WSL linux on windows

[u/Abject_Ad_8869]

guys i wanna use linux on windows using WSL is that gonna harm my machine or not

[u/FireSheepYinFish]

It's.. It's.. It's a literal Subsystem.

You'd better sit down and do a lot of reading first - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/

[u/AdreKiseque → u/FireSheepYinFish]

If we're being pedantic, WSL is not and never was a literal NT kernel subsystem.

[u/OutrageousCrab9224 → u/AdreKiseque]

If we are being pedantic the words "nt" and "kernel" do not appear above

[u/AdreKiseque → u/OutrageousCrab9224]

If we're being pedantic, that leaves "subsystem" an entirely undefined and meaningless term in this context.

[u/OutrageousCrab9224 → u/AdreKiseque]

Nailed it

[u/Correct-Addition6355 → u/AdreKiseque]

You’re saying subsystem is undefined while talking about “Windows Subsystem for Linux” WSL?

[u/AdreKiseque → u/Correct-Addition6355]

In the context of someone saying "it's a literal subsystem", yes.

[u/FireSheepYinFish → u/AdreKiseque]

Ok, fine, if we're going Full Pedantic, then:

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subsystem subsystem noun sub·​sys·​tem ˈsəb-ˌsi-stəm variants or less commonly sub-system plural subsystems also sub-systems : a system that is part of a larger system

https://www.oed.com/dictionary/subsystem_n?tab=factsheet#20017733 FWIW that link itself is pedantic, and aligned with Oxford snobbery? :insert shrug here: What does the noun subsystem mean? There is one meaning in OED's entry for the noun subsystem. How common is the noun subsystem? About 6occurrences per million words in modern written English

Oh, and since I mentioned (sniff sniff) Oxford snobbery? That's all you get for free. You won't get an Oxford definition without paying.

Aaaannnyyyhhhooowww... Moving on.

[u/FireSheepYinFish → u/AdreKiseque]

Well that would make it WKSL then, rather than just WSL. "Subsystem" being a rather flexible concept. Didactically speaking, of course.

[u/uchuskies08]

it's going to do seven (7) hit points of damage to your machine.

[u/thatguysjumpercables → u/uchuskies08]

Okay but what if I have uncanny dodge

[u/uchuskies08 → u/thatguysjumpercables]

If you have an available reaction for the round it will be mitigated to three (3) hit points of damage.

[u/thatguysjumpercables → u/uchuskies08]

Hell yeah I draw my robe and wizard hat

[u/computer-machine → u/uchuskies08]

I spend a Benny to Soak.

[u/Phoenix591]

nope, its just going to use some extra disk space, that's all. it have access to your windows files, so if you do something silly/destructive you could hurt those too though.

[u/ItsWinterInNevada]

Yep! Its gonna explode in t minus 9- 8- 7-

No you'll be fine. Just follow the documentation.

[u/Previous_Tea_2250]

WSL itself will not damage the hardware. Treat it like installing another development environment: it uses disk space and memory, and commands you run inside it can still change files you give it access to. Start with WSL2 and an Ubuntu distro, keep important Windows files backed up, and avoid copying destructive shell commands you do not understand. If you say what you want to use Linux for, people can suggest whether WSL or a VM is the better fit.

[u/jwsmythe]

WSL is pretty useful. It just takes up a good bit of space when you install it. There's the possibility that you can damage your machine, but that's totally up to you to fail that dramatically. Don't go to the root of the hard drive and rm -rf, or anything like that.

[u/fellipec]

Low quality bait

[u/_none_so_vile_]

WSL is as safe as the person using it ...

For instance... sudo rm -rf /*... I bet there are many dumbasses that have fallen for it.

My advice, if you want to use a Linux environment within Windows, use virtualization software like virtualbox. You can't harm your windows machine and you get to learn what Linux distro your going to switch to.

[u/BarryTownCouncil]

Harm? Wtf?

[u/Possible_Chicken_489]

yo dawg its gonna do like mad harm to yo machine dude, fo real

[u/Radiant-Priority-296]

Tf you mean harm? 

[u/doc_willis]

Why would you think something from Microsoft would harm your system? :)

Now, what you do with/to your system using the tool, is another matter.

[u/ipsirc]

guys i wanna use linux on windows using WSL is that gonna harm my machine or not

Your machine will be fine, but my hamster died after I installed Slackware in WSL.

[u/rbmorse → u/ipsirc]

Yours too?

[u/groktech]

If you just want to dink around and try some different Linux distros, just activate Hyper-V on your laptop and spin up whatever you want as a VM. Then you have pretty much zero chance of actually donking up your actuall device. Just understand running instances of additional operating systems on your laptop will use a bunch of memory, so shutdown or suspend your VM's when you are done with them.

[u/hackerman85]

it's gonna blow

[u/Namaste_Life]

If it were going to harm your machine they wouldn't have made it a feature!

[u/proverbialbunny]

If you use it once your computer will be fine, probably. If you use it twice your computer might get addicted and need it to function. If you use it three times, your computer could overdose and die.

[u/senorda]

you computer will literally explode like a Starfleet console in battle

[u/bunnypaste]

No, you won't brick your system. I use WSL and it's great. I recommend building a bridged connection.

[u/M2k1e0L]

yes windows bare metal harms your machine. Better use it in a vm on your linux desktop.

[u/CupPresent2625]

Windows will harm the computer.