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poweroff does not work properly when multiple systemd enabled distros are running #40865
Description
Windows Version
Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.26310.28018]
WSL Version
2.7.8.0
Are you using WSL 1 or WSL 2?
- WSL 2
- WSL 1
Kernel Version
6.18.33.1-1
Distro Version
Debian (13.0), Ubuntu (22.04.5)
Other Software
No response
Repro Steps
- Open Ubuntu as the other distro.
- Open Debian as the repro distro.
- Edit
/etc/systemd/system.confto modify the following entries:
[Manager]
DefaultTimeoutStopSec=infinity
DefaultTimeoutAbortSec=infinity
This isolates the issue and provides enough time to monitor and collect information after the stuck.
- Apply changes with
sudo systemctl daemon-reexec - run
sudo poweroff
Expected Behavior
The Debian distro should terminate immediately. The same behavior when the Ubuntu distro is not running.
Actual Behavior
The Debian distro never terminates.
From the journal, units with their own timeout defined slowly dies out due to kill timeout. For example, the [email protected] only exits after it's 2 min timeout.
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd[255]: Finished systemd-exit.service - Exit the Session.
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd[255]: Reached target exit.target - Exit the Session.
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation (sd-pam)[257]: pam_unix(systemd-user:session): session closed for user feng
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd-logind[141]: Removed session c2.
Jun 22 14:18:42 feng-workstation systemd[1]: [email protected]: Processes still around after final SIGKILL. Entering failed mode.
Jun 22 14:18:42 feng-workstation systemd[1]: [email protected]: Failed with result 'timeout'.
Jun 22 14:18:42 feng-workstation systemd[1]: Stopped [email protected] - User Manager for UID 1000.
Units without their own timeout uses the infinity timeout set earlier. And they never exit. For example, the [email protected].
Diagnostic Logs
The full shutdown journal as far as it gets:
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation sudo[318]: feng : TTY=pts/0 ; PWD=/mnt/c/Users/wangfen ; USER=root ; COMMAND=/usr/sbin/poweroff
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation sudo[318]: pam_unix(sudo:session): session opened for user root(uid=0) by (uid=1000)
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd-logind[141]: The system will power off now!
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd-logind[141]: System is powering down.
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation sudo[318]: pam_unix(sudo:session): session closed for user root
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd[1]: Stopping session-c1.scope - Session c1 of User feng...
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd[1]: Removed slice system-modprobe.slice - Slice /system/modprobe.
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation login[245]: pam_unix(login:session): session closed for user feng
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd[1]: Stopped target graphical.target - Graphical Interface.
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd[1]: Stopped target multi-user.target - Multi-User System.
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd[1]: Stopped target getty.target - Login Prompts.
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd[1]: Stopped target timers.target - Timer Units.
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd[1]: apt-daily-upgrade.timer: Deactivated successfully.
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd[1]: Stopped apt-daily-upgrade.timer - Daily apt upgrade and clean activities.
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd[1]: apt-daily.timer: Deactivated successfully.
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd[1]: Stopped apt-daily.timer - Daily apt download activities.
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd[1]: dpkg-db-backup.timer: Deactivated successfully.
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd[1]: Stopped dpkg-db-backup.timer - Daily dpkg database backup timer.
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd[1]: e2scrub_all.timer: Deactivated successfully.
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd[1]: Stopped e2scrub_all.timer - Periodic ext4 Online Metadata Check for All Filesystems.
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd[1]: logrotate.timer: Deactivated successfully.
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd[1]: Stopped logrotate.timer - Daily rotation of log files.
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd[1]: systemd-tmpfiles-clean.timer: Deactivated successfully.
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd[1]: Stopped systemd-tmpfiles-clean.timer - Daily Cleanup of Temporary Directories.
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd[1]: Stopping cron.service - Regular background program processing daemon...
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd[1]: systemd-udev-load-credentials.service: Deactivated successfully.
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd[1]: Stopped systemd-udev-load-credentials.service - Load udev Rules from Credentials.
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd[1]: cron.service: Deactivated successfully.
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd[1]: Stopped cron.service - Regular background program processing daemon.
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd[1]: session-c1.scope: Deactivated successfully.
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd[1]: Stopped session-c1.scope - Session c1 of User feng.
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd-logind[141]: Session c1 logged out. Waiting for processes to exit.
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd[1]: Stopping [email protected] - User Manager for UID 1000...
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd-logind[141]: Removed session c1.
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd[255]: Activating special unit exit.target...
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd[255]: Stopped target default.target - Main User Target.
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd[255]: Stopped target basic.target - Basic System.
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd[255]: Stopped target paths.target - Paths.
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd[255]: Stopped target sockets.target - Sockets.
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd[255]: Stopped target timers.target - Timers.
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd[255]: Closed dbus.socket - D-Bus User Message Bus Socket.
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd[255]: Closed dirmngr.socket - GnuPG network certificate management daemon.
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd[255]: Closed gpg-agent-browser.socket - GnuPG cryptographic agent and passphrase cache (access for web browsers).
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd[255]: Closed gpg-agent-extra.socket - GnuPG cryptographic agent and passphrase cache (restricted).
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd[255]: Stopping gpg-agent-ssh.socket - GnuPG cryptographic agent (ssh-agent emulation)...
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd[255]: Stopping gpg-agent.socket - GnuPG cryptographic agent and passphrase cache...
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd[255]: Closed keyboxd.socket - GnuPG public key management service.
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd[255]: Stopping ssh-agent.socket - OpenSSH Agent socket...
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd[255]: Closed gpg-agent-ssh.socket - GnuPG cryptographic agent (ssh-agent emulation).
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd[255]: Closed gpg-agent.socket - GnuPG cryptographic agent and passphrase cache.
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd[255]: Closed ssh-agent.socket - OpenSSH Agent socket.
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd[255]: Removed slice app.slice - User Application Slice.
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd[255]: Reached target shutdown.target - Shutdown.
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd[255]: Finished systemd-exit.service - Exit the Session.
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd[255]: Reached target exit.target - Exit the Session.
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation (sd-pam)[257]: pam_unix(systemd-user:session): session closed for user feng
Jun 22 14:16:42 feng-workstation systemd-logind[141]: Removed session c2.
Jun 22 14:18:42 feng-workstation systemd[1]: [email protected]: Processes still around after final SIGKILL. Entering failed mode.
Jun 22 14:18:42 feng-workstation systemd[1]: [email protected]: Failed with result 'timeout'.
Jun 22 14:18:42 feng-workstation systemd[1]: Stopped [email protected] - User Manager for UID 1000.
Jun 22 14:18:42 feng-workstation systemd[1]: Stopping [email protected] - User Runtime Directory /run/user/1000...
Jun 22 14:18:43 feng-workstation systemd[1]: mnt-wslg-run-user-1000.mount: Deactivated successfully.
Jun 22 14:18:43 feng-workstation systemd[1]: Unmounted mnt-wslg-run-user-1000.mount - /mnt/wslg/run/user/1000.
Jun 22 14:18:43 feng-workstation systemd[1]: run-user-1000.mount: Deactivated successfully.
Jun 22 14:18:43 feng-workstation systemd[1]: Unmounted run-user-1000.mount - /run/user/1000.
Jun 22 14:18:43 feng-workstation systemd[1]: [email protected]: Deactivated successfully.
Jun 22 14:18:43 feng-workstation systemd[1]: Stopped [email protected] - User Runtime Directory /run/user/1000.
Jun 22 14:18:43 feng-workstation systemd[1]: Removed slice user-1000.slice - User Slice of UID 1000.
Jun 22 14:18:43 feng-workstation systemd[1]: Stopping dbus.service - D-Bus System Message Bus...
Jun 22 14:18:43 feng-workstation systemd[1]: Stopping systemd-logind.service - User Login Management...
Jun 22 14:18:43 feng-workstation systemd[1]: dbus.service: Deactivated successfully.
Jun 22 14:18:43 feng-workstation systemd[1]: Stopped dbus.service - D-Bus System Message Bus.
Jun 22 14:18:43 feng-workstation systemd[1]: systemd-logind.service: Deactivated successfully.
Jun 22 14:18:43 feng-workstation systemd[1]: Stopped systemd-logind.service - User Login Management.
sudo systemctl list-jobs --no-pager
JOB UNIT TYPE STATE
595 networking.service stop waiting
698 usr-lib-wsl-drivers.mount stop waiting
620 systemd-remount-fs.service stop waiting
696 mnt-wslg-distro.mount stop waiting
588 systemd-user-sessions.service stop waiting
683 final.target start waiting
636 swap.target stop waiting
701 mnt-d.mount stop waiting
627 user.slice stop waiting
688 tmp-.X11\x2dunix.mount stop waiting
571 systemd-poweroff.service start waiting
572 shutdown.target start waiting
673 systemd-modules-load.service stop waiting
640 sysinit.target stop waiting
677 systemd-tmpfiles-setup-dev-early.service stop waiting
703 run-shm.mount stop waiting
591 slices.target stop waiting
667 systemd-sysctl.service stop waiting
691 init.mount stop waiting
699 mnt-wslg.mount stop waiting
686 umount.target start waiting
606 systemd-binfmt.service stop waiting
694 mnt-c.mount stop waiting
695 mnt-wslg-doc.mount stop waiting
704 mnt-wsl.mount stop waiting
604 [email protected] stop running
705 run-lock.mount stop waiting
618 system-getty.slice stop waiting
689 tmp.mount stop waiting
570 poweroff.target start waiting
598 local-fs-pre.target stop waiting
675 systemd-ask-password-wall.path stop waiting
590 sockets.target stop waiting
679 remote-fs.target stop waiting
692 run-user.mount stop waiting
654 basic.target stop waiting
687 usr-lib-modules-6.18.33.1\x2dmicrosoft\x2dstandard\x2dWSL2.mount stop waiting
577 systemd-tmpfiles-setup.service stop waiting
661 systemd-tmpfiles-setup-dev.service stop waiting
697 usr-lib-wsl-lib.mount stop waiting
615 paths.target stop waiting
646 systemd-hostnamed.socket stop waiting
633 systemd-ask-password-console.path stop waiting
700 mnt-wslg-versions.txt.mount stop waiting
643 dbus.socket stop waiting
678 network.target stop waiting
585 local-fs.target stop waiting
47 jobs listed.
cat /sys/fs/cgroup/user.slice/user-1000.slice/cgroup.events
populated 1
frozen 0
cat /sys/fs/cgroup/system.slice/system-getty.slice/getty\@tty1.service/cgroup.events
populated 1
frozen 0
Both are populated by the running ubuntu distro.
Activity
github-actions commentedon Jun 22, 2026
Logs are required for review from WSL team
If this a feature request, please reply with '/feature'. If this is a question, reply with '/question'.
Otherwise, please attach logs by following the instructions below, your issue will not be reviewed unless they are added. These logs will help us understand what is going on in your machine.
How to collect WSL logs
Download and execute collect-wsl-logs.ps1 in an administrative powershell prompt:
The script will output the path of the log file once done.
If this is a networking issue, please use
.\collect-wsl-logs.ps1 -LogProfile networkinginstead, following the instructions in Collect WSL logs for networking issuesOnce completed please upload the output files to this GitHub issue.
See Collect WSL logs (recommended method).
If you choose to email these logs instead of attaching them to the bug, please send them to [email protected] with the GitHub issue number in the subject, and include a link to your GitHub issue comment in the message body, and reply with '/emailed-logs'.
chemwolf6922 commentedon Jun 22, 2026
Since the
wsl --terminate <distro>command also uses the poweroff command internally. It will always wait for the timeout and fallback to the force shutdown.OneBlue commentedon Jun 23, 2026
This seems to be the root cause:
Jun 22 14:18:42 feng-workstation systemd[1]: [email protected]: Processes still around after final SIGKILL. Entering failed mode.Do we know which processes are still alive and preventing that unit from terminating ? That feels like the right place to start investigating.
chemwolf6922 commentedon Jun 24, 2026
Systemd uses the cgroup.events / cgroup.procs in the unit's cgroup to tell if the unit fully exited. Those are indeed populated as shown above. And the process is from the other distro since they use the same cgroup.
chemwolf6922 commentedon Jun 24, 2026
For example, when both distros are running:
In Ubuntu
In Debian
The Debian distro cannot kill the processes from Ubuntu, but they will mark that cgroup as populated.
docs: WSL idle auto-shutdown lesson (the silent background-job killer)
docs: WSL idle auto-shutdown lesson (the silent background-job killer)