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78 changes: 40 additions & 38 deletions website/docs/Support/Windows.md
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Expand Up @@ -10,29 +10,51 @@ presents multiple challenges. They can all be overcome, and the

If you wish to run Eth Docker on Windows regardless, this is what's required.

- Windows 11 Pro 22H2 build 22621.2428 (KB5031354 October 2023) or later, ideally with 64 GiB RAM so that WSL defaults
to 30 GiB
- Windows 11 Pro 24H2 or later, ideally with 64 GiB RAM so that WSL defaults to 30 GiB
- [WSL 2](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/about), the "Windows Subsystem for Linux", which runs a Linux
kernel in a lightweight VM
- WSL networking that is reachable from the LAN
- Functioning time sync
- Docker Desktop, with Windows configured to start it on boot

> I previously suggested Docker Desktop, and no longer do

These are the configuration steps:

Windows
- Verify you are running Windows 11 Pro 22H2 build 22621.2428 or later and have sufficient RAM
- Verify you are running Windows 11 Pro 24H2 or later and have sufficient RAM
- To keep the system secure, configure Windows Update to download and apply patches automatically, and to update WSL.
Settings -> Windows Update -> Advanced, enable "Receive updates for other Microsoft products" and "Get me up to date".

[WSL Settings](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/wsl-config)
- Configure WSL for [mirrored networking](https://github.com/microsoft/WSL/releases/tag/2.0.0). Edit `.wslconfig` in
your Windows home directory and add
```
[wsl2]
networkingMode=mirrored
```
- Mirrored networking shares the MAC address, IPv4 address and IPv6 address of the Windows host machine. On your
router, set a DHCP reservation for this machine so WSL always has the same local IP; or configure Windows with a static
IP. This makes port forwarding of the P2P ports possible, and makes remote access easier.
- Check memory assigned to WSL with `free -h`. If it's too low for your chosen client mix, edit `.wslconfig` in your
Windows home directory and add a memory section and disable swap, for example
```
[wsl2]
memory=32GB
swap=0
```
- Set the default disk size to 2TB. Alternatively you could increase size after installation. In `.wslconfig` again
```
[wsl2]
defaultVhdSize=2199023255552
```

WSL
- From Windows Store, install WSL and Ubuntu current LTS. Debian is also an option, it is however quite bare-bones
without even man-db out of the box.
- This defaults to WSL 2, but if you have an older WSL 1 install, find it with `wsl --list -v` and change it with
`wsl --set-version DISTRO-NAME 2` as well as `wsl --set-default-version 2`.
- Install WSL [2.2.4](https://github.com/microsoft/WSL/releases) or later. It should come in automatically with Windows
Update, and can also be updated in PowerShell with `wsl --update`.
- Increase the disk space available to WSL [from 1TB to 3TB](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/disk-space).
- If this was installed before setting a defaultVhdSize, increase the disk space available to WSL
[from 1TB to 2TB](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/disk-space).
- Create a scheduled task in Task Scheduler to keep Ubuntu/Debian in WSL updated.
- Call it WSLUpdate
- Run every day at a time you like
Expand All @@ -42,48 +64,30 @@ Update, and can also be updated in PowerShell with `wsl --update`.
- Create two "Start Program" actions
- The first is `wsl.exe -u root -e apt-get update`
- The second is `wsl.exe -u root DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt-get -y --autoremove dist-upgrade`

WSL Networking
- Configure WSL for [mirrored networking](https://github.com/microsoft/WSL/releases/tag/2.0.0). Edit `.wslconfig` in
your Windows home directory and add
- Enable `systemd` inside the WSL installation. `nano /etc/wsl.conf` and set it to
```
[wsl2]
networkingMode=mirrored
```
- Mirrored networking shares the MAC address, IPv4 address and IPv6 address of the Windows host machine. On your
router, set a DHCP reservation for this machine so WSL always has the same local IP; or configure Windows with a static
IP. This makes port forwarding of the P2P ports possible, and makes remote access easier.
- Check memory assigned to WSL with `free -h`. If it's too low for your chosen client mix, edit `.wslconfig` in your
Windows home directory and add a memory section, for example
```
[wsl2]
memory=32GB
[boot]
systemd=true
```
Close your WSL windows and in Powershell, run `wsl --shutdown`. When it launches again, systemd should be running.
- Install chrony with `sudo apt install -y chrony`.

Time sync
- Fix Windows time sync if your machine is not domain-joined
- Change w32time to [start automatically](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/windows-client/identity/w32time-not-start-on-workgroup). In Administrator cmd, but **not** PowerShell, `sc triggerinfo w32time start/networkon stop/networkoff`. Verify with `sc qtriggerinfo w32time`. To get into cmd that way, you can start Admin PowerShell and then just type `cmd`.
- In `Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\w32time\Config`, set `MaxPollInterval` to hex `c`, decimal `12`.
- Check `Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\w32time\Parameters\NtpServer`. If it ends in `0x9` you are done. If it ends in `0x1` you need to adjust `SpecialPollInterval` in `Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\w32time\TimeProviders\NtpClient` to read `3600`
- Reboot, then from Powershell run `w32tm /query /status /verbose` to verify that w32time service did start. If it didn't, check triggers again. If all else fails, set it to Automatic Delayed startup
- [Enable systemd](https://devblogs.microsoft.com/commandline/systemd-support-is-now-available-in-wsl/#set-the-systemd-flag-set-in-your-wsl-distro-settings)
for WSL. In WSL, run `sudo nano /etc/wsl.conf` and add:
```
[boot]
systemd=true
```
Close your WSL windows and in Powershell, run `wsl --shutdown`. When it launches again, systemd should be running.
- Install chrony with `sudo apt install -y chrony`.

- If despite chrony, you still see [clock skew](https://github.com/microsoft/WSL/issues/10006) in WSL, set a scheduled
task to keep WSL in sync with your Windows clock. From non-admin Powershell, run
`schtasks /Create /TN WSLTimeSync /TR "wsl -u root hwclock -s" /SC ONEVENT /EC System /MO "*[System[Provider[@Name='Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-Power'] and (EventID=107 or EventID=507) or Provider[@Name='Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-General'] and (EventID=1)]]" /F`.

Docker Desktop
- Install [Docker Desktop](https://www.docker.com/products/docker-desktop/).
- Configure it to start on login, but not to open the Docker Dashboard on start.
- It should default to use the WSL 2 based engine.
- Configure Docker Desktop to download patches automatically. Applying them may be a manual step.
- Your node needs to run after Windows reboot for 24/7 uptime. Docker Desktop only starts well with a logged-in user.
Docker
- Use the [QuickStart](../Usage/QuickStart.md) instructions to install Eth Docker and get Docker-CE installed in Ubuntu. Log out and back in so your user can run Docker commands.

Start on boot
- Your node needs to run after Windows reboot for 24/7 uptime. WSL only starts well with a logged-in user.
To solve this, use [Windows ARSO](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/identity/ad-ds/manage/component-updates/winlogon-automatic-restart-sign-on--arso-).
- Start group policy editor, find "Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows sign in Options"
and enable "Sign-in and lock last interactive user automatically after a restart"
Expand All @@ -99,5 +103,3 @@ have not tested the performance impact of this.
- Optional: Configure your Windows drive to be [encrypted with Bitlocker](https://www.windowscentral.com/how-use-bitlocker-encryption-windows-10).
Be very careful to print out the recovery key and keep it safe. Always suspend Bitlocker before doing a UEFI/BIOS
upgrade.

From here, you should be able to configure Eth Docker as usual, see [Quick Start](../Usage/QuickStart.md).