VDI WSL Setup

A set of scripts for exporting, importing and configuring WSL distributions for a multi-user VDI

We have the need to set up WSL on a multi-user VDI.

To acheive this we create a 'main' distribution which we configure with the initial sudo user.

We export the main distribution.

Each user can then run the scripts under their own account on the VDI to set up their own WSL distribution.

If a user is as admin and should have sudo on their distribution, you can add them to the sudousers list in the user.yaml file.

Each script reads the same config file so you only have to specify your config once to run all scripts.

Config Files

There are two config files. config.yaml & user.yaml

config.yaml defines the base config and should not often need to be amended.

You can set base config used by the Export and Import scripts in config.yaml

export:
  seeddistro: Ubuntu-20.04
  exportpath: C:\wsl-distros
import:
  installlocation: C:\install-location

export.seeddistro

The name of the WSL distribution you wish to export.

export.exportpath

The folder you wish to export the distribution to.

import.installlocation

The Windows folder in which the imported distributions should be installed.

user.yaml is used to specify config for your own WSL Distro

distros:
  - name: distro1
    pod: uk
sudousers:
  - distro1

distros

List of names representing the distributions you wish to create. Usually the same as the user who will be using the distribution.

sudousers

List of users who should be in the sudo group on their own distribution.

Usage Instructions

On the VDI we have a WSL Ubuntu distribution Ubuntu-24.04 This is the 'main' distribution that is effectively our 'master image' for WSL.

We configure this distribution with any tools that should be installed globally for all users (kubectl, k9s, pwsh, etc) This distro has the payuk-ubuntu user which has sudo access and is the admin account.

We then export this main distribution and import and instance of it for each user that needs one.

We then run scripts on each users instance for setting up the user account with a random temp password and the local tools like tfenv, nvm and chezmoi.

After the main image has been configured the process of exporting the image, creating distros for each user and setting up those distros is all automated with scripts.

Once you are happy with the main image the process is as follows:

Repo Location: The repo should be cloned to C:\

If the repo is already there, cd into it and perform a git pull.

If the repo is not already there, cd into C:\ and perform git clone https://github.com/IamSamD/vdi-wsl-setup.git

Once the repo is there and up to date:

• Set up your user.yaml file with the desired values
• Run the scripts in the following order

Check if there is already an export of the main distro, this will be called main-distro.tar. If there is not already a main distro available:

.\Invoke-ExportDistros.ps1

Import a distro for each user that needs one

.\Invoke-ImportDistros.ps1

Set up the users on each distro

.\Invoke-WslSetupUsers.ps1

Set up local software for each distro

.\Invoke-WslSetupSoftware.ps1

There is a runbook for setting up your WSL distro Please refer to that for full instructions on how to set up your own WSL distro on the VDI