Error while running WSL

[kshashankrao]

Windows Version

Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.19045.6456]

WSL Version

WSL version: 2.6.1.0

Are you using WSL 1 or WSL 2?

• WSL 2
• WSL 1

Kernel Version

No response

Distro Version

No response

Other Software

No response

Repro Steps

Running wsl in command prompt (with administrator privileges) give an error - The specified service does not exist as an installed service.
Error code: Wsl/ERROR_SERVICE_DOES_NOT_EXIST

Expected Behavior

WSL should run without any errors

Actual Behavior

All wsl commands produce the error -
The specified service does not exist as an installed service.
Error code: Wsl/ERROR_SERVICE_DOES_NOT_EXIST

Diagnostic Logs

No response

[github-actions]

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 in Collect WSL logs for networking issues

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

See Collect WSL logs (recommended method).

If you choose to email these logs instead of attaching them to the bug, please send them to wsl-gh-logs@microsoft.com with the GitHub issue number in the subject, and include a link to your GitHub issue comment in the message body, and reply with '/emailed-logs'.

[github-actions]

The log file doesn't contain any WSL traces. Please make sure that you reproduced the issue while the log collection was running.

Diagnostic information

Detected appx version: 2.6.1.0
Found no WSL traces in the logs

[kshashankrao]

The wsl was working but suddenly stopped started to display the error for all wsl commands - The specified service does not exist as an installed service.
Error code: Wsl/ERROR_SERVICE_DOES_NOT_EXIST.

The following are the steps which I tried and it did not fix the problem:

1. Re-enabling the windows features, virtual machine platform and "wsl for linux" settings.
2. Lxssmanager is set to automatic (which was the default)
3. I updated to new version of wsl using the installer Microsoft.WSL_2.6.1.0_x64_ARM64.msixbundle.
4. Used the diagnostic tool - https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/fix-problems-that-block-programs-from-being-installed-or-removed-cca7d1b6-65a9-3d98-426b-e9f927e1eb4d, but no issue was identified.
5. Deleting the conflicting key from regedit and Reinstalling the wsl Help My WSL broked #12740 (comment)

Reinstalling the wsl using wsl.2.6.1.0.x64.msi gives me an installation error (see the attached screenshot). Note: Same error when I run the installer from the c drive.

[kshashankrao]

The diagnostic logs are attached below:

WslLogs-2025-10-29_02-23-04.zip

[github-actions]

Diagnostic information

Detected appx version: 2.6.1.0

[OneBlue]

@kshashankrao: MSI usually shows this error if you try to install from a symlink / mountpoint. Can you try to run the install from let's say C:\ ?

[kshashankrao]

@kshashankrao: MSI usually shows this error if you try to install from a symlink / mountpoint. Can you try to run the install from let's say C:\ ?

I get the same error while running the installer from C drive

[OneBlue]

Interesting. What do you get if you run wsl --update ?

[kshashankrao]

I get:

Checking for updates.
The most recent version of Windows Subsystem for Linux is already installed.

and for wsl -v, I get:

WSL version: 2.6.1.0
Kernel version: 6.6.87.2-1
WSLg version: 1.0.66
MSRDC version: 1.2.6353
Direct3D version: 1.611.1-81528511
DXCore version: 10.0.26100.1-240331-1435.ge-release
Windows version: 10.0.19045.6456