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WSL-1 (error installing systemd) and WSL-2 (win-10 CRASH, BSOD) CHECKMATE #13604

@blavatsky3

Description

@blavatsky3

OS Name Microsoft Windows 10 Pro
Version 10.0.19044 Build 19044
Other OS Description Not Available
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Name #############
System Manufacturer ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.
System Model ET2323I
System Type x64-based PC
System SKU All
Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-5200U CPU @ 2.20GHz, 2201 Mhz, 2 Core(s), 4 Logical Processor(s)
BIOS Version/Date American Megatrends Inc. 0604, 23/07/2015
SMBIOS Version 2.8
Embedded Controller Version 255.255
BIOS Mode UEFI
BaseBoard Manufacturer ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.
BaseBoard Product ET2323I
BaseBoard Version Rev 1.xx
Platform Role Desktop
Secure Boot State On
PCR7 Configuration Binding Not Possible
Windows Directory C:\Windows
System Directory C:\Windows\system32
Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume1
Locale United States
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "10.0.19041.1566"
User Name ################
Time Zone AUS Eastern Daylight Time
Installed Physical Memory (RAM) 16.0 GB
Total Physical Memory 15.9 GB
Available Physical Memory 8.45 GB
Total Virtual Memory 18.3 GB
Available Virtual Memory 10.9 GB
Page File Space 2.38 GB
Page File C:\pagefile.sys
Kernel DMA Protection Off
Virtualization-based security Running
Virtualization-based security Required Security Properties
Virtualization-based security Available Security Properties Base Virtualization Support, Secure Boot, DMA Protection
Virtualization-based security Services Configured
Virtualization-based security Services Running
Device Encryption Support Reasons for failed automatic device encryption: TPM is not usable, PCR7 binding is not supported, Hardware Security Test Interface failed and device is not Modern Standby, TPM is not usable
A hypervisor has been detected. Features required for Hyper-V will not be displayed.

###################################
AEST 16th October, 2025 ( 3 separate BSOD reboot events )

  • System

    • Provider

    [ Name] Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-Power
    [ Guid] {331c3b3a-2005-44c2-ac5e-77220c37d6b4}

    EventID 41

    Version 8

    Level 1

    Task 63

    Opcode 0

    Keywords 0x8000400000000002

    • TimeCreated

    [ SystemTime] 2025-10-15T22:43:51.7404873Z

    EventRecordID 5563806

    Correlation

    • Execution

    [ ProcessID] 4
    [ ThreadID] 8

    Channel System

    Computer ##############

    • Security

    [ UserID] S-1-5-18

  • EventData

    BugcheckCode 80
    BugcheckParameter1 0xffffa400006f56d8
    BugcheckParameter2 0x0
    BugcheckParameter3 0x0
    BugcheckParameter4 0x6
    SleepInProgress 0
    PowerButtonTimestamp 0
    BootAppStatus 0
    Checkpoint 0
    ConnectedStandbyInProgress false
    SystemSleepTransitionsToOn 0
    CsEntryScenarioInstanceId 0
    BugcheckInfoFromEFI false
    CheckpointStatus 0
    CsEntryScenarioInstanceIdV2 0
    LongPowerButtonPressDetected false

###################################
SUMMARY of three BSOD reboots between last night and today (under WSL-2 enviornment) then I switched back to WSL-1 ( took 25 minutes to convert back WSL-2 >>> WSL-1 )

Diagnostic Detail | Value -- | -- BSOD Stop Code (Hex) | 0x00000050 BSOD Error Name | PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA Time of Crash (Example) | 2025-10-15T22:43:51.7404873Z (UTC) Event Source | Kernel-Power and BugCheck ################################### ### Windows Version

Win 10 Pro (64)

WSL Version

WSL-2 and WSL-1

Are you using WSL 1 or WSL 2?

  • WSL 2
  • WSL 1

Kernel Version

No response

Distro Version

No response

Other Software

No response

Repro Steps

This is the template you can use to report the dual issues to Microsoft on the GitHub Issues page. It clearly contrasts the non-fatal WSL1 error with the critical, repeatable WSL2 crash on Windows 10 Pro.

WSL Systemd Compatibility Issue: WSL1 Halt vs. WSL2 BSOD on Windows 10 Pro (x64)

Summary

We are reporting two distinct issues related to the systemd package update in recent Ubuntu distributions on Windows 10 Pro (x64):

WSL1: Installation of systemd packages consistently halts due to a known file-locking incompatibility.

WSL2: The same task (installing/upgrading systemd components) causes a catastrophic and repeatable Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) on the host Windows 10 Pro system.

This WSL2 behavior is preventing an upgrade to the supported architecture and is a critical stability issue on Windows 10.

Scenario A: WSL1 (System Halt/Error)

Platform: Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL1)

Linux Distro: Ubuntu (e.g., 24.04 or recent version where systemd 255+ is used)

Issue: The package installation process stops and leaves apt in a broken state.

Error Code: Failed to take /etc/passwd lock: Invalid argument

Root Cause: The systemd-sysusers binary attempts to use the modern, unsupported fcntl(F_OFD_SETLKW) file lock, which the WSL1 kernel translation layer cannot process.

Result: The system is repairable via temporary workarounds (e.g., symlinking the binary to /bin/true), but the error recurs with every subsequent systemd update.

Scenario B: WSL2 (Catastrophic Windows 10 Pro Crash) ⚠️

Platform: Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL2)

Windows Host: Windows 10 Pro (x64)

WSL2 Conversion Method: wsl.exe --set-version <DistroName> 2

lsb_release -a
No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID: Ubuntu
Description: Ubuntu 24.04.3 LTS
Release: 24.04
Codename: noble

Issue: Attempting to run a standard package update or configuration results in a full Windows 10 Blue Screen of Death (BSOD), forcing a system reboot.

Reproduction Steps:

    Convert the Ubuntu distribution to WSL2.

    Boot into the distribution.

    Run the command: sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade (or similar command that triggers systemd component configuration).

    The system crashes to a BSOD during the package installation phase.

Urgency: The WSL2 platform is the intended solution to the WSL1 compatibility issue, but the repeatable BSOD on Windows 10 Pro renders this solution unusable, locking users into a fragile WSL1 environment with no permanent fix.

Request to Microsoft

Please investigate the repeatable kernel-level crash caused by WSL2/Ubuntu on Windows 10 Pro (x64). Resolving this stability issue is critical, especially as Windows 10 approaches its end of life, forcing users to rely on an environment (WSL2) that currently leads to system-level instability.

(Note: When you post this, ensure you replace the bracketed items like and with your exact system details, and provide the exact BSOD Stop Code if you can retrieve it from the crash screen or the Windows Event Viewer.)

Expected Behavior

The core problem is that the expected fix for the WSL1 error (upgrading to WSL2) is creating a catastrophic instability on your specific Windows 10 Pro environment.

📝 WSL2 Crash Report Details

When reporting this to Microsoft on GitHub, highlight these key points to ensure the issue is recognized as a high-severity bug:

  1. The Expected Behavior (Why WSL2 Should Work)

    In WSL2, the systemd package update is supposed to be clean. WSL2 runs a real Linux kernel, which fully supports the necessary file-locking system calls (fcntl(F_OFD_SETLKW)).

    The expectation is that when running sudo apt upgrade (or --fix-broken install), the systemd packages for Ubuntu 24.04.3 LTS should install perfectly, resolving the compatibility error that WSL1 exhibits.

    The system should finish the process and return to the terminal prompt with a "Done" message.

  2. The Actual Failure (The Critical Crash)

    Actual Result: The installation process does not complete; instead, it triggers a system-wide Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) on the Windows 10 Pro host machine.

    What Triggers It: The crash is triggered during the package configuration phase of the systemd components (likely when handling low-level kernel or resource operations).

    Severity: A repeatable BSOD indicates a kernel-level instability or a flaw in the I/O or memory management between the WSL2 lightweight VM and the Windows 10 kernel, which is a serious product defect.

The WSL2 Crash Report Template (Focus)

Use this template as the body of your GitHub issue. Crucially, find the exact BSOD Stop Code and your Windows Build Number—these are the most important details for the engineering team.

Title: CRITICAL: Repeatable BSOD on Windows 10 Pro (x64) during systemd package install in WSL2 (Ubuntu 24.04 LTS)

Environment Details

Windows Host: Windows 10 Pro (x64)

Linux Distro: Ubuntu 24.04.3 LTS (Noble Numbat)

WSL Mode: WSL2 (Confirmed via wsl --list --verbose)

Windows Build Number: <Insert Your Exact Windows 10 Build Number Here, e.g., 19045.3693>

WSL Version: <Insert Output of wsl --version Here>

Steps to Reproduce (100% Repeatable)

Start with a clean Ubuntu 24.04 distribution.

Convert the distribution from WSL1 to WSL2: wsl.exe --set-version <DistroName> 2

Boot the WSL2 distribution.

Execute the update command: sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade (Alternatively, using the repair command that failed in WSL1: sudo apt --fix-broken install)

Observe: The system crashes to a BSOD during the package configuration of the systemd components.

Observed Error

Failure Mode: Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) on the host Windows 10 Pro system.

BSOD Stop Code: <CRITICAL: Insert the Stop Code Here, e.g., KERNEL_MODE_HEAP_CORRUPTION>

Problematic Component: The crash occurs when systemd packages are being configured.

Urgency

This BSOD behavior prevents the use of WSL2—the officially supported solution—and locks users into the unsupported and error-prone WSL1 environment. This must be addressed for stability on the Windows 10 platform.

Actual Behavior

The core problem is that the expected fix for the WSL1 error (upgrading to WSL2) is creating a catastrophic instability on your specific Windows 10 Pro environment.

📝 WSL2 Crash Report Details

When reporting this to Microsoft on GitHub, highlight these key points to ensure the issue is recognized as a high-severity bug:

  1. The Expected Behavior (Why WSL2 Should Work)

    In WSL2, the systemd package update is supposed to be clean. WSL2 runs a real Linux kernel, which fully supports the necessary file-locking system calls (fcntl(F_OFD_SETLKW)).

    The expectation is that when running sudo apt upgrade (or --fix-broken install), the systemd packages for Ubuntu 24.04.3 LTS should install perfectly, resolving the compatibility error that WSL1 exhibits.

    The system should finish the process and return to the terminal prompt with a "Done" message.

  2. The Actual Failure (The Critical Crash)

    Actual Result: The installation process does not complete; instead, it triggers a system-wide Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) on the Windows 10 Pro host machine.

    What Triggers It: The crash is triggered during the package configuration phase of the systemd components (likely when handling low-level kernel or resource operations).

    Severity: A repeatable BSOD indicates a kernel-level instability or a flaw in the I/O or memory management between the WSL2 lightweight VM and the Windows 10 kernel, which is a serious product defect.

The WSL2 Crash Report Template (Focus)

Use this template as the body of your GitHub issue. Crucially, find the exact BSOD Stop Code and your Windows Build Number—these are the most important details for the engineering team.

Title: CRITICAL: Repeatable BSOD on Windows 10 Pro (x64) during systemd package install in WSL2 (Ubuntu 24.04 LTS)

Environment Details

Windows Host: Windows 10 Pro (x64)

Linux Distro: Ubuntu 24.04.3 LTS (Noble Numbat)

WSL Mode: WSL2 (Confirmed via wsl --list --verbose)

Windows Build Number: <Insert Your Exact Windows 10 Build Number Here, e.g., 19045.3693>

WSL Version: <Insert Output of wsl --version Here>

Steps to Reproduce (100% Repeatable)

Start with a clean Ubuntu 24.04 distribution.

Convert the distribution from WSL1 to WSL2: wsl.exe --set-version <DistroName> 2

Boot the WSL2 distribution.

Execute the update command: sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade (Alternatively, using the repair command that failed in WSL1: sudo apt --fix-broken install)

Observe: The system crashes to a BSOD during the package configuration of the systemd components.

Observed Error

Failure Mode: Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) on the host Windows 10 Pro system.

BSOD Stop Code: <CRITICAL: Insert the Stop Code Here, e.g., KERNEL_MODE_HEAP_CORRUPTION>

Problematic Component: The crash occurs when systemd packages are being configured.

Urgency

This BSOD behavior prevents the use of WSL2—the officially supported solution—and locks users into the unsupported and error-prone WSL1 environment. This must be addressed for stability on the Windows 10 platform.

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