What is the difference between running a linux vm vs. using Windows bash compatibility?

[EternalSeeker]

Hey LTT,

 

So I am a bit late to the game but under development section of Windows 10 you can get a linux subsystem running on Windows 10 (i.e. Bash). Just wondering what is the difference between this versus say using VMWare to run linux? Is this similar to chrooting or more along the lines of Wine?

[SCHISCHKA]

Have a look at the videos on this page, they describe it as "like a driver" that can run sandboxed linux processes. Its not really a direct comparison to the technologies you mentioned.

https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/commandline/learn-about-bash-on-windows-subsystem-for-linux/

this one is prob more specific to your question

https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/wsl/2016/05/23/pico-process-overview/

 

[EternalSeeker]

2 hours ago, SCHISCHKA said:

Have a look at the videos on this page, they describe it as "like a driver" that can run sandboxed linux processes. Its not really a direct comparison to the technologies you mentioned.

https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/commandline/learn-about-bash-on-windows-subsystem-for-linux/

this one is prob more specific to your question

https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/wsl/2016/05/23/pico-process-overview/

 

A good read and some nice videos!! Still looking into them! So its basically like you said a sandbox process where the NT kernal doesn't assume anything and passes control on to the owner of the process which is the driver which "emulate" the linux kernal calls? This is interesting, but I assume since its on going there has to be some limitation versus actually running a vm which uses the real linux kernal?

 

I am no pro programmer but I assume that what it is?

 

Also this doesn't make VM or Dual boots obsolete, thats the reason why I asked! I run linux on VM to use some linux only packages. If I can get a xeon for the next build I might primary Linux and GPU pass Windows 10, but right now windows 10 is primary and linux in VM

[SCHISCHKA]

55 minutes ago, EternalSeeker said:

A good read and some nice videos!! Still looking into them! So its basically like you said a sandbox process where the NT kernal doesn't assume anything and passes control on to the owner of the process which is the driver which "emulate" the linux kernal calls? This is interesting, but I assume since its on going there has to be some limitation versus actually running a vm which uses the real linux kernal?

 

I am no pro programmer but I assume that what it is?

i think of it more as an extension to the way windows handles a program. They have extended it so it can run applications meant for other systems. Virtualisation is an overhead where the computer pretends to be another OS or other hardware

[Fetzie]

The Windows Subsystem for Linux is basically a docker container that has an installation of Ubuntu Server in it. It does not have access to network settings and utlilities (things like ping don't work) and you obviously can't install an xserver to run things with a UI.

 

It sometimes freaks out when scrolling through text and when altering commands in your terminal history.

[EternalSeeker]

5 hours ago, Fetzie said:

The Windows Subsystem for Linux is basically a docker container that has an installation of Ubuntu Server in it. It does not have access to network settings and utlilities (things like ping don't work) and you obviously can't install an xserver to run things with a UI.

 

It sometimes freaks out when scrolling through text and when altering commands in your terminal history.

Well its still in beta so some things are understandable. Running bash as administrator allows ping to work. I don't know about the other commands. Also I read you can install an xserver, there is a github page for it. I believe its called Xming. I havent tried but aparently you can get OpenGL working via TCP or whatnot. Not exactly better than a VM att the moment but this is great!