Exec format error 32-bit executable Windows Subsystem for Linux?

Question

When I try to execute a 32-bit file compiled with gcc -m32 main.c -o main on Windows Subsystem for Linux, I get the following error: bash: ./main

Answer 1

QEMU and binfmt support light the way :)

https://github.com/microsoft/wsl/issues/2468#issuecomment-374904520

After reading that the WSLInterop between WSL and Windows processes used binfmt, I was tinkering with QEMU to try some ARM development, and incidentally discovered how to get 32-bit support working.

Edit: requires "Fall Creators Update", 1709, build 16299 or newer

Install qemu and binfmt config:

sudo apt install qemu-user-static
sudo update-binfmts --install i386 /usr/bin/qemu-i386-static --magic '\x7fELF\x01\x01\x01\x03\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x03\x00\x03\x00\x01\x00\x00\x00' --mask '\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xfc\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xf8\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff'

You'll need to reactivate binfmt support every time you start WSL:

sudo service binfmt-support start

Enable i386 architecture packages:

sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386
sudo apt update
sudo apt install gcc:i386

Try it out:

$ file /usr/bin/gcc-5
/usr/bin/gcc-5: ELF 32-bit LSB executable, Intel 80386, version 1 (SYSV), dynamically linked, interpreter /lib/ld-linux.so.2, for GNU/Linux 2.6.32, BuildID[sha1]=2637bb7cb85f8f12b40f03cd015d404930c3c790, stripped

$ /usr/bin/gcc-5 --version
gcc-5 (Ubuntu 5.4.0-6ubuntu1~16.04.9) 5.4.0 20160609
Copyright (C) 2015 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
This is free software; see the source for copying conditions.  There is NO
warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

$ gcc helloworld.c -o helloworld

$ ./helloworld
Hello, world!

$ file helloworld
helloworld: ELF 32-bit LSB executable, Intel 80386, version 1 (SYSV), dynamically linked, interpreter /lib/ld-linux.so.2, for GNU/Linux 2.6.32, BuildID[sha1]=3a0c7be5c6a8d45613e4ef2b7b3474df6224a5da, not stripped

And to prove it really was working, disable i386 support and try again:

$ sudo service binfmt-support stop
 * Disabling additional executable binary formats binfmt-support [ OK ]

$ ./helloworld
-bash: ./helloworld: cannot execute binary file: Exec format error

Answer 2

WSL2 runs in a real virtual machine using a real Linux kernel, therefore it's actually possible to do anything a Linux VM can do, including running 32-bit code. Just install 32-bit libs by running

sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386
sudo apt-get update

For more information read

• Announcing WSL 2
• WSL 2 FAQ

Answer 3

32-bit ELF support isn't provided by WSL (yet). There doesn't seem to be any progress since the UserVoice was raised - you are out luck.

See UserVoice: Please add 32 bit ELF support to the kernel and Support for 32-bit i386 ELF binaries.

If possible, switch to a real Linux ;-)