Explain a few things to know before using Linux on Win10 systems

Now Microsoft's official project Primordial has been able to translate Linux system commands in Windows 10, and can run native Linux tools including shells natively. Running Linux on win10 is no longer a trivial.

Primordial mean & ldquo; & rdquo ;, although this initial project is currently on and its name is still in the primitive state, but its future is promising, why? You will understand when you look at the following points.

1. In order to use this subsystem normally, you will encounter some obstacles, you may need to wait for some time

If you like to use command line operations in Linux, then you definitely think I am a computer expert. The Linux subsystem in Windows also takes this into account, and it must be accessed through a hidden "expert user" entry. In other words, you need to use the Fast Ring Developer version of build 14316 or higher, Windows 10, to enter through the Windows Insider program.

Please note here that if you have become a Fast RingInsider, you may have to wait a few days for the build 14316 to be pushed to your system. As far as I know, there is currently no way to quickly get the latest version of the ISO image file.

After you start running build 14316, go to Settings > Updates & Security > Developer Specific and select Developer Mode. Then enter "ldquo;Windows function" in the search box and select "Open or close the Windows function", then select "Windows Linux subsystem (Beta)".

After the installation is complete, type bash in the prompt command window and you can be invited to download and install Bash from the Windows Store (don't look for Bash in the Windows Store interface, you won't find it). After you finish, just type the bash command in the CLI command line window of Windows, it will pop up and enter the Linux subsystem, start the command line window, where you can use Linux commands to start other applications, such as vim.



vim editor running in the Linux subsystem

2. These are real Linux binaries and run in binary

When Microsoft is at the Build2016 conference first When the project was announced, it specifically emphasized that the Linux subsystem is not a virtual machine, but a translation layer in which Linux binaries can run normally, and the project translates Linux system calls into Windows-like systems. transfer.

It's good or bad about this. The good news is that most Linux binaries -- as long as they are compiled for Ubuntu Linux -- can run safely and properly, just as in Ubuntu, package files can be downloaded via apt. And there are some brave pioneers who have already started running gcc in it, although it is not known whether Linux applications can be compiled normally in this subsystem.

After Reddit, there has been some discussion about the bold trials of various Linux applications in this subsystem and the success of the test.

The binary files in the Linux subsystem are completely real, other binary files can be obtained and added to the system, but there is no guarantee that they will work properly

3. Still lacking Some of the main features

Microsoft hopes to provide developers with the tools they use most often in the first iterative version of the Linux subsystem, including the bash shell, the ssh remote connection tool, and many other tools. But that doesn't mean you can run Docker or virtual machines in it.

However, on the other hand, you should be surprised by what it can do, because this is just the earliest version. In the Reddit discussion mentioned above, users have reported that Apache Web Server can be started. Although there are many problems and can only work in the local LAN, the actual working conditions are satisfactory. Similarly, the xorg client can also run in X Windows, although manual configuration is required and the X display server is installed on the Windows host.

4. Don't expect Linux and Windows applications to talk directly

Linux applications running in subsystems don't know that they are running in a subsystem for them, the whole universe This is the Linux system. These Linux applications don't know the existence of outside Windows applications. And over time, Windows applications are likely to know some information about internal Linux applications, but it depends on how Microsoft will extend the functionality of the Linux subsystem and what APIs will be introduced in the future.

In other words, in the current situation, Linux applications can only deliver messages to the world of Windows in two ways. The first is through the network, but this also requires a Windows application to listen to data sent from the other end. The second is through the file system, let the Linux subsystem automatically create a mount point under /mnt, and map to the Windows drive. It seems that it is not possible to create external files directly in the Linux subsystem -- this may be a design or a problem with permissions -- but you can read and modify existing files.

The above is a small number of things that you need to know before using Linux on Win10 system. Please take a look at the friends you want to know. Please continue to pay attention to this!

Original title: What to know before using Windows 10 & rsquo; s new Linux system, Author: Serdar Yegulalp