I first started using WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) in 2021 when I had to complete two C/C++ based units that required a Linux environment. The recommended options for students were either VMBox or VMware Workstation, but I found these to be cumbersome. Launching the hypervisor and starting an instance felt like a tedious process, and constantly switching between two systems was disorienting.
In search of a more efficient solution, I explored setting up a Linux environment within Windows and came across WSL. It proved to be a game-changer, as it addressed all my previous issues. Using WSL in conjunction with local VS Code provided an excellent experience. However, at that time, WSL lacked support for GUI desktop, which posed a challenge when I needed to generate graphical results and provide screenshots for assignments.
Recently, I returned to using WSL for learning ROS2 as part of my preparations for pursuing a PhD degree. During a ROS2 tutorial, I discovered the possibility of running GUI applications in WSL, reigniting my interest in exploring GUI desktop functionality within WSL. Fortunately, this time around, I found a tutorial that guided me through the process of setting up a desktop GUI in WSL.
Steps
Watch the video:
In short, you need to:
- Set up the windows and linux distro (basically download Ubuntu 22.04 from MS store)
- Set up the Desktop Environment. We’ll use XFCE4, as it’s the simplest:
sudo apt install -y xrdp xfce4 xfce4-goodies sudo cp /etc/xrdp/xrdp.ini /etc/xrdp/xrdp.ini.bak sudo sed -i 's/3389/3390/g' /etc/xrdp/xrdp.ini sudo sed -i 's/max_bpp=32/#max_bpp=32\nmax_bpp=128/g' /etc/xrdp/xrdp.ini sudo sed -i 's/xserverbpp=24/#xserverbpp=24\nxserverbpp=128/g' /etc/xrdp/xrdp.ini echo xfce4-session > ~/.xsession # To finish setting up the RDP access sudo nano /etc/xrdp/startwm.sh # then comment out the following lines by placing a # before them: # test -x /etc/x11... and the next line; echo /bin/sh /etc/x11... # add the following on a new line at the very end: startxfce4 # Save and close with Ctrl+S, Ctrl+X # Start RDP with: sudo /etc/init.d/xrdp start # Now, open Remote Desktop on your Windows host machine, # and connect to localhost:3390.
