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System Requirements for AlmaLinux 10 on WSL 2

Summary

Check whether WSL 2 is already installed and, if not, enable the required Windows features (Hyper-V, Virtual Machine Platform, Windows Subsystem for Linux) and set WSL 2 as the default version.

If you are not using WSL, you can jump straight to the AlmaLinux 10 Setup page.

This is step 1 of 3 in setting up your development environment: System Requirements (this page) → Install AlmaLinux 10 → Setup Packages.

All commands on this page are executed in Windows Terminal, on your Windows host - not inside AlmaLinux 10.

Minimum requirements

Before installing WSL 2, make sure your machine meets the following:

  • Windows 10 version 1903 (build 18362) or higher, or Windows 11.
  • A 64-bit processor with Second Level Address Translation (SLAT) support.
  • Hardware virtualization enabled in your system's BIOS/UEFI (sometimes called Intel VT-x, AMD-V, or SVM Mode).
  • At least 4 GB of RAM (8 GB or more recommended for running a full development stack comfortably).
  • A few GB of free disk space for the distro plus additional space for your projects and databases.

For the full, up-to-date list, see Microsoft's prerequisites documentation.

Check your WSL version

Open Windows Terminal and execute the following command:

wsl -v

The output should look similar to this (your version numbers will likely differ):

WSL version: 2.2.4.0
Kernel version: 5.15.153.1-2
WSLg version: 1.0.61
MSRDC version: 1.2.5326
Direct3D version: 1.611.1-81528511
DXCore version: 10.0.26091.1-240325-1447.ge-release
Windows version: 10.0.22631.3737

If the output starts with WSL version: 2.x.x.x, you are ready to use WSL 2 and can proceed to install AlmaLinux 10. If it doesn't (for example, it shows WSL version: 1.x.x.x, or the command isn't recognized), continue with the section below.

Install WSL 2

Once you've confirmed your machine meets the minimum requirements above, open the Run prompt by pressing Win + r, type OptionalFeatures in the dialog and press Enter. This will open a window where you can turn Windows features on/off. Make sure that the below features are activated (checked):

  • Hyper-V (including its sub-features)
  • Virtual Machine Platform
  • Windows Subsystem for Linux

If any of the above features are missing, then first you need to install them manually using this guide and then continue with the below steps.

Click Ok and restart your computer.

Open Microsoft Store, search for Windows Subsystem for Linux and install it.

Make sure that version 2 of WSL is set as default by executing the below command in Windows Terminal:

wsl --set-default-version 2

Run wsl -v again - this time the output should display WSL version: 2.x.x.x (in the same format shown above), which means that your system is ready for using WSL 2 and you can proceed to install AlmaLinux 10.

FAQ

Q: What if wsl -v shows WSL version 1 instead of 2?

A: Run:

wsl --set-default-version 2

Then re-run wsl -v to confirm the version has switched.

Q: What if the OptionalFeatures dialog doesn't show all required features?

A: Install them manually first using Microsoft's manual install guide, then continue with the steps above.

Q: Do I need to restart my computer after enabling the Windows features?

A: Yes, a restart is required after clicking Ok in the OptionalFeatures dialog for the feature changes to take effect.

Q: What if my machine doesn't meet the minimum requirements for WSL 2?

A: Double-check the minimum requirements above, in particular that hardware virtualization is enabled in your BIOS/UEFI - this is the most common blocker. If you're still unsure, consult Microsoft's prerequisites documentation.