Tutorial: How to enable or sisable UEFI in Windows 10, for Linux purposes

[Arlen Holder]

In linux we don't call it a WinKey :-)
Some don't like to call it a super key because it has a Win logo on it,
so they call it a system key.

Hi Mike,

You caught me in another mistake, for which I appreciate you pointed out.
o *Tutorial: How to enable the Telnet Client in Windows 10*
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/alt.comp.freeware/pEhuvzzFBTU>
And in the purposefully helpful subject change by Robin Goodfellow:
o How to enable or sisable UEFI in Windows 10, for Linux purposes
<https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.comp.freeware/pEhuvzzFBTU/k_j_zlHVAQAJ>

To show I agree with you, see this acceptance of my "Start > Run" guilt!
<Loading Image...>

We both go way back where I'm never afraid to learn from your advice.
o You're right; I'm wrong.

Old habits die hard, where I still type "Start > Run" in my numerous
tutorials even though, technically, it's not that at all... for most
people the GUI method is likely a right mouse button on the Windows
flag, and then "Run" in the resulting popup menu (or, your keyboard
sequence using the keyboard "flag" keypress).

In reality, I use neither since I use the "Run" command all the time,
all day, every day (maybe, oh, I don't know, if I claim a number then
the always purposefully un-helpful people like Alan Baker or Cybe(r)
Wizard will call me a liar and then demand I prove a number even as
they, themselves, have _never_ ever add any adult value in any post
in their entire lives).
<Loading Image...>

As we've discussed in the past, I keep an Excel sheet of commands
that work off of the "Run" so I just bring up that excel file by:
Start > run > run

Where, here's just a _sample_ of the commands you can run from there:
o *Over 250 Start > Run commands (please improve this Start Run commands list)*
<https://groups.google.com/d/msg/microsoft.public.windowsxp.general/cc1lGn3ty0E/DH_FxVCjAAAJ>

Which we've tried to improve upon, over the years... for example:
o *Does an even more EFFICIENT method exist to access complex scattered*
*files on all versions of Windows than this method?*
<https://groups.google.com/d/msg/microsoft.public.windowsxp.general/Q8tSHPnqg8I/bPSVdDjOAAAJ>

Note: Almost every command I need to run, I have "tied" to that Run box
which is why it's the first thing on my taskbar as shown above & below:
o *Quick tutorial for creating easy (Start > Run) access to lookup files on Windows*
<https://groups.google.com/d/msg/microsoft.public.windowsxp.general/5LxGOixwwWs/q8wVoJ3mBAAJ>

One interesting side note is how many idiotic web pages on the net
advise people to _search_ for "cmd", just so that they can then right
click and then tell it to run as an administrator.
o *Efficient Windows Admin command prompt of any color in any desired location*
<https://groups.google.com/d/msg/microsoft.public.windowsxp.general/8VZQJyKeAvE/jWJy5GLgBAAJ>

It's far easier to just press "control + shift + enter", as in:
Start > Run > cmd{control + shift + enter}
As per this seminal discussion in the permanent Usenet archives:
o *What Windows "magic" invokes a command window as an Administrator*
*window simply by using Control+Shift+Enter versus Enter?*
<https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.msdos.batch/ee2rqSSOkS4/kmdsXWC1AgAJ>

See also these somewhat related purposefully helpful tutorials:
o *Efficient Windows Admin command prompt of any color in any desired location*
<https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.comp.freeware/uDma6L56jPw/Q2f8m4DVCAAJ>
o *Please follow this cut-and-paste tutorial to get batch command shortcuts working perfectly on Windows*
<https://groups.google.com/d/msg/microsoft.public.windowsxp.general/1PzeGP4KMTU/tTbcd9zxAAAJ>
o *What Windows freeware adds powerful "phone Susan" & "vipw" commands?*
<https://groups.google.com/d/msg/microsoft.public.windowsxp.general/ySVGbayhLSk/zXK3PjijAwAJ>

In summary, you're right that I specified the "start > run" sequence wrong(ly),
where old habits die hard - and - where - in fact - I simply "pin" the damn
thing to the taskbar as you can see in the image I posted above.

Interestingly, when I looked up _how_ I did that (long ago),
I found an old unsolved thread, where I clearly solved the problem
but I apparently didn't update the thread (which is a rare mistake on my part,
so that's another mistake you helped me find, which I thank you for!).
o *Is it even possible to pin the RUN command icon to the taskbar*
*WITHOUT surrendering to a Windows Search?*
<https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.msdos.batch/Ik_ejNXbrrw/zmAPR5c8CwAJ>

This is what I had posted long ago in that question:
<Loading Image...>
This is what I use nowadays:
<https://i.postimg.cc/SRnsj7TN/patchtuesday01.jpg>
Where the pinned "Run.lnk" shortcut Properties are:
Location: C:\Users\{uname}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned\TaskBar
As shown below which I just screenshotted for you:
<https://i.postimg.cc/ZKyz8sXv/run01.jpg>

[Arlen Holder]

Ooooooops... (one of the screenshot links was bad)...

o <https://i.postimg.cc/2jtPybp0/run01.jpg>
o <Loading Image...>
o <https://i.postimg.cc/SRnsj7TN/patchtuesday01.jpg>

In summary, the "old" (unanswered) question was _how_ to pin that "Run.lnk"
to the taskbar without having to search for it in Windows (i.e., just
create it); and, in summary, I was agreeing with Mike Easter that the Win+R
key combo works fine for people who don't use that shortcut all day every
day, which is why it's pinned in my taskbar.
o *Is it even possible to pin the RUN command icon to the taskbar*
*WITHOUT surrendering to a Windows Search?*
<https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.msdos.batch/Ik_ejNXbrrw/zmAPR5c8CwAJ>

[Alan Baker]

Post by Arlen Holder
Ooooooops... (one of the screenshot links was bad)...
o <https://i.postimg.cc/2jtPybp0/run01.jpg>
o <https://i.postimg.cc/KzbZkxSh/run02.jpg>
o <https://i.postimg.cc/SRnsj7TN/patchtuesday01.jpg>
In summary, the "old" (unanswered) question was _how_ to pin that "Run.lnk"
to the taskbar without having to search for it in Windows (i.e., just
create it); and, in summary, I was agreeing with Mike Easter that the Win+R
key combo works fine for people who don't use that shortcut all day every
day, which is why it's pinned in my taskbar.
o *Is it even possible to pin the RUN command icon to the taskbar*
 *WITHOUT surrendering to a Windows Search?*
<https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.msdos.batch/Ik_ejNXbrrw/zmAPR5c8CwAJ>

So you'd rather:

Use the mouse, then switch to the keyboard to type the command/program
you want to run...

...than to simply use the keyboard for the whole interaction?

But since efficiency doesn't seem to be something you value:

Windows Key

Type "run"

Right-click on the "Run..." item that appears and select:

"Pin to Taskbar".

I don't know how an expert such as yourself missed it.

:-)

[Arlen Holder]

Dunno if the normal Ubuntu 20.04 ISO will work though... o
<https://ubuntu.com/download/desktop>

No; use an .iso specifically for WSL

Hi Mike,

Ooooooh. Nice! <https://wiki.ubuntu.com/WSL>
"The recommended way to install Ubuntu on WSL
is through the Microsoft Store... [but for those who don't
want to further erode their privacy to M$]... Ubuntu WSL
distribution rootfs daily builds are available for download"
<https://cloud-images.ubuntu.com/focal/current/>

THANK YOU for pointing to a _potential_ answer to the question of how to
install Ubuntu 20.04 as a WSL _without_ having to log into M$.

I haven't looked in a while, but when I last looked, NOBODY wrote how to do
this with PRIVACY, which, as you're well aware over the past few decades,
is ALWAYS my goal.

Unfortunately, this web page is about as confusing as it can get:
< https://cloud-images.ubuntu.com/focal/current/>
Which file is the download for the Ubuntu 20.04 WSL release, for example?

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/WSL

Thanks for that link which will be useful for writing up how to install
Windows Subsystem for Linux on Windows 10 _without_ needing to log into
M$ (logging into M$ is just the wrong way to do anything, IMHO). :)

It's not as easy as just reading what's on that web page though...
o At least not yet... so I'm testing out the new commands for now...

I just tested that "wsl" command, which is a nice test of _not_ having it!
C:\> wsl
Windows Subsystem for Linux has no installed distributions.
Distributions can be installed by visiting the Microsoft Store:
https://aka.ms/wslstore
See also:
o <https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/reference>

That page has instructions for getting a daily build of 20.04 for WSL
from https://cloud-images.ubuntu.com/focal/current/
... and for using it.

They seem to have two methods of installing Ubuntu 20.04 as a WSL:
1. C:\> wsl --import Focal C:\app\os\wsl\focal <FileName>
(Where I can't yet figure out the "filename" for the Focal release.)
<https://cloud-images.ubuntu.com/focal/current/> (but what file?)

2. Installing Ubuntu on WSL by sideloading the .appx
(Where, unfortunately, the 20.04 release doesn't appear to exist)
C:\> Add-AppxPackage .\CanonicalGroupLimited.Ubuntu18.04onWindows_1804.2018.817.0_x64__79rhkp1fndgsc.Appx
<https://wsldownload.azureedge.net/CanonicalGroupLimited.Ubuntu18.04onWindows_1804.2018.817.0_x64__79rhkp1fndgsc.Appx>

You could also 'sign in' to the MS one w/ just giving a throwaway email,
not a phone or skype.

Sigh. I must have (oh, I'd better not estimate as the psychopaths like
Dan Purgert & Cybe(r) Wizard will pin me down to a number), _lots_ of
throwaway email addresses - with and without accompanying VPN - but I'd
really just want to find a good download so that I don't have to log into
M$ just to get Linux. :)

Anyway, here's a quick summary:
a. I downloaded the dual-boot Ubuntu 20.04 but you told me afterward
that this non-WSL Ubuntu ISO won't work for Windows 10 WSL:
<https://mirrors.lug.mtu.edu/ubuntu-releases/20.04/ubuntu-20.04-desktop-amd64.iso>
Name: ubuntu-20.04-desktop-amd64.iso
Size: 2715254784 bytes (2589 MiB)
SHA256: E5B72E9CFE20988991C9CD87BDE43C0B691E3B67B01F76D23F8150615883CE11
b. I _wanted_ to get the WSL 20.04 using "wsl", but the page they reference
to obtain the ISO is so chock full of "stuff", I can't even _find_ it.
<https://cloud-images.ubuntu.com/focal/current/>
c. So I ended up getting the _older_ WSL Ubuntu because I could _find_ it!
<https://wsldownload.azureedge.net/CanonicalGroupLimited.Ubuntu18.04onWindows_1804.2018.817.0_x64__79rhkp1fndgsc.Appx>
Name: CanonicalGroupLimited.Ubuntu18.04onWindows_1804.2018.817.0_x64__79rhkp1fndgsc.Appx
Size: 224629284 bytes (214 MiB)
SHA256: 96E4E3E336F08DDE1DF81FA9C266C5C7750BA92729857E92BDE36BF84A1DB002

With "sideloading" already enabled in Win10, I doubleclicked on the "appx"
file, but it just popped up a question "How do you want to open this file".
o "Look for another app on this PC..."
Hmmmmmmm.... what the heck app am I supposed to open it with?
o C:\Program Files\WindowsPowerShell\Modules (but which executable?)

Looking up how to install an "appx" file on Windows 10, there's this
mystery "graphical installer" which didn't show up for me:
<https://www.howtogeek.com/285410/how-to-install-.appx-or-.appxbundle-software-on-windows-10/>

I'm a little leery of the PowerShell method as I _always_ put software
where it belongs, so I have to specify where I want it, which is
gonna be something logical, like:
o C:\app\os\wsl\focal, or,
o C:\app\os\wsl\ubuntu20.04, or,
o C:\app\os\wsl\20.04
etc.

Hell, let's try it:
1. Start > Run > powershell
2. PS> Start-Process powershell -verb runAs <== optionally run as admin
3. PS> Add-AppxPackage -Path "C:\software\iso\ubuntu\CanonicalGroupLimited.Ubuntu18.04onWindows_1804.2018.817.0_x64__79rhkp1fndgsc.Appx"

Crap. I was hoping (beyond hope) it would ask me _where_ I wanted it to go.
o Let's dig a bit to find out _where_ the heck M$ put it...
<https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/appx/add-appxpackage>
o OK. At least I can move it to where it belongs, which I'll do later.
<https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/appx/move-appxpackage>

Without even knowing _where_ M$ put it, I will try to test it out:
1. Start > Run > cmd{control+shift+enter}
2. C:\> wsl
Windows Subsystem for Linux has no installed distributions.
Distributions can be installed by visiting the Microsoft Store:
https://aka.ms/wslstore
3. C:\> ubuntu1804.exe
Installing, this may take a few minutes... \
Please create a default UNIX user account.
The username does not need to match your Windows username.
For more information visit: https://aka.ms/wslusers
Enter new UNIX username: {enter any desired uname}
Enter new UNIX password: {enter any desired passwd}
Retype new UNIX password: {re-enter that same passwd}
passwd: password updated successfully
Installation successful!
To run a command as administrator (user "root"), use "sudo <command>".
See "man sudo_root" for details.
4. Run some "linux" commands at the "***@pcname:~$" prompt:
$ whoami
uname
$ pwd
/home/uname
$ mkdir foo
$ touch foo/bar.txt
$ cd foo
$ ls
$ vim bar.txt
$ vipw
vipw: Permission denied.
vipw: Couldn't lock file: Permission denied
vipw: /etc/passwd is unchanged
$ sudo vipw
[sudo] password for x: {enter password for uname}
Select an editor. To change later, run 'select-editor'.
1. /bin/nano <---- easiest
2. /usr/bin/vim.basic
3. /usr/bin/vim.tiny
4. /bin/ed
2
root:x:0:0:root:/root:/bin/bash
daemon:x:1:1:daemon:/usr/sbin:/usr/sbin/nologin
bin:x:2:2:bin:/bin:/usr/sbin/nologin
etc.
$ firefox
Command 'firefox' not found, but can be installed with:
sudo apt install firefox
$ sudo apt-get install firefox
Need to get 58.6 MB of archives.
After this operation, 237 MB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n]
$ exit
5. Test it out to see if you can get it back! :)
Start > Run > cmd
C:\> wsl

Now the default prompt changes to:
***@pcname:/mnt/c/Users/uname$

This proof of concept is getting long so I'll stop documenting here,
as I need to figure out where the heck it _put_ this stuff.

Do you know _where_ the heck it put the Ubuntu file system?