0x80370102 🪟 Windows

WslRegisterDistribution failed with error: 0x80370102 (virtual machine could not be started)

WSL 2 can’t start its VM because hardware virtualization or the Virtual Machine Platform feature isn’t enabled.

Seen on: Windows

Meaning

WSL 2 needs CPU virtualization (VT-x/AMD-V) enabled in BIOS and the Virtual Machine Platform Windows feature. Inside a VM, nested virtualization must be enabled.

Common causes

  • Virtualization disabled in BIOS/UEFI
  • Virtual Machine Platform feature not enabled
  • Running Windows inside a VM without nested virtualization
  • Hypervisor launch type off (bcdedit)

⚡ Quick fix

  1. Enable VT-x/AMD-V (SVM) in BIOS
  2. Enable Virtual Machine Platform and reboot
  3. Set hypervisorlaunchtype auto

Detailed fix by platform

PowerShell

  1. powershell
    dism.exe /online /enable-feature /featurename:VirtualMachinePlatform /all /norestart
bcdedit /set hypervisorlaunchtype auto
systeminfo | findstr /i "Virtualization"

How to diagnose

  1. Firmware — Virtualization Enabled in Task Manager?
  2. Features — VMP enabled?
  3. VM — Nested virtualization?

🔧 Still not fixed?

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