Please enable WSL to run 32 bit ELF binaries
It seems that executing 32bit ELF binaries results in "Exec format error" - guessing the kernel doesn't have 32 bit emulation support (compilation is fine, but precompiled binaries don't run). A vast number of legacy programs are still 32 bit, please add support if it won't completely destroy everything in the process - thanks!
Anonymous
shared this idea
AdminRich Turner
(Sr. Program Manager, Windows Console & WSL, Windows Developer)
responded
WSL currently only works on x64 systems, and only runs ELF-64 binaries.
We don’t currently have plans to support running ELF-32 binaries on WSL x64.
143 comments
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onoma
commented
This is confirmed as fixed in WSL2 coming next month.
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Eric
commented
Also, various toolchains used for cross-compiling use 32-bit executables, preventing the use of WSL for cross-compiling/development environments.
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Dmitry Gapkalov
commented
Please add support for ELF-32 binaries on WSL x64
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Anonymous
commented
Does WSL2 supports ELF-32 binaries?
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Windel
commented
You can use `qemu-user` to emulate your application.
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Anonymous
commented
Without 32-bit applications support WSL is useless. Please consider adding this feature.
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Anonymous
commented
It is disappointed to see such answer. WSL is a great idea and I hope that WSL can support 32 bit ELF and then I can replace virtual machine completely.
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Anonymous
commented
Support ELF-32 binaries is not optional.. It should be support. As You are already known.. Much application still work on 32bit. I hope support 32bit binaries on WSL ASAP.
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Anonymous
commented
This sucks, I would really have appreciated this :(
I guess I'll have to use docker, but it defeats the purpose of using WSL... -
Anonymous
commented
i am so disappointed by this answer. WSL seems like such an amazing concept, but fails on so many fronts. how are WE are developers expected to a use a tool that does not support a wide range of legacy tools that are out there. The rational of leaving this feature behind(unless it will completely destroy everything in the process) is mind boggling stupid. Even Windows supports 32 bit application, so why would you need do the same for this feature????
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Anonymous
commented
Oh man, this response... fail.
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Andrei
commented
@Microsoft, please add the workaround link for this issue from github:
link: https://github.com/Microsoft/WSL/issues/2468#issuecomment-374904520 -
Anonymous
commented
+1
Many professional products still use 32-bit libraries (for example, IBM DB2, ...). Without support for ELF-32 binaries in WSL x64, it is necessary to use other solutions such as virtual machines or containers. This represents a significant obstacle to using WSL in business! -
biao long
commented
It is so disappointing that you don't plan it!
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Contra Studios
commented
Hey Rich, how many requests you need in order to make this 32-bit possible. It is quite clear people here need that support. I need it too. Quite disappointing to go through a whole compilation process under WSL just to get a stupid msg saying 'wrong format exec'.
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Jim Mi
commented
ELF32 is deprecated even in linux world, i dont think its wise to support multilib on WSL, if you really need 32bit, go to RHEL which has multilib enabled by default
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Andrew Campbell
commented
Yes, quite disappointing. But the way around this is simply to install you favorite linux directly on metal ( your hardware ), then install virtualbox for linux and then install windows 10 inside of virtualbox. It's fairly simple. Then you can run all your favorite linux and windows programs at the same time, natively in each. Once everything is installed, you can select seamless mode in virtualbox. This allows both linux and windows programs to run on the same desktop.
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Yany
commented
Please add support for ELF-32 binaries on WSL x64
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Anonymous
commented
Need ELF-32!!!!!
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Anonymous
commented
My use case is to run 32-bit toolchains that target embedded processors. I am currently doing it in a VM but I was hoping that WSL would let me get rid of various layers of complexity. Alas.