systemd no longer boots

[DeltaRazero]

Windows Version

Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.22621.2283]

WSL Version

2.0.2.0

Are you using WSL 1 or WSL 2?

• WSL 2
• WSL 1

Kernel Version

5.10.102.1-microsoft-standard-WSL2

Distro Version

Arch Linux (fully updated)

Other Software

No response

Repro Steps

/etc/wsl.conf
-------------

[boot]
systemd=true

[user]
default=arch
 
[automount]
userid=1000

.wslconfig
----------

[wsl2]
memory=10GB
swap=0
processors=6
guiApplications=false

Expected Behavior

System is booted with systemctl

Actual Behavior

System has not been booted with systemd as init system (PID 1). Can't operate.
Failed to connect to bus: Host is down

Diagnostic Logs

(I have edited out my username in logs.etl with windows.user out of privacy concerns)
WslLogs-2023-09-28_09-39-48.zip

[DeltaRazero]

I found it strange that I was still running such an old kernel version (as I knew 5.15.x should've been already widely available). I found out that an older Linux kernel update package (from here https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/install-manual#step-4---download-the-linux-kernel-update-package) was interfering with installing newer kernel versions.

I had to completely install WSL and the aforementioned update and then reinstall with wsl --install. Updated to preview version 2.0.2.0 and systemd now properly boots!

Might be a good feature to automate uninstalling the older kernel update.

Closing the issue.