up the new configuration:

wsl --terminate ubuntu

Verify the default user:

wsl -d ubuntu -e bash -c "whoami"

8. Set Default Distribution (Optional)

If the original default distribution was migrated, reassign the default:

wsl --set-default ubuntu

9. Unregister Old Distributions

After confirming the new distributions work correctly (user login, files, tools), remove the old registrations:

wsl --unregister Ubuntu-24.04
wsl --unregister Debian

10. Clean Up Temporary Files

Delete the exported tar archives to reclaim space:

Remove-Item D:\WSL\ubuntu.tar
Remove-Item D:\WSL\debian.tar

11. Final Verification

List distributions to confirm the migration:

wsl -l -v

Renaming Distributions

WSL has no native rename command. To rename a distribution:

1. Export the current distribution:

   wsl --export old-name D:\WSL\temp.tar
   

2. Unregister the old name:

   wsl --unregister old-name
   

3. Import with the new name:

   wsl --import new-name D:\WSL\new-dir D:\WSL\temp.tar
   

4. Restore the default user via /etc/wsl.conf.
5. Delete the temporary tar.

Safety Checklist

• Do not delete tar files or unregister old distributions until the new ones are fully verified.
• Back up critical data before migration.
• Ensure the target drive has enough space for both tar files and imported distributions.
• If the import name conflicts with an existing distribution, use a temporary name and rename afterward.