WSL failing to load after restart

[DSOA-Rael]

Version

Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.19043.1348]

WSL Version

• WSL 2
• WSL 1

Kernel Version

5.10.60.1

Distro Version

Debian

Other Software

No response

Repro Steps

(I don't know if this is reproducible)

• Running system normally
• Experience unexepected shutdown
• Attempt to load the WSL distro

Expected Behavior

• I can access the Distro from the Debian app in windows
• VScode is able to attach into the WSL.

Actual Behavior

• Accessing Debian gives the error message:

Please enable the Virtual Machine Platform Windows feature and ensure virtualization is enabled in the BIOS.
For information please visit https://aka.ms/wsl2-install
Press any key to continue...

• Access VScode gives :

[2021-11-22 15:53:37.663] Resolving wsl+Debian, resolveAttempt: 1
[2021-11-22 15:53:37.701] Starting VS Code Server inside WSL (Debian, wsl2)
[2021-11-22 15:53:37.701] Extension version: 0.58.5
[2021-11-22 15:53:37.701] Windows build: 19043. Multi distro support: available. WSL path support: enabled
[2021-11-22 15:53:37.701] No shell environment set or found for current distro.
[2021-11-22 15:53:37.792] Probing if server is already installed: C:\WINDOWS\System32\wsl.exe -d Debian -e sh -c "[ -d ~/.vscode-server/bin/ccbaa2d27e38e5afa3e5c21c1c7bef4657064247 ] && printf found || ([ -f /etc/alpine-release ] && printf alpine-; uname -m)"
[2021-11-22 15:53:37.836] Unable to detect if server is already installed: Error: Command failed: C:\WINDOWS\System32\wsl.exe -d Debian -e sh -c "[ -d ~/.vscode-server/bin/ccbaa2d27e38e5afa3e5c21c1c7bef4657064247 ] && printf found || ([ -f /etc/alpine-release ] && printf alpine-; uname -m)"
[2021-11-22 15:53:37.836] Please enable the Virtual Machine Platform Windows feature and ensure virtualization is enabled in the BIOS.
[2021-11-22 15:53:37.836] For information please visit https://aka.ms/wsl2-install
[2021-11-22 15:53:37.836] 
[2021-11-22 15:53:37.836] Launching C:\WINDOWS\System32\wsl.exe -d Debian sh -c '"$VSCODE_WSL_EXT_LOCATION/scripts/wslServer.sh" ccbaa2d27e38e5afa3e5c21c1c7bef4657064247 stable .vscode-server 0  '}
[2021-11-22 15:53:37.871] Please enable the Virtual Machine Platform Windows feature and ensure virtualization is enabled in the BIOS.
[2021-11-22 15:53:37.871] For information please visit https://aka.ms/wsl2-install
[2021-11-22 15:53:37.871] 
[2021-11-22 15:53:37.872] VS Code Server for WSL closed unexpectedly.
[2021-11-22 15:53:37.872] For help with startup problems, go to
[2021-11-22 15:53:37.872] https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/remote/troubleshooting#_wsl-tips
[2021-11-22 15:53:37.879] WSL Daemon exited with code 0

Diagnostic Logs

No response

[DSOA-Rael]

To add to this; I have done a clean restart after the unexpected shutdown and the problem persists.
I did have the WSL open at the time of the unexpected shutdown, but I've not found any information on recovering WSL to a working state.

[DSOA-Rael]

By this point I have additionally:

• Installed the latest windows updates and optional firmware updates for the device
• Ensured that virtualisation is enabled within the device BIOS
  • also confirmed in Task Manager:
    
• confirmed windows virtual machine platform is still present on the machine
  • 

This has meant additional restarts, but the WSL still shows the same message when attempting to access it.

[benhillis]

@DSOA-Rael - we have seen reports that virtual machine platform needs to be toggled off then on again, could you see if that resolves your issue?

[DSOA-Rael]

@benhillis thanks!
System now working. Small extra hiccup that might be worth mentioning for anyone else, so I'll detail my steps this morning:

• Turn off "Virtual Machine Platform" in windows features and restart the device
• Re-enable "Virtual Machine Platform" and restart the device

At this point, Debian WSL did load (after about 2 minutes of waiting), but VScode was unable to connect to it, complaining about a WebSocket error.

I then restarted a third time and now it all seems functional 👍