Setting Up Automatic Start for X11 on Ubuntu 16.04 in Windows Subsystem 'xming mesa'

Introduction

----------

For those who prefer a Linux environment within their existing Windows setup but still want access to native applications and tools available only under *nix, the latest updates have made running Ubuntu as an integrated subsystem alongside Windows 10 (and above) both feasible and relatively painless.

In this article, we'll focus on getting X11 working automatically upon booting into your Linux environment within a windowed mode using Xming-mesa. This will allow you to launch applications like terminal emulators, text editors, or any other *nix software directly from the Windows desktop without having to manually start up each time.

Prerequisites

----------

Before proceeding:

1. Ensure that Ubuntu 16.04 is properly installed as a subsystem on your Windows machine.

2. Make sure you have the latest updates for both Ubuntu and Xming-mesa (version 6.9 or higher recommended).

Step-by-Step Instructions

----------------------

### Step 1: Enable Linux Integration

If not already enabled, follow these steps:

1. Go to Settings > Update & Security

2. In the left-hand menu under 'For developers', check the box next to 'Developer mode\''

3. Also, enable 'Use Linux subsystem for Windows applications' if it's not already selected

### Step 2: Install Xming-mesa and Configure

1. Open a terminal in your Ubuntu environment (if you haven't already)

```

sudo apt update

sudo apt install x11-xserver-extra mesa-utils libxpm4 libxt6 libxext6 libsm6 libstartup-notification0

```

### Step 3: Create an Autostart Script

1. Open your preferred text editor (e.g., nano or vim) as root:

```

sudo nano /etc/xdg/lXsession*

```

2. Add the following lines at the end of the file, saving and exiting with `Ctrl+X`, then press 'y' to save changes:

```bash

# Start X11 automatically on login

xinit -- :0 -once &

```

### Step 4: Reboot Your System

1. Restart your computer or simply log out of the Windows subsystem and back in.

Troubleshooting Tips

----------------

If you encounter any issues during this process:

* Ensure that all necessary packages are installed (see above).

* Try running `sudo service display-manager restart` to manually start/stop X11.

* If problems persist, consider checking your system logs for any relevant error messages: `journalctl -f`.

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With these steps completed, you should now have a fully functional X11 environment automatically starting up alongside your Ubuntu 16.04 Linux subsystem within Windows 10 (or later). Enjoy the flexibility of running native *nix applications alongside traditional Windows software!

Xming mesa