Bash for Windows 10 gcc won't compile c files pasted into the root directory

Question

As the title suggests, if I paste a c file written somewhere else into the root directory of the Linux Subsystem, I can\'t compile it.

I did a test where I made two dif

Answer 1

Do not change Linux files using Windows apps and tools!

Assuming what you meant by "paste a C file written somewhere else into the root directory of the Linux subsystem" is that you pasted your file into %localappdata%\lxss, this is explicitly unsupported. Files natively created via Linux syscalls in this area have UNIX metadata, which files natively created with Windows tools don't have.

Use /mnt/c (and the like) to access your Windows files from Linux; don't try to modify Linux files from Windows.

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Quoting from the Microsoft blog linked at the top of this answer (emphasis from the original):

Therefore, be sure to follow these two rules in order to avoid losing files, and/or corrupting your data:

• DO store files in your Windows filesystem that you want to create/modify using Windows tools AND Linux tools
• DO NOT create / modify Linux files from Windows apps, tools, scripts or consoles

Answer 2

You cannot copy (by default, who knows how Windows bash is set up!) files into the root directory! Your gcc error is say "no input files", so the copy has most likely failed. Copy the files to your home directory instead, for instance:

cp helloWorld2.c ~/

instead of:

cp helloWorld2.c /