6 ms·

Oh you need to fucking disable Window's Defender though, or add exclusions for your Linux distro/WSL2 folder, because when installing "node_modules" it will att

Oh you need to fucking disable Window's Defender though, or add exclusions for your Linux distro/WSL2 folder, because when installing "node_modules" it will attempt to do realtime scans for threat-protection which absolutely cripples the speed. https://www.cicoria.com/improving-windows-subsystem-for-linux-wsl-by-500-minutes-to-seconds/ https://www.cicoria.com/improving-windows-subsystem-for-linu... https://www.reddit.com/r/bashonubuntuonwindows/comments/eok776/has_anyone_experienced_slow_performance_when/ https://www.reddit.com/r/bashonubuntuonwindows/comments/eok7... "I noticed a significant performance difference after adding exclusions to the Windows Defender. My Rails server and NPM installs sped up dramatically (I mean like 4x faster, no joke)." Stupid.

ubercow13 6y ago
This is nothing specific to WSL though, Windows has always had this problem. I expect there are many Windows developers who have no idea how much time they spend waiting for their code to be virus scanned every day.
- 0x138d5 6y ago
  Some IDEs have started warning about this performance hit. IntelliJ + Gradle for example, but I'm guessing other Jetbrains products do the same.
  - Roritharr 6y ago
    That's what made me aware of the problem. Now I need a comfortable gui for managing just those folders.
- glandium 6y ago
  To give an idea how bad it is, building Firefox on a Threadripper 3970X on Windows takes slightly over 12 minutes if you don't disable Defender and somewhere around 7 minutes if you do.
  - samb1729 6y ago
    What a horrible amount of overhead. Why does Defender need to scan the contents of a bunch of non-executable files? I suspect the answer runs deep and is at least somewhat horrifying.
    - jan6 6y ago
      because windows has no concept of an executable bit, so a rename could make it runnable? or a benign looking program has a built-in interpreter run code from external file?
      - mehrdadn 6y ago
        > windows has no concept of an executable bit Sure it does. Execution is a permission you can set in the security tab. > a rename could make it runnable This is more likely why.
      - samb1729 6y ago
        > because windows has no concept of an executable bit, so a rename could make it runnable This much I understand - but why can something so tightly integrated into the OS not instead intercept a file rename event and scan at that point? I seem to be lacking sufficient information as to what specifically about Windows necessitates scanning everything on the filesystem when macOS and the various common Linux distros seem to do fine without it. It's not as if Windows is the only OS with interpreters, either.
    - mmis1000 6y ago
      Virus do abuse non executables like js, vbs, or whatever script file. Antivirus can't really know if it is the case without open it.
      - samb1729 6y ago
        What is it about Windows that makes this a problem where macOS and Linux seem to be fine? The same mechanisms exist in all three major operating systems, which is to say that technically any executable I choose to run on my computer can load a file and interpret it. Is it really just that Windows users download and run random junk? It's been so long that I've seen a virus of any kind anywhere at all that I genuinely have no clue how people become infected with them or indeed whether it still really happens at all. It certainly feels to me that the era of random toolbars and clearly visible desktop malware is over, but at the same time I live in a different bubble than in the past.
- CamperBob2 6y ago
  Try "every compile." If you wonder why your .exe takes a couple of extra seconds to start up the first time you run it after a build, well, this is why.
searchableguy 6y ago
Tip: Add a separate SSD and format it as ext4. Mount it to wsl2 and do all your work there. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/wsl2-mount-disk https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/wsl2-mount-disk Currently, the mount is not automatic so you can make a startup.ps script and run it on start through group policy.
- gavinray 6y ago
  Ah this is a great tip, I will have to try this one -- thank you!
  - qwantim1 6y ago
    It may be a great tip but Windows users shouldn’t have to do this. Microsoft needs to fix their shit.
BlueGh0st 6y ago
Thanks for this tip! I've already been running into Defender problems myself. Defender kept trying to quarantine my Windows hosts file so I had to add it as an exception but then 3 weeks later it started doing the same to my WSL2 Ubuntu's unmodified hosts file. I'm glad I opted for Ubuntu and manually installing tools that I need instead of using the Kali subsystem. I couldn't imagine the headache that'd have created.
mst 6y ago
I see you this, and I raise you "the package repository I was mirroring contained an AV module that had a copy of EICAR in its test suite". AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH.
- pwr22 6y ago
  Oh god yes, I know this pain!
lmz 6y ago
Surely this is only a problem if your files live in the Windows filesystem (i.e. inside /mnt/$drive on WSL2)? I can't imagine Windows Defender scanning inside a disk image (/home on WSL2).
- aksss 6y ago
  I was wondering about the same thing.
29athrowaway 6y ago
Why do you even need a Windows workstation as a Ruby or Node developer? That doesn't make any sense.
- foepys 6y ago
  You don't need it but it's 1/3 the price of an Apple workstation and just runs with all hardware compared to Linux. Plus, some people just like Windows and/or don't like macOS.
  - 29athrowaway 6y ago
    > runs with all hardware compared to Linux. No, it doesn't. Linux runs on more architectures than Windows. Linux supports a wider range of machine specs than Windows does. There has never been an operating system in human history having hardware support as vast Linux. The television in your living room might be running Linux. Your refrigerator might be running Linux. Your car might be running Linux. Linux is everywhere. When it comes to hardware support for laptops, the choice of distro is important. Enterprise linux distros ship with ancient kernels and you do not want to install that on a laptop. Most hardware compatibility issues come from WiFi cards, and there are solutions for that other than looking for a driver and installing it manually. You can tether WiFi from your phone, or you can get a USB WiFi adapter for like $5 on Amazon.
    - simonh 6y ago
      The question was specifically about workstations for Ruby and Node development. You're not going to do that on a refrigerator.
    - foepys 6y ago
      Windows can run on ARM and x86(-64). Both are the widest used architectures for desktop computing. I don't want to develop on MIPS or Atmel. > When it comes to hardware support for laptops, the choice of distro is important. I don't care. I just want to develop my programs. Each minute I need to invest into searching for compatible hardware or drivers is costing me money or my free time. I'm using Linux at home and on servers but for workstations I don't care for it, at all.

ubercow13 6y ago

This is nothing specific to WSL though, Windows has always had this problem. I expect there are many Windows developers who have no idea how much time they spend waiting for their code to be virus scanned every day.

0x138d5 6y ago
Some IDEs have started warning about this performance hit. IntelliJ + Gradle for example, but I'm guessing other Jetbrains products do the same.
- Roritharr 6y ago
  That's what made me aware of the problem. Now I need a comfortable gui for managing just those folders.
glandium 6y ago
To give an idea how bad it is, building Firefox on a Threadripper 3970X on Windows takes slightly over 12 minutes if you don't disable Defender and somewhere around 7 minutes if you do.
- samb1729 6y ago
  What a horrible amount of overhead. Why does Defender need to scan the contents of a bunch of non-executable files? I suspect the answer runs deep and is at least somewhat horrifying.
  - jan6 6y ago
    because windows has no concept of an executable bit, so a rename could make it runnable? or a benign looking program has a built-in interpreter run code from external file?
    - mehrdadn 6y ago
      > windows has no concept of an executable bit Sure it does. Execution is a permission you can set in the security tab. > a rename could make it runnable This is more likely why.
    - samb1729 6y ago
      > because windows has no concept of an executable bit, so a rename could make it runnable This much I understand - but why can something so tightly integrated into the OS not instead intercept a file rename event and scan at that point? I seem to be lacking sufficient information as to what specifically about Windows necessitates scanning everything on the filesystem when macOS and the various common Linux distros seem to do fine without it. It's not as if Windows is the only OS with interpreters, either.
  - mmis1000 6y ago
    Virus do abuse non executables like js, vbs, or whatever script file. Antivirus can't really know if it is the case without open it.
    - samb1729 6y ago
      What is it about Windows that makes this a problem where macOS and Linux seem to be fine? The same mechanisms exist in all three major operating systems, which is to say that technically any executable I choose to run on my computer can load a file and interpret it. Is it really just that Windows users download and run random junk? It's been so long that I've seen a virus of any kind anywhere at all that I genuinely have no clue how people become infected with them or indeed whether it still really happens at all. It certainly feels to me that the era of random toolbars and clearly visible desktop malware is over, but at the same time I live in a different bubble than in the past.
CamperBob2 6y ago
Try "every compile." If you wonder why your .exe takes a couple of extra seconds to start up the first time you run it after a build, well, this is why.

searchableguy 6y ago

Tip: Add a separate SSD and format it as ext4. Mount it to wsl2 and do all your work there. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/wsl2-mount-disk https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/wsl2-mount-disk Currently, the mount is not automatic so you can make a startup.ps script and run it on start through group policy.

gavinray 6y ago
Ah this is a great tip, I will have to try this one -- thank you!
- qwantim1 6y ago
  It may be a great tip but Windows users shouldn’t have to do this. Microsoft needs to fix their shit.

BlueGh0st 6y ago

Thanks for this tip! I've already been running into Defender problems myself. Defender kept trying to quarantine my Windows hosts file so I had to add it as an exception but then 3 weeks later it started doing the same to my WSL2 Ubuntu's unmodified hosts file. I'm glad I opted for Ubuntu and manually installing tools that I need instead of using the Kali subsystem. I couldn't imagine the headache that'd have created.

mst 6y ago

I see you this, and I raise you "the package repository I was mirroring contained an AV module that had a copy of EICAR in its test suite". AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH.

pwr22 6y ago
Oh god yes, I know this pain!

lmz 6y ago

Surely this is only a problem if your files live in the Windows filesystem (i.e. inside /mnt/$drive on WSL2)? I can't imagine Windows Defender scanning inside a disk image (/home on WSL2).

aksss 6y ago
I was wondering about the same thing.

29athrowaway 6y ago

Why do you even need a Windows workstation as a Ruby or Node developer? That doesn't make any sense.

foepys 6y ago
You don't need it but it's 1/3 the price of an Apple workstation and just runs with all hardware compared to Linux. Plus, some people just like Windows and/or don't like macOS.
- 29athrowaway 6y ago
  > runs with all hardware compared to Linux. No, it doesn't. Linux runs on more architectures than Windows. Linux supports a wider range of machine specs than Windows does. There has never been an operating system in human history having hardware support as vast Linux. The television in your living room might be running Linux. Your refrigerator might be running Linux. Your car might be running Linux. Linux is everywhere. When it comes to hardware support for laptops, the choice of distro is important. Enterprise linux distros ship with ancient kernels and you do not want to install that on a laptop. Most hardware compatibility issues come from WiFi cards, and there are solutions for that other than looking for a driver and installing it manually. You can tether WiFi from your phone, or you can get a USB WiFi adapter for like $5 on Amazon.
  - simonh 6y ago
    The question was specifically about workstations for Ruby and Node development. You're not going to do that on a refrigerator.
  - foepys 6y ago
    Windows can run on ARM and x86(-64). Both are the widest used architectures for desktop computing. I don't want to develop on MIPS or Atmel. > When it comes to hardware support for laptops, the choice of distro is important. I don't care. I just want to develop my programs. Each minute I need to invest into searching for compatible hardware or drivers is costing me money or my free time. I'm using Linux at home and on servers but for workstations I don't care for it, at all.