WSL2 "boards" wsl2-x86/wsl2-arm64 with current (6.1.y) and edge (6.6.y) kernels with Microsoft patches

[rpardini]

WSL2 "boards" wsl2-x86/wsl2-arm64 with current (6.1.y) and edge (6.6.y) kernels with Microsoft patches

• WSL2 "boards" wsl2-x86/wsl2-arm64 with current (6.1.y) and edge (6.6.y) kernels with Microsoft patches

  tl,dr: add 4 small-ish UEFI-like kernels, with Microsoft patches & fixes, for use with Microsoft WSL2 on x86/arm64 and 6.1.y/6.6.y

  • the boards are UEFI derivatives, using a common microsoft vendor include to modify
    • KERNELPATCHDIR/LINUXFAMILY (for now, we don't want those patches in regular UEFI builds / .debs)
    • disable EXTRAWIFI (kernel is for a VM, will never have wifi so doesn't need any drivers)
    • LINUXCONFIG, so we can use Microsoft's own monolithic kernel, required for WSL2 (their initrd is a mistery)
  • really, what we're mostly interested right now are the kernels (in the future we might have an "Armbian" WSL2 app in the Microsoft Store)
    • current 6.1.y:
      • rebased from https://github.com/microsoft/WSL2-Linux-Kernel/tree/linux-msft-wsl-6.1.y onto real 6.1.y
      • using Microsoft's .config exactly (monolithic, there are no =m's)
    • edge 6.6.y:
      • also from https://github.com/microsoft/WSL2-Linux-Kernel/tree/linux-msft-wsl-6.1.y but rebased onto 6.6.y
      • using updated Microsoft's .config (monolithic, there are no =m's)
      • dropped 2 of 6.1.y's patches that were actually upstreamed in the meantime:
        • mm-page_reporting-Add-checks-for-page_reporting_order-param - mainlined in https://lore.kernel.org/all/1664517699-1085-2-git-send-email-shradhagupta@linux.microsoft.com/
        • hv_balloon-Add-support-for-configurable-order-free-page-reporting - mainlined in https://lore.kernel.org/all/1664517699-1085-3-git-send-email-shradhagupta@linux.microsoft.com/
      • drop the arm64: hyperv: Enable Hyper-V synthetic clocks/timers patch, since it causes asm breakage on 6.6.y
        • a shame, but I tried and can't fix it myself - @kelleymh ?
      • add my own patch to fix:
        • 1709-drivers-hv-dxgkrnl-restore-uuid_le_cmp-removed-from-upstream-in-f5b3c341a.patch due to https://lore.kernel.org/all/20230202145412.87569-1-andriy.shevchenko@linux.intel.com/ landing in 6.6
        • 1710-drivers-hv-dxgkrnl-adapt-dxg_remove_vmbus-to-96ec29396-s-reality-void-return.patch to adapt to
          https://lore.kernel.org/all/TYCP286MB2323A93C55526E4DF239D3ACCAFA9@TYCP286MB2323.JPNP286.PROD.OUTLOOK.COM/
• wsl2: detect Armbian-built wsl2 kernel as well as Microsoft's default kernel
  • previous commit introduces Armbian wsl2 kernels, might as well detect them

[rpardini]

Instructions for testing Armbian kernels on WSL2

• Install Windows on physical hardware or VM with nested virtualization (I tested with Win11)
• elevated Powershell: wsl --install --no-distribution
• reboot. not optional.
• install the Debian app from Microsoft Store https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/debian/9MSVKQC78PK6
• open Debian in Windows Terminal, wait, create user, note value of uname -a
• sudo apt install linux-base (Armbian kernel should depend on this, but I guess Ubuntu is different)
• add my Armbian testing repo (not wsl2-specific):

  sudo wget --output-document=/usr/share/keyrings/armbian-next.gpg https://apt-test.next.armbian.com/armbian-next.gpg
  cat << EOD | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/armbian-next.list
  deb [signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/armbian-next.gpg] http://apt-test.next.armbian.com armbian main
  deb [signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/armbian-next.gpg] http://apt-test.next.armbian.com armbian-$(lsb_release -cs) main
  EOD
  sudo apt update && sudo apt list --upgradable | grep  -i armbian 

• install the Armbian wsl2 kernel you want:
  • sudo apt install linux-image-current-wsl2-x86: for x86/x64, 6.1.y; recommended
  • sudo apt install linux-image-edge-wsl2-x86: for x86/x64, 6.6.y; recommended
  • sudo apt install linux-image-current-wsl2-arm64: for arm64, 6.1.y; recommended
  • sudo apt install linux-image-edge-wsl2-arm64: for arm64, 6.6.y; missing HYPERV_TIMER patch
• determine your home directory in Windows
  • In Windows cmd.exe: echo %USERPROFILE% (in my case it's C:\Users\rpardini)
• copy kernel images outside WSL2 into Windows home directory
  • sudo cp -v /boot/vmlinuz-* /mnt/c/Users/rpardini/
• list kernels in your home directory
  • ls /mnt/c/Users/rpardini/vmlinuz-* (mine is /mnt/c/Users/rpardini/vmlinuz-6.6.2-edge-wsl2-x86)
• edit WSL2 config file in your home directory
  • sudo nano /mnt/c/Users/rpardini/.wslconfig
  • Add/change to point to the new kernel, note the escaped backslashes and the C: reference

    [wsl2]
    kernel=C:\\Users\\rpardini\\vmlinuz-6.6.2-edge-wsl2-x86

• elevated Powershell: wsl -l -v and see your running Debian
• elevated Powershell: wsl --shutdown to shut down the hidden HyperV/HSC virtual machine and force new kernel boot
• open Debian in Windows Terminal, wait, note value of uname -a
• you can switch current/edge if you install both, but you must change .wslconfig and wsl --shutdown every time

[igorpecovnik]

Looks good & can't break anything.

[fensoft]

i'm using this kernel on my wsl2 to build armbian itself (microsoft's default one seems to have a bug with /dev/loop0 not creating /dev/loop0p?)

[Jubei-VA]

Instructions for testing Armbian kernels on WSL2

* Install Windows on physical hardware or VM with nested virtualization (I tested with Win11)

* **elevated Powershell**: `wsl --install --no-distribution`

* reboot. not optional.

* install the Debian app from Microsoft Store https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/debian/9MSVKQC78PK6

* open Debian in Windows Terminal, wait, create user, note value of `uname -a`

* `sudo apt install linux-base` (Armbian kernel should depend on this, but I guess Ubuntu is different)

* add my Armbian testing repo (not wsl2-specific):
  ```shell
  sudo wget --output-document=/usr/share/keyrings/armbian-next.gpg https://apt-test.next.armbian.com/armbian-next.gpg
  cat << EOD | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/armbian-next.list
  deb [signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/armbian-next.gpg] http://apt-test.next.armbian.com armbian main
  deb [signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/armbian-next.gpg] http://apt-test.next.armbian.com armbian-$(lsb_release -cs) main
  EOD
  sudo apt update && sudo apt list --upgradable | grep  -i armbian 
  ```

* install the Armbian wsl2 kernel you want:
  
  * `sudo apt install linux-image-current-wsl2-x86`: for x86/x64, 6.1.y; recommended
  * `sudo apt install linux-image-edge-wsl2-x86`: for x86/x64, 6.6.y; recommended
  * `sudo apt install linux-image-current-wsl2-arm64`: for arm64, 6.1.y; recommended
  * `sudo apt install linux-image-edge-wsl2-arm64`: for arm64, 6.6.y; missing HYPERV_TIMER patch

* determine your home directory in Windows
  
  * In Windows cmd.exe: `echo %USERPROFILE%` (in my case it's `C:\Users\rpardini`)

* copy kernel images outside WSL2 into Windows home directory
  
  * `sudo cp -v /boot/vmlinuz-* /mnt/c/Users/rpardini/`

* list kernels in your home directory
  
  * `ls  /mnt/c/Users/rpardini/vmlinuz-*` (mine is `/mnt/c/Users/rpardini/vmlinuz-6.6.2-edge-wsl2-x86`)

* edit WSL2 config file in your home directory
  
  * `sudo nano /mnt/c/Users/rpardini/.wslconfig`
  * Add/change to point to the new kernel, note the escaped backslashes and the C: reference
    ```ini
    [wsl2]
    kernel=C:\\Users\\rpardini\\vmlinuz-6.6.2-edge-wsl2-x86
    ```

* **elevated Powershell**: `wsl -l -v` and see your running Debian

* **elevated Powershell**: `wsl --shutdown` to shut down the hidden HyperV/HSC virtual machine and force new kernel boot

* open Debian in Windows Terminal, wait, note value of `uname -a`

* you can switch current/edge if you install both, but you must change .wslconfig and wsl --shutdown every time

Thanks! This fixes the issue with:
loop0 have been written, but we have been unable to inform the kernel of the change, probably because it/they are in use.
On the default wsl2 kernel. I went with the 6.1 kernel.