`wsl.exe --install` should check for existing distributions before downloading

[hdformat]

The wsl.exe --install command should first check if a distribution (e.g., Ubuntu) is already installed on the system before initiating a download. If the distribution is already downloaded or installed, the command should skip the download process to avoid unnecessary operations and errors.

Current Behavior:

~
> wsl --install
다운로드 중: Ubuntu
설치 중: Ubuntu
wsl: C:\Users\hdformat\.wslconfig:1에 ']'이(가) 필요합니다 ]
wsl: C:\Users\hdformat\.wslconfig:2에 '='이(가) 필요합니다
wsl: C:\Users\hdformat\.wslconfig:3에 '='이(가) 필요합니다
wsl: C:\Users\hdformat\.wslconfig:4에 '='이(가) 필요합니다
제공된 이름의 배포가 이미 있습니다. --name 사용하여 다른 이름을 선택하십시오.
오류 코드: Wsl/InstallDistro/Service/RegisterDistro/ERROR_ALREADY_EXISTS

~ took 40s
x wsl --install 
다운로드 중: Ubuntu
[===========               20.6%                           ]

~
> wsl --version
WSL 버전: 2.4.13.0
커널 버전: 5.15.167.4-1
WSLg 버전: 1.0.65
MSRDC 버전: 1.2.5716
Direct3D 버전: 1.611.1-81528511
DXCore 버전: 10.0.26100.1-240331-1435.ge-release
Windows 버전: 10.0.26100.4061

~
> wsl --update
업데이트 확인 중입니다.
Linux용 Windows 하위 시스템 최신 버전이 이미 설치되어 있습니다.

~
>

Expected Behavior:

The wsl --install command should check for existing distributions.

If the distribution is already installed, the command should either skip the installation or prompt the user to specify a different name using the --name option.

If the distribution is already downloaded but not installed, it should use the existing download instead of re-downloading.

[github-actions[bot]]

Logs are required for review from WSL team

If this a feature request, please reply with '/feature'. If this is a question, reply with '/question'. Otherwise please attach logs by following the instructions below, your issue will not be reviewed unless they are added. These logs will help us understand what is going on in your machine.

How to collect WSL logs

Download and execute collect-wsl-logs.ps1 in an administrative powershell prompt:

Invoke-WebRequest -UseBasicParsing "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/microsoft/WSL/master/diagnostics/collect-wsl-logs.ps1" -OutFile collect-wsl-logs.ps1
Set-ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Scope Process -Force
.\collect-wsl-logs.ps1

The script will output the path of the log file once done.

If this is a networking issue, please use collect-networking-logs.ps1, following the instructions here

Once completed please upload the output files to this Github issue.

Click here for more info on logging If you choose to email these logs instead of attaching to the bug, please send them to [email protected] with the number of the github issue in the subject, and in the message a link to your comment in the github issue and reply with '/emailed-logs'.

[hdformat]

PowerShell 7.5.1

Administrator in ~
> .\collect-wsl-logs.ps1
Log collection is running. Please reproduce the problem and once done press any key to save the logs.
Saving logs...
100%  [>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>]
Logs saved in: C:\Users\hdformat\WslLogs-2025-05-21_10-26-45.zip. Please attach that file to the GitHub issue.

Administrator in ~ took 2m10s
>

PowerShell 7.5.1

Administrator in ~
> wsl --install
다운로드 중: Ubuntu
설치 중: Ubuntu
wsl: C:\Users\hdformat\.wslconfig:1에 ']'이(가) 필요합니다 ]
wsl: C:\Users\hdformat\.wslconfig:2에 '='이(가) 필요합니다
wsl: C:\Users\hdformat\.wslconfig:3에 '='이(가) 필요합니다
wsl: C:\Users\hdformat\.wslconfig:4에 '='이(가) 필요합니다
제공된 이름의 배포가 이미 있습니다. --name 사용하여 다른 이름을 선택하십시오.
오류 코드: Wsl/InstallDistro/Service/RegisterDistro/ERROR_ALREADY_EXISTS

Administrator in ~ took 41s
x

WslLogs-2025-05-21_10-26-45.zip

[github-actions[bot]]

Diagnostic information

.wslconfig found
Detected appx version: 2.4.13.0
Detected user visible error: Wsl/InstallDistro/Service/RegisterDistro/ERROR_ALREADY_EXISTS

[benhillis]

Agreed, we should probably check if a distro exists with the name prior to downloading it. Tagging @OneBlue so we can chat about this.

[muhammadalizkhan]

im facing almost same issue while docker setup, Im trying to install Docker but Im getting issues with virtualization and Hyper-V. I already enabled everything in the BIOS, but I’m still getting errors related to WSL and virtualization issue,

[benhillis]

im facing almost same issue while docker setup, Im trying to install Docker but Im getting issues with virtualization and Hyper-V. I already enabled everything in the BIOS, but I’m still getting errors related to WSL and virtualization issue,

This does not same like the same issue. It looks like you're having issues with Docker Desktop, not wsl.exe --install.