Rubin Shrestha
Rubin Shrestha
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WSL installation fails with REGDB_E_CLASSNOTREG on Windows 11 build 26200

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I am trying to install/repair WSL on Windows 11, but the installation fails with an MSI/COM registration error.

The command:

wsl --install --no-distribution

starts installing:

Download in progress: Windows Subsystem for Linux 2.7.11
Installing: Windows Subsystem for Linux 2.7.11
Fatal error

After that, any WSL command that requires initialization fails:

PS> wsl --update

wsl: WSL installation appears to be damaged (error code: Wsl/CallMsi/Install/REGDB_E_CLASSNOTREG)

Press any key to repair WSL or CTRL-C to cancel.

Class not registered.
Error code: Wsl/CallMsi/Install/REGDB_E_CLASSNOTREG

wsl --version gives the same error.

Things already tried:

  • DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
  • sfc /scannow (it found and repaired corrupted files)
  • Re-enabling Windows features:
dism /online /enable-feature /featurename:Microsoft-Windows-Subsystem-Linux /all /norestart
dism /online /enable-feature /featurename:VirtualMachinePlatform /all /norestart
  • Removing and reinstalling the WSL package
  • winget reinstall --id Microsoft.WSL

Current state:

The WSL Store package is installed correctly:

Name: MicrosoftCorporationII.WindowsSubsystemForLinux
Version: 2.7.11.0
Status: Ok
InstallLocation:
C:Program FilesWindowsAppsMicrosoftCorporationII.WindowsSubsystemForLinux_2.7.11.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe

Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller is also installed and reports Status: Ok.

wsl.exe exists in:

C:WindowsSystem32wsl.exe

and PowerShell resolves it correctly.

However, no WSL-related service appears to be registered:

Get-Service *wsl*
Get-Service *lxss*

return nothing.

Also:

Get-Service LxssManager

returns:

Cannot find any service with service name 'LxssManager'

I have never installed Docker Desktop or any other software that integrates with WSL.

My suspicion is that either:

  1. the WSL package registration is broken on this Insider build, or
  2. a COM/MSI component required by WSL is missing or not registered.

Has anyone encountered Wsl/CallMsi/Install/REGDB_E_CLASSNOTREG on Windows 11 25H2 build 26200.8875 (I’m not registered to Windows Insider Program)

Is there a way to force WSL package registration without doing a full Windows repair/reinstall?

EDIT: on Windows 11 25H2 build 26200.8875 (I’m not registered to Windows Insider Program)

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