Output text of wsl.exe before enabling WSL2 are garbled when Windows display language is not English.

[0xbadfca11]

Environment

Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.20150.1000]
WSL2

Steps to reproduce

Setting app -> Time & Language -> Language -> Set "Windows display language".
Launch wsl.exe.

Translated text is displayed correctly after enabling WSL and rebooting.

Expected behavior

Actual behavior

C:\Windows\system32>wsl --help

Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

????: wsl.exe [Argument]

??:

    --install
        Linux ? Windows ??????????????????????
        ??????????????????? ???????????????????

    --help
        ??????????????

C:\Windows\system32>wsl --install
Installing Virtual Machine Platform
Virtual Machine Platform is now installed.
Installing Windows Subsystem for Linux
Windows Subsystem for Linux is now installed.
???????????????????????????????????????????????

C:\Windows\system32>wsl --install
??????????????????????????

C:\Windows\system32>

[therealkenc]

Maybe variation your #5388 (and one other I can't find atm). I was meaning to ask over in the other one: is it any better in windows terminal.

[0xbadfca11]

There was no improvement using Windows Terminal.

[benhillis]

I'll sort this out, thanks for reporting.

[licanhua]

I hit this too, it's related to codepage. You may run chcp in cmd.exe to see what's the active code page, and the codepage is not the localized one.

There are two ways to fix it:

1. use Windows Terminal. Windows Terminal fixed this problem.
2. There is 'Change system locale' in Region setting, change it and make it matches with Windows display language

The traditional windows console host is very susceptible to changes in codepage and font. It doesn’t do font fallback, so it will replace glyphs that do not exist in the current font with the [?] symbol.

[licanhua]

Maybe variation your #5388 (and one other I can't find atm). I was meaning to ask over in the other one: is it any better in windows terminal.

They are different problems. 5388 is WSL code problem, and you can't workaround it without code change. And this issue is not a bug and you should be able to fix it by settings.

[0xbadfca11]

1. Windows Terminal does not solves this problem.
   

2. Of course, if I have a fresh install of Windows, Windows display language and system locale match.
   

[licanhua]

Thanks, I can repro your problem.
It only happens before enabling WSL. After you enabled WSL, it will display message correctly.

[benhillis]

I’ll find some time to fix this today.

[0xbadfca11]

Fixed.

• Ensure error messages are always printed in the correct codepage.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/release-notes#build-20175

[therealkenc]

/fixed 20175

[ghost]

This bug or feature request originally submitted has been addressed in whole or in part. Related or ongoing bug or feature gaps should be opened as a new issue submission if one does not already exist.

Thank you!

[mdragosv]

Before wsl --install

after wsl --install

WSL store looks like french or something

why the hell do i get french language ???

found a fix, this happends when you use the terminal to do a wsl --install, if you installit from additional components in windows everything is ok, until you do a wsl --update and it updates to this freaking french language