Fix: WslRegisterDistribution failed with error: 0x80370102 and error 0x80070002

After struggling with this issue for days

Installing, this may take a few minutes...
WslRegisterDistribution failed with error: 0x80370102
Error: 0x80370102 The virtual machine could not be started because a required feature is not installed.

Press any key to continue...

including a re-installation of windows 10 (twice) and trying everything on the windows forums, like :

bcdedit /set hypervisorlaunchtype autodid

Setting and re-setting Virtual machine platform, Hyper – V and Windows Subsytem for Linux

image

Rebooting after each setting, and a myriad of other things, the problem turned out to be a setting in the BIOS.

No it had nothing to do with Intel Virtualisation being disabled in the BIOS as many forums suggest, this has been enabled since day one.

The problem was that I had  Limit CPUID Max enabled in the BIOS. This NEEDS TO BE DISABLED for the WSL 2 to work correctly, apparently. I have no clue why or how but this is what solved it for me !

On the other hand if you encounter error 0x80070002, The most likely culprits are either Docker for Desktop or some vpn software messing up network settings. Uninstalling Docker solved the issue for me.

Installing, this may take a few minutes...
WslRegisterDistribution failed with error: 0x80070002
Error: 0x80070002 The system cannot find the file specified.

Press any key to continue...

Please let me know in the comments below if this solves the issue for you too

10 comments On Fix: WslRegisterDistribution failed with error: 0x80370102 and error 0x80070002

  • Very big thanks, i enable virtualisation in BIOS (have no idea why Gigabyte turne it off)

  • I changed wls version from 2 to 1, so:
    1. Type on Powershell wsl –set-default-version 1
    2. Re-open the Ubuntu app you have downloaded from the store.
    Hope it works for you as it did for me

  • thanks man your way worked for me

  • you ABSOLUTE F@!*$ng HERO!!!

    I, like you, went through every possible permutation of unticking and ticking the windows feature and rebooting after each one and reinstalling this that and the other. A few months ago I did not have an issue with the same PC/hardware but I recently reimaged my machine and got the latest build version and this issue was doing my bloody head in. That CPUID was the issue for me, not sure why I did not see your post when I was googling about for the exact error code I was just getting git-hub crap.

  • We’re is this CPUID ID I have an older laptop and my bios doesn’t show that. I’m taking it this is only on the newer model computers.
    Pentium(R) Dual-Core CPU T4300 @ 2.10GHz 2.10 GHz
    64-bit operating system, x64-based processor

    HP laptop

  • For my HP Pavilion (made in 2019), I found a setting in BIOS that mentioned “Virtualization” or similar, with a note that this needs to be enabled for Virtual Machine usage. Enabling that setting has fixed my problem.

    Thanks for your write-up, that showed me quickly what kind of thing I was looking for.

  • PS C:\Windows\system32> wsl –set-default-version 1
    that worked for me.. no idea why.

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