fix: correct sparse VHD command to include `true` #13512

junhaoliao · 2025-09-23T23:38:43Z

Summary of the Pull Request

PR Checklist

Closes: Link to issue #xxx
Communication: I've discussed this with core contributors already. If work hasn't been agreed, this work might be rejected
Tests: Added/updated if needed and all pass
Localization: All end user facing strings can be localized
Dev docs: Added/updated if needed
Documentation updated: If checked, please file a pull request on our docs repo and link it here: #xxx

Detailed Description of the Pull Request / Additional comments

(closes #13075)

The WSL --set-sparse command requires a boolean value (true or false). The current "MessageSparseVhdDisabled" prompt omits true, which causes confusing error messages and prevented sparse VHD from being enabled.

This change ensures the command is complete in the "MessageSparseVhdDisabled" prompt:

  wsl.exe --manage <Distro> --set-sparse true --allow-unsafe

Validation Steps Performed

Ran .\bin\x64\Debug\test.bat /name:SimpleTests::SimpleTests::CheckSparse and observed the test case passed:

PS C:\Users\junhao\CLionProjects\WSL> .\bin\x64\Debug\test.bat /name:SimpleTests::SimpleTests::CheckSparse
Test Authoring and Execution Framework v10.97k for x64
OS build string: 26100.1.amd64fre.ge_release.240331-1435
Verify: IsTrue(config.good())
Verify: IsNotNull(g_WatchdogTimer)
Running test setup command: Powershell         -NoProfile         -ExecutionPolicy Bypass         -Command "C:/Users/junhao/CLionProjects/WSL\tools\test\test-setup.ps1 -Version '2' -DistroPath C:/Users/junhao/CLionProjects/WSL/packages/Microsoft.WSL.TestDistro.2.5.7-47/test_distro.tar.xz -DistroName test_distro -Package 'C:/Users/junhao/CLionProjects/WSL/bin/x64\Debug\installer.msix' -UnitTestsPath C:/Users/junhao/CLionProjects/WSL\test\linux\unit_tests -AllowUnsigned"
Removing previous package installation
Removing MSI package: {50D135E3-FC56-4CD3-A278-D5CD3B95DB3D}
Installing package: C:/Users/junhao/CLionProjects/WSL/bin/x64\Debug\installer.msix
WSL is finishing an upgrade...
Unregistering.
The operation completed successfully.

The operation completed successfully.
The operation completed successfully.
Verify: IsTrue(SetEnvironmentVariableW(L"WSL_UTF8", L"1"))
Verify: AreEqual(LxsstuInitialize(FALSE), TRUE)

StartGroup: SimpleTests::SimpleTests::CheckSparse
Verify: IsTrue(config.good())
Restarting WSLService
Verify: IsNotNull(manager)
Verify: IsNotNull(service)
tar C:\Users\junhao\AppData\Local\Temp\s1fd4.0.tar
vhdDir C:\Users\junhao\AppData\Local\Temp\s1fd4.1
Verify: IsTrue(std::filesystem::create_directory(vhdDir))
Export in progress, this may take a few minutes. (408 MB)

The operation completed successfully.
Verify: AreEqual(LxsstuLaunchWsl(std::format(L"{} {} {}", WSL_EXPORT_ARG, LXSS_DISTRO_NAME_TEST, tar.wstring()).c_str()), (DWORD)0)
Unregistering.
There is no distribution with the supplied name.
Error code: Wsl/Service/WSL_E_DISTRO_NOT_FOUND
Verify: AreEqual(ExpectedOutput, output)
Verify: AreEqual(ExpectedWarnings, warnings)
Verify: IsFalse(attributes == INVALID_FILE_ATTRIBUTES)
Verify: IsTrue(WI_IsFlagSet(attributes, FILE_ATTRIBUTE_SPARSE_FILE) == sparse)
Verify: AreEqual(0u, LxsstuLaunchWsl(WSL_SHUTDOWN_ARG))
Verify: AreEqual(ExpectedOutput, output)
Verify: AreEqual(ExpectedWarnings, warnings)
Verify: IsFalse(attributes == INVALID_FILE_ATTRIBUTES)
Verify: IsTrue(WI_IsFlagSet(attributes, FILE_ATTRIBUTE_SPARSE_FILE) == sparse)
Verify: AreEqual(ExpectedOutput, output)
Verify: AreEqual(ExpectedWarnings, warnings)
Verify: IsFalse(attributes == INVALID_FILE_ATTRIBUTES)
Verify: IsTrue(WI_IsFlagSet(attributes, FILE_ATTRIBUTE_SPARSE_FILE) == sparse)
Verify: AreEqual(ExpectedOutput, output)
Verify: AreEqual(ExpectedWarnings, warnings)
Verify: IsFalse(attributes == INVALID_FILE_ATTRIBUTES)
Verify: IsTrue(WI_IsFlagSet(attributes, FILE_ATTRIBUTE_SPARSE_FILE) == sparse)
Unregistering.
The operation completed successfully.

Verify: IsTrue(config.good())
Restarting WSLService
Verify: IsNotNull(manager)
Verify: IsNotNull(service)
EndGroup: SimpleTests::SimpleTests::CheckSparse [Passed]
Verify: IsTrue(SetEnvironmentVariableW(L"WSL_UTF8", nullptr))
Exiting UnitTests module
Restoring .wslconfig
Verify: IsTrue(config.good())
Previous default distro doesn't exist anymore: '{08d1a45a-41d8-4048-9c92-e9a7bb92e431}', skipping restore

Summary: Total=1, Passed=1, Failed=0, Blocked=0, Not Run=0, Skipped=0

junhaoliao · 2025-09-23T23:40:40Z

@microsoft-github-policy-service agree

benhillis

This is the only file you need to modify, the rest are auto-generated.

junhaoliao · 2025-09-29T03:12:27Z

Thanks for the review!

This is the only file you need to modify, the rest are auto-generated.

Sorry if i get your comment wrong - I suppose you mean only localization/strings/en-US/Resources.resw needs to be modified, so i reverted the changes on the other localization files: 01f44a8

OneBlue · 2025-09-29T18:26:04Z

/azp run

azure-pipelines · 2025-09-29T18:26:14Z

Azure Pipelines successfully started running 1 pipeline(s).

junhaoliao · 2025-09-29T18:30:28Z

i see the Azure workflow fails. now i understand how the translation automation works, i can debug and test locally. just a moment before i push the fix

OneBlue · 2025-09-29T18:44:06Z

localization/strings/en-US/Resources.resw

-wsl.exe --manage &lt;DistributionName&gt; --set-sparse --allow-unsafe</value>
-    <comment>{Locked="--manage "}{Locked="--set-sparse "}{Locked="--allow-unsafe"}Command line arguments, file names and string inserts should not be translated</comment>
+wsl.exe --manage &lt;DistributionName&gt; --set-sparse true --allow-unsafe</value>
+    <comment>{Locked="--manage "}{Locked="--set-sparse true "}{Locked="--allow-unsafe"}Command line arguments, file names and string inserts should not be translated</comment>


Please run: python tools\devops\validate-localization.py --fix locally to format this, this should unblock the CI

sorry for the misunderstanding in the Locked syntax. the issue should now be fixed by running the script as you suggested

the PR should be ready for review. please help running the pipeline again

junhaoliao · 2025-09-30T07:23:14Z

/azp run

azure-pipelines · 2025-09-30T07:23:20Z

Commenter does not have sufficient privileges for PR 13512 in repo microsoft/WSL

OneBlue · 2025-09-30T17:12:08Z

/azp run

azure-pipelines · 2025-09-30T17:12:17Z

Azure Pipelines successfully started running 1 pipeline(s).

OneBlue · 2025-10-01T18:58:03Z

/azp run

azure-pipelines · 2025-10-01T18:58:13Z

Azure Pipelines successfully started running 1 pipeline(s).

junhaoliao · 2025-10-01T22:44:59Z

@benhillis Merging is blocked and it seems your re-review is needed. Would you mind taking a look again?

benhillis · 2025-10-01T23:49:57Z

Thank you for your contribution!

fix: correct sparse VHD command to include true

15f0c5e

junhaoliao requested a review from a team as a code owner September 23, 2025 23:38

junhaoliao requested review from OneBlue, benhillis, craigloewen-msft and justus-camp-microsoft September 23, 2025 23:38

junhaoliao mentioned this pull request Sep 23, 2025

Sparse VHD support is currently disabled due to potential data corruption. #13075

Closed

2 tasks

benhillis requested changes Sep 24, 2025

View reviewed changes

junhaoliao added 2 commits September 28, 2025 23:08

Revert all localization strings to f8c26f7 except en-US/Resources.resw

01f44a8

Merge branch 'master' into set-sparse-true

1d56f0c

OneBlue reviewed Sep 29, 2025

View reviewed changes

fix: run validate-localization.py with --fix option

a0ece2a

junhaoliao requested review from OneBlue and benhillis September 30, 2025 07:24

Merge branch 'master' into set-sparse-true

758dbaf

OneBlue approved these changes Oct 1, 2025

View reviewed changes

benhillis approved these changes Oct 1, 2025

View reviewed changes

benhillis merged commit 98f4960 into microsoft:master Oct 1, 2025
6 checks passed

junhaoliao deleted the set-sparse-true branch October 1, 2025 23:50

fix: correct sparse VHD command to include true #13512

fix: correct sparse VHD command to include true #13512

Uh oh!

Conversation

junhaoliao commented Sep 23, 2025 • edited Loading Uh oh! There was an error while loading. Please reload this page.

Uh oh!

Summary of the Pull Request

PR Checklist

Detailed Description of the Pull Request / Additional comments

Validation Steps Performed

Uh oh!

junhaoliao commented Sep 23, 2025

Uh oh!

benhillis left a comment

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

junhaoliao commented Sep 29, 2025

Uh oh!

OneBlue commented Sep 29, 2025

Uh oh!

azure-pipelines bot commented Sep 29, 2025

Uh oh!

junhaoliao commented Sep 29, 2025

Uh oh!

OneBlue Sep 29, 2025

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

junhaoliao Sep 30, 2025

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

junhaoliao Sep 30, 2025

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

junhaoliao commented Sep 30, 2025

Uh oh!

azure-pipelines bot commented Sep 30, 2025

Uh oh!

OneBlue commented Sep 30, 2025

Uh oh!

azure-pipelines bot commented Sep 30, 2025

Uh oh!

OneBlue commented Oct 1, 2025

Uh oh!

azure-pipelines bot commented Oct 1, 2025

Uh oh!

junhaoliao commented Oct 1, 2025

Uh oh!

Uh oh!

benhillis commented Oct 1, 2025

Uh oh!

Reviewers

Assignees

Labels

Projects

Milestone

Development

Uh oh!

3 participants

fix: correct sparse VHD command to include `true` #13512

fix: correct sparse VHD command to include `true` #13512

junhaoliao commented Sep 23, 2025 •

edited

Loading