How to Mount a WSL2 ext4.vhdx Disk from Linux and Recover Your Files

Sometimes a Windows installation becomes inaccessible, fails to boot, or you simply need access to your WSL2 files while working from another Linux installation. Since WSL2 stores its Linux filesystem inside a virtual disk called ext4.vhdx, you can mount that disk directly from Linux and browse all of your files without starting Windows or WSL.

This approach is particularly useful for recovering development projects, creating backups, migrating to a new machine, or accessing data when Windows is unavailable.

Use Case

I needed access to several development projects that were stored inside a WSL2 environment. Instead of booting Windows, I mounted the WSL virtual disk directly from another Linux installation and recovered everything.

Examples of files you may recover include:

Odoo projects and custom modules
Git repositories
Portfolio websites
AI and machine learning experiments
Configuration files and development environments
Databases and application data

Prerequisites

Install qemu-utils

The qemu-utils package contains the tools required to attach virtual disk files as Linux block devices.

sudo apt update
sudo apt install qemu-utils

Disable Windows Fast Startup

If the Windows partition was previously used, Fast Startup can leave the NTFS filesystem in a hibernated state. Linux may mount it as read-only or refuse access altogether.

Disable Fast Startup in Windows:

Control Panel
→ Power Options
→ Choose what the power buttons do
→ Turn off Fast Startup

Step 1 — Load the Network Block Device Module

Linux uses Network Block Devices (NBD) to expose virtual disks as regular block devices.

sudo modprobe nbd max_part=8

This creates devices such as:

/dev/nbd0
/dev/nbd1
/dev/nbd2
...

Step 2 — Locate the WSL Virtual Disk

WSL stores its filesystem inside an ext4.vhdx file. Depending on your Windows version and WSL configuration, it is commonly located somewhere under:

Users/<username>/AppData/Local/wsl/

or:

Users/<username>/AppData/Local/Packages/

Search for it automatically:

find /mnt -name "ext4.vhdx" 2>/dev/null

Once found, note the full path because it will be needed in the next step.

Step 3 — Attach the Virtual Disk

Connect the VHDX file to an available NBD device.

sudo qemu-nbd --connect=/dev/nbd0 /path/to/ext4.vhdx

Example:

sudo qemu-nbd --connect=/dev/nbd0 \
"/run/media/<linux-user>/<drive-id>/Users/<windows-user>/AppData/Local/wsl/<distribution-id>/ext4.vhdx"

Step 4 — Inspect Available Partitions

After attaching the virtual disk, check how Linux exposed the filesystem.

lsblk

You may see:

nbd0
└─nbd0p1

Or simply:

nbd0

This determines which device should be mounted.

Step 5 — Mount the Filesystem

Create a mount point:

sudo mkdir -p /mnt/wsl_files

If a partition exists:

sudo mount /dev/nbd0p1 /mnt/wsl_files

If there is no partition table:

sudo mount /dev/nbd0 /mnt/wsl_files

Step 6 — Access Your WSL Files

Navigate into the mounted filesystem.

cd /mnt/wsl_files/home
ls

You may find directories similar to:

my_odoo_project
portfolio_site
erp_system
web_application
research_project

Once mounted, the WSL filesystem behaves like any normal Linux filesystem. You can browse directories, copy files, create backups, recover projects, or migrate everything to another machine.

Cleanup

After finishing your work, safely unmount the filesystem and disconnect the virtual disk.

sudo umount /mnt/wsl_files
sudo qemu-nbd --disconnect /dev/nbd0
sudo rmmod nbd

Troubleshooting

mount: wrong fs type

Verify whether the filesystem is located on /dev/nbd0 or /dev/nbd0p1.

lsblk

NTFS Partition Is Read-Only

This is usually caused by Windows hibernation or Fast Startup.

powercfg /h off

Run the command in Windows, then perform a full shutdown before returning to Linux.

Cannot Find ext4.vhdx

find /mnt -name "ext4.vhdx" 2>/dev/null

Conclusion

WSL2 stores its Linux filesystem inside a standard virtual disk file, which means you are not locked into accessing your data through Windows. By using qemu-nbd and Linux's native mounting tools, you can recover projects, migrate development environments, and access important files even when Windows is unavailable.

For developers who rely heavily on WSL, knowing how to mount an ext4.vhdx file directly can be an invaluable recovery and backup technique.