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Welcome to our SUA / SFU / Interix Community

Subsystem for Unix-based Applications and Services for Unix

For the past seven years Microsoft has sponsored the 16,000+ member SUA Community forum hosted by Interop Systems for users of the Microsoft Subsystem for Unix-based Applications, Interix and Services for Unix. Interop has ported hundreds of additional open source tools to the SUA (Subsystem for Unix-based Applications) and Interix / SFU (Services for Unix) environment -- such that users now have a complete Unix/Linux environment available to them at no cost.  In addition, Interop Systems was responsible (under contract from Microsoft) for updating the BSD and GNU utilities that are provided by Microsoft.  Updates to the Microsoft set of utilities are maintained and posted in the SUA Community alongside Interop's set of open source tools.

SUA Community Forum

Forums covering Interix, Subsystem for Unix-based Applications (SUA), Service for Unix (SFU) and NFS. Topics include installation, getting started, software development question and administration.


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Tool Warehouse

A table listing additional pre-built software that can be installed onto your Interix (SUA and SFU) systems. Each package contains many binaries and/or libraries. You can almost triple the basic installation. Examples are OpenSSH, bash, X11R6, X11R7, BIND, rsync, Python, Ruby, Tcl.

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Software Bundles

Bundles of software packages grouped together to make it easier to install in a single download. Co-ordinates with the Tool Warehouse for updates. More information and details below.



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FAQ Page

Dozens of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Interix, Subsystem for Unix-based Applications (SUA), Service for Unix (SFU) and NFS. In sections for installers, users, administrators and developers.



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Manual Pages

On the web/on-line copies of the manual pages (aka man pages) for when you are away from your system or deciding if Interix/SUA is right for you. Manual pages cover the Complete Bundle installation.



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Add-on Bundles from Interop Systems

For Subsystem for Unix-based Applications (SUA) and Interix / SFU

Interop Systems has its tools and utilities available for individual download from the SUA Community Tool Warehouse. We now offer specialized bundles (shown below) where the installer handles all package integration, environment variables and dependencies for you. For best results, review these procedures to install SUA and the Utilities and SDK from Microsoft

Setting up a Unix/Linux environment on Windows using SUA and the supplementary tools from Interop Systems

You can follow these instructions to help you install and tune Subsystem for Unix-based Applications (SUA), Interix and SFU:

Step 1: Turning on the SUA features

The Subsystem for Unix-based Applications (SUA) is part of the Windows OS distribution. Installing the subsystem requires no additional CD or download. It's a component/feature of the base distribution of Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008/R2, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows 7 and Windows Vista Ultimate & Enterprise. All you need to do is turn the feature on.

From the Control Panel, select Programs and Features, then select Turn Windows Features On or Off.  Simply check the box for "Subsystem for Unix-based Applications."

Step 2: Installing the Utilities and SDK for Unix-based Applications

Once the SUA "feature" is turned on, the next step is to download the Utilities and SDK.  From the Start menu, under All Programs then under Subsystem for Unix-based Applications you can find the link to download the Utilities and SDK from the Microsoft website.   Alternatively, you can visit the download site directly: Installing and Using Utilities and SDK for Unix-based Applications.  This page is important as it outlines the difference between a standard (default) installation and a custom install.
Note: A common pitfall is to just accept the default installation.  The default install does not include the GNU utilities and GNU SDK.
Note: We recommend for a Windows systems that the installation happen as the Local Administrator (not as a user in the Administrators Group).

Interop Systems has prepared a Tech Note covering the installation of SUA, the utilities and SDK, and changing security settings to ensure Unix-like behavior.  See http://www.interopsystems.com/Download/Installing_SUA.pdf.

Step 3: Installing the Bundles (add-on tools) available from SUA Community

Select the pre-packaged bundle option best suited to your needs.

If you are installing from a web browser then select to save the file first and run it after the download has completed. Some browsers will not run the package unless it is saved to the local disk intentionally.
Note: To successfully run the Bundle you should be the Local Administrator (not an account in the Administrators Group).

Subsystem for Unix-based Applications (SUA) Installation Screencast / Video

We have prepared a step-by-step video geared to anyone installing and using Microsoft's Subsystem for Unix-based Applications (SUA) for the first time.  This webcast covers activating the SUA subsystem, installing the Utilities & SDK and the Interop Tools Bundles listed below. It walks you through each step and choice and provides an actual installation for visual reference.
See: Installing SUA Video #1.

SUA Familiarization Screencast / Video (Post or After Installation)

This second video follows the Installation video. After covering a brief history of SUA, an overview of the system architecture is presented. The video then comments on security aspects, the shells and filesystems. Actual examples of common configuration actions and program use for administrators are shown. Intended to broaden the knowledge of SUA users, developers and administrators. SUA Familiarization Video #2

Power User

Install SUA and the Microsoft utilities package first, including the GNU utilities.

(Download size ~116 MB)

* W2K3/R2 64-bit use W2K3/R2

The Power User bundle includes the most requested open source commands, utilities and libraries from the SUA Community Tool Warehouse, such as: bash, OpenSSH, OpenSSL and Xming (Xserver).

For a complete list of what's included in the Power User bundle, see the description below.

Developer

Install SUA and the Microsoft utilities including the GNU utilities & both SDK's.

(Download size ~189 MB)

The Developer bundle contains the Power User toolset plus additional developer utilities and libraries -- resulting in a complete GNU toolchain (gcc, gmake, binutils,
gdb, autoconf, automake, autoheader and libtool).

For a complete list of what's included in the Developer bundle, see the description below.

System Administrator

Install SUA and the Microsoft utilities including the GNU utilities & both SDK's.

(Download size ~133 MB)

System Administrator bundle contains the Power User toolset plus additional system admin. commands and utilities.

For a complete list of what's included in the System Administrator bundle, see the description below.

Complete Toolset

Install SUA and the Microsoft utilities including the GNU utilities & both SDK's.

(Download size ~193 MB)

* W2K3/R2 64-bit use W2K3/R2

Complete Toolset combines all three bundles. If you have a good Internet connection and the disk space, we suggest you choose
this option.

For a complete list of what's included in the Complete Toolset bundle, see the description below.

Power User Bundle

apropos, arc, atk, awk, bash, bdes, biff, bzip2, cabextract, caesar, cat, chcase, chmod, cmp, colrm, cp, cpio, curl, cut, cxref, date, dialog, diffutils, echo, ed, env, etc_profile_patch, expect, fetchmail, find, fontconfig, fortune, from, ftp, fvwm, getname, getopt, gettext, ghostscript, glib, gnupg, gnuplot, grep, groff, groups, gzip, jot, jove, jpeg, lam, lc, leave, libart, libcrypt, libexpat, libfreetype, libiconv, libncurses, libpng, libxml2, libxpm, links, locate, ls, lsreg, lynx, man, mc, md5, mesg, mkstr, mktemp, most, mtree, mutt, mv, ncftp, netpbm, openssh, openssl, pango, passwd, pax, pdomain, perl, pine, pkg, pkgconfig, popclient, python, rcp, readline, realpath, render, rev, rman, rs, rsh, rxvt, screen, scsh, shed, sort, stat, su, syslogd, tcl, tcsh, test, tiff, tk, tkman, transfig, trek, uid2sid, units, unrtf, unzip, vacation, vim, wall, wget, whatis, which, whois, winpath2unix, write, xargs, xfig, xft, xgalaga, xming, xmlstarlet, xrender, xstr, xterm, xtetris, xview, yafc, yes, zip, zlib, zsh

Developer Bundle

Power User Bundle plus:
autoconf, automake, awk, bind, bison, bzip2, c89, catman, cbrowser, ccache, cscope, cvs, ddd, electricfence, emacs, flex, freetds, gcc_3.3_patch, gd, gdbm, giflib, gimpprint, gmake, gmp, gnupg, gsoap, indent, install, jam, joe, libdes, libedit, libport, libtool, libungif, libxslt, logger, lorder, lzo, m4_gnu, make, mdk, nedit, openssl_dev, pango, patch_stdlib_h, patch_unistd_h, pcre, php, plotutils, popclient, qt, rsync, ruby, slang, subversion, texinfo, vtcl, xxgdb, yacc

Administrator Bundle

Power User Bundle plus:
admin_scripts, bind, catman, clamav, comsat, gcc_3.3_patch, install, iss, logger, lorder, make, myconsole, openssl_certs, php, procmail, qpopper, rdate, rsync, ruby, squid, sudo, tcp_wrappers, tftpd, unixpath2win, uucp

64-bit Bundles for SUA (Subsystem for Unix-based Applications)

These Bundles contain different packages than the 32-bit bit Bundles. Chiefly there are more base utilities to update the ones shipped from Microsoft so that virtually all of the base utilities become 64-bit binaries (not including the shells). The bundle also includes versions of the libraries for 64-bit SUA that Microsoft only shipped with the 32-bit systems. None of the 32-bit packages are included in the 64-bit Bundles. This means that some of the development libraries available in the 32-bit Bundles are not in the 64-bit Bundles as porting remains in progress. However, you can continue to do 32-bit development on the 64-bit systems by either loading the 32-bit Bundle or individually loading the 32-bit based packages later. All of the 64-bit library packages include the "x86" sub-directory 32-bit libraries for full compatability with 32-bit programs that may be run. Post any questions you have into the Forums.

Not allowed FTP connections at your site?

If you are not allowed to use FTP connections to download software you can use our no-frills HTTP download page. We prefer and suggest that you use the FTP site links given above and use the HTTP access only when your site's administrative policies have you boxed into a corner. The HTTP download may not always be available.

© 2008. 2009 Interop Systems Inc.