WSL2

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/ // from powershell running as admin

wsl --set-default-version 2 (so as not to be wsl 1)
wsl --set-version ubuntu-20.04 2 (this is the distro we will use)
wsl -l -v (list versions available * will be currently in use)
wsl --install --distribution <Distribution Name>
wsl ~ (change directory to "users" home)
wsl --distribution <Distribution Name> --user <User Name> (run a specific Linux distribution with a specific user)
wsl --update  (update linux kernel)
wsl --shutdown

now you can run the ubuntu app from your start menu

We can backup with:

# wsl --export <distro> <filename.tar>
wsl --export Ubuntu my_backup.tar

We can delete with:

# wsl --unregister <distro>
wsl --unregister Ubuntu

We can restore a backup with:

# wsl --import <distro> <install location=""> <filename> 
wsl --import Ubuntu . my_backup.tar

no actual root, just use sudo:

sudo su

(it typically set unsecure passwords to password) or Open Ubuntu via windows app