Emil Fihlman


-1. Mirror

//	Not available


0. Files

	https://emil.fi/d/bashwin/


1. Preamble

	Microsoft, if you are reading this:

		Please get your shit together and provide a proper solution.
		You don't want this kludge to spread.


2. Header

	This guide will detail how to have the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL),
	which is more like _just_ Bash, "appear" as a background service on Windows
	(instead of having a dedicated window open all the time), allowing an user to
	open and close terminals without fear of shutting the subsystem down.

	This also allows users to ssh into the subsystem with their terminal program
	of choice, extending usability further.

	In short: you get an actually usable subsystem but this implementation is bad.
	No I mean it really is kludge and it really is a mvp. If you have improvements,
	please do share them with me on IRC, Emil@IRCNet/Freenode or elsewhere
	and I'll update this guide.

	To get WSL, follow this guide and details: https://msdn.microsoft.com/fi-fi/commandline/wsl/install_guide
	To uninstall or upgrade WSL, on the Windows commandline do

		lxrun

	It will prompt you for the correct settings.


3. Payload

	By default to have the subsystem running, you need to have a bash window open somewhere.

	This is bullshit but mandatory.

	If you are okay with having a visible window all the time, simply doing

		start /MIN bash.exe
		exit

	from the Windows commandline or from a .bat file will work.
	You can also play around with the /B option.

	A better solution exists, fortunately.

	Save the following to C:\wslbash.vbs

		Dim WinScriptHost
		Set WinScriptHost = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
		WinScriptHost.Run Chr(34) & "bash.exe" & Chr(34), 0
		Set WinScriptHost = Nothing

	https://emil.fi/bashwin/wslbash.vbs

	Executed, it starts a hidden commandline with bash.exe.
	To have it executed on startup, do

		shell:startup

	from the run-prompt (CTRL+R) and add a shortcut to the .vbs file to the folder.
	Also add the program to the start menu by making a shortcut to it to

		C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

	Bash should now launch on startup and you can start it to background
	from the .vbs script if you need to and using the normal Bash
	launcher you can just launch normal terminals.

	Linux side we don't have any services starting so we need to
	"fix" this. Here's a quick script that should do the required

		https://emil.fi/bashwin/bashwininstall.sh

	Manually, on your now running WSL Bash do

		sudo mkdir /etc/startup/

	Save the following to /etc/startup/serviceinit.sh

		#!/bin/bash
		SERV="/etc/startup/serviceinit.sh daemon"
		LIST="$(ps aux)"
		COUNT=$(grep -o "$SERV" <<< "$LIST" | wc -l)
		if [ "$COUNT" -eq "0" ]
		then
			${SERV} &
			echo "Starting services"
			/etc/startup/servicelist.sh
		elif [ "$1" == "daemon" ]
		then
			sleep infinity
		fi

	Save the following into /etc/startup/servicelist.sh

		#!/bin/bash
		service ssh start
		service cron start

	Then do the following

		sudo chmod 744 /etc/startup/serviceinit.sh
		sudo chmod 744 /etc/startup/servicelist.sh
		echo "sudo /etc/startup/serviceinit.sh" >> /home/$USER/.bashrc
		sudo visudo

	At the end add

		yourusername ALL=(root) NOPASSWD: /etc/startup/serviceinit.sh

	You can now add services and programs to run on startup to

		/etc/startup/servicelist.sh

	The commands will be run as root.


4. Checksum

	You should now have a functioning background service that starts on boot or
	as launched. It's an okay virtualbox/similar replacement if you only need
	a single instance of linux (if you do need more linuxes, you could always hack
	around with chroot or something similar).

	Please keep in mind that this is not exactly top of the line.
	It works, though.