wsl: allow to run with a non-default user

[LuisOsta]

Issue Type: Bug

As part of my WSL instance, I had to create a user to properly setup nvm for configuring nodejs and npm. I could properly create the user and access it via the provided terminal in remote VS Code but can't open files with 'code-insiders .' or through other means.

I used this tutorial: Developing in the Windows Subsystem For Linux with VS Code to set up the remote development.

Note: by default the VS Code Insiders file explorer shows the root (WSL) folder

Expected

'code-insiders .'
Should open the given directory in the vs code insiders explorer when logged in as a non-root user(w/ sudo privileges)

Actual

'code-insiders .'
code-insiders: command not found

This issue only happens when you're logged in as a given user. It works as expected when you're a root user.

Extension version: 0.34.0
VS Code version: Code - Insiders 1.34.20-insider (57b550c559b945eb9d871dbf2b2e4cb9e31e2551, 2019-05-10T17:36:45.765Z)
OS version: Windows_NT x64 10.0.17134
Remote OS version: Linux x64 4.4.0-17134-Microsoft

System Info

Item	Value
CPUs	Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-8700K CPU @ 3.70GHz (12 x 3696)
GPU Status	2d_canvas: enabled checker_imaging: disabled_off flash_3d: enabled flash_stage3d: enabled flash_stage3d_baseline: enabled gpu_compositing: enabled multiple_raster_threads: enabled_on native_gpu_memory_buffers: disabled_software rasterization: enabled surface_synchronization: enabled_on video_decode: enabled webgl: enabled webgl2: enabled
Load (avg)	undefined
Memory (System)	31.91GB (22.40GB free)
Process Argv
Screen Reader	no
VM	0%

Item	Value
Remote	WSL
OS	Linux x64 4.4.0-17134-Microsoft
CPUs	Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-8700K CPU @ 3.70GHz (12 x 3696)
Memory (System)	31.91GB (22.40GB free)
VM	0%

[aeschli]

The WSL remote extension currently always uses the default user.

WSL allows to change the default user for a distro in two ways:

• on the Windows command line:
  https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/wsl-config#change-the-default-user-for-a-distribution
• In the /etc/wsl.conf file: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/wsl-config#user

Following the steps in description, above, it seems there are additional issues in WSL when creating a new user:

• create a new user in WSL (adduser).
• after switching to the user (su), the env PATH does not include the windows path. This looks like a WSL issue. That's why code-insiders . is not working.

[LuisOsta]

@aeschli Should I create an issue for WSL about including the windows path after switching to the user?

[aeschli]

@LuisOsta Yes, that would be great.

[Aulos]

Can Remote-WSL allow for configuring wsl args? Or use my-distro.exe instead of wsl.exe to run WSL? For some reason wsl.exe starts as root and if I could change args to -u my-user my problem would be fixed.

[acui]

Can Remote-WSL allow for configuring wsl args? Or use my-distro.exe instead of wsl.exe to run WSL? For some reason wsl.exe starts as root and if I could change args to -u my-user my problem would be fixed.

Same problem. It looks like that the Remote-WSL runs the wslServer.shusing the default user. And the default user of an imported distro is root. Changing the default user should resolve this.

After some research, got a solution from microsoft/WSL#4276 (comment)

[Trass3r]

For the record there is a .wslconfig entry by now for the default user: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/release-notes#build-18980
But that doesn't solve the original problem I guess.

[pikadun]

Problem still exists