Black and empty linux desktop since WSL upgrade to 2.5.7.0 or 2.6.1 or later

[fcongit]

Windows Version

Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.22631.5335]

WSL Version

2.5.7.0 and 2.6.1.0 or later (No issue until 2.4.13.0)

Are you using WSL 1 or WSL 2?

• WSL 2
• WSL 1

Kernel Version

6.6.87.2-1

Distro Version

Ubuntu 24.04

Other Software

No response

Repro Steps

See detailed steps to reproduce in "Detailed Black screen test case.txt"

Detailed.Black.screen.test.case.txt

• using WSL2 2.4.13, create a new Ubuntu distribution, install xfce and xrdp
• connect with windows Remote Desktop, login and use successfully the linux desktop
• upgrade WSL to 2.5.7.0 or 2.6.1.0
• reboot

Expected Behavior

we can still connect with windows Remote Desktop, login and use successfully the linux desktop

Actual Behavior

we can connect with windows Remote Desktop and login
but the desktop is fully empty and black. We can only see the mouse pointer on the black empty desktop.

Workaround:

• download WSL2 2.4.13 installer, run it. That will uninstall WSL 2.5.7.0 or 2.6.1.0, keeping the linux distributions. Reboot. We can then use the linux desktop.
• However this workaround does not work long since organizations often impose automatic WSL upgrade to the latest release every few days.

Diagnostic Logs

See WslLogs-2025-11-12_12-52-04.zip

WslLogs-2025-11-12_12-52-04.zip

[github-actions]

Diagnostic information

Detected appx version: 2.6.1.0

[fcongit]

Dear WSL team,

any workaround idea?
Or when could someone look into the issue?

Cheers

[fcongit]

Still the same issue/regression with

wsl --version
WSL version: 2.6.2.0
Kernel version: 6.6.87.2-1
WSLg version: 1.0.71
MSRDC version: 1.2.6353
Direct3D version: 1.611.1-81528511
DXCore version: 10.0.26100.1-240331-1435.ge-release
Windows version: 10.0.22631.6345

Any workaround idea?
Or when could someone look into the issue?

Thanks

[fcongit]

Still the same regression with WSL version 2.6.3 (was working as expected with 2.4.13)

wsl --version
WSL version: 2.6.3.0
Kernel version: 6.6.87.2-1
WSLg version: 1.0.71
MSRDC version: 1.2.6353
Direct3D version: 1.611.1-81528511
DXCore version: 10.0.26100.1-240331-1435.ge-release
Windows version: 10.0.22631.6345

Any workaround idea?
Or when could someone look into the issue?

Thanks

[fcongit]

Tested successfully the workaround solution found by AI:

This issue is a known regression introduced in WSL version 2.5.7 (and present in 2.6.x) that affects how graphical sessions are initialized when accessed via xrdp.

Here is the breakdown of the root cause, potential workarounds, and how to investigate the logs.

1. Root Cause
   The root cause is a conflict in how D-Bus and XDG runtime environment variables are handled in the newer WSL versions.

The Technical Shift: In WSL 2.5.7, there were changes to how WSL integrates with the Windows host (specifically regarding wslg and session management). These changes inadvertently cause the xrdp session to inherit environment variables (specifically DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS and XDG_RUNTIME_DIR) that point to the host or a different session context rather than the new XFCE session you are trying to start.

The Symptom: When XFCE tries to launch, it sees these existing variables and attempts to attach to a session that doesn't exist or isn't compatible with the remote desktop connection. This results in the graphical shell failing to render, leaving you with a black screen (often with a working mouse cursor).

2. Workarounds (Without Downgrading)
   If you cannot downgrade (or if automatic updates keep reinstalling 2.5.7), you can force xrdp to clear the conflicting variables before it launches your desktop environment.

The startwm.sh Fix: You need to edit the startup script that xrdp uses to launch your window manager.

Open your WSL terminal.

Edit the startwm.sh file:

Bash
sudo nano /etc/xrdp/startwm.sh
Add the following lines near the top of the file (before the lines that test for test -x /etc/X11/Xsession):

Bash
unset DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS
unset XDG_RUNTIME_DIR
Save the file (Ctrl+O, Enter) and exit (Ctrl+X).

Restart the xrdp service:

Bash
sudo service xrdp restart