"Docker Desktop Starting..." forever on Windows - docker

Question

I have installed Docker Desktop version 4.4.4 and it is not running. It only displays "Docker Desktop Starting ..." but never starts running.
I have tried so many ways but didn't solve:
Allowing the following files in windows firewall C:\program files\docker\docker\resources\vpnkit.exe, C:\program files\docker\docker\com.docker.service C:\program files\docker\docker\resources\com.docker.proxy.exe
Removing 'Docker' and 'Docker Desktop' folders from AppData/Roaming and AppData/Local
Uninstalling and reinstalling Docker with different versions including 4.5.1

Answer 1

The main problem is WSL2 does not auto install the kernel when WSL2 installs, yet Docker Desktop expects it already installed. So, fully close & stop Docker as other answers have said, then run this cmd as admin:
wsl --update
Now open Docker Desktop & it should start up ok.

Answer 2

I've found out another symptom leading to the solution is also related to WSL.
On one side, Docker service won't start throwing this error:
error during connect: This error may indicate that the docker daemon
is not running.: Get
"http://%2F%2F.%2Fpipe%2Fdocker_engine/v1.24/version": open
//./pipe/docker_engine: The system cannot find the file specified.
And on the other, WSL is unresponsive. Attempting to run a WSL Distro or WSL command directly on CMD, won't return any output at all. It will just hang in there.
So the solution is common to WSL and Docker.
I've found in a question regarding the WSL issue, that the LxssManager Windows service is staled (it may show under services.msc as Stopping and all the buttons are greyed out, or I've even seen it Running apparently, but with the Docker and WSL issues above, so something is wrong with it still.)
First, we have to get LxssManager PID in order to kill it. Using an elevated shell, we can get it this way:
sc queryex LxssManager
Having the PID, we can kill the process but beware I wasn't able to kill it using kill or taskkill commands. I was getting the following error:
ERROR: The process with PID XXXXX could not be terminated.
Reason: Access is denied.
To effectively kill the process, do as following:
wmic process where ProcessID=XXXXX delete
Replace XXXXX with PID, of course.
Having done so, start the LxssManager service:
net start LxssManager
A word of warning:
I've noted in some cases this is not enough for unknown (to me) technical reasons even if LxssManager service is shown as Running.
Just repeat the above steps! Sometimes it works doing this once, sometimes doing it twice for some reason.
TL;DR
Kill LxssManager Windows service using wmic+PID.
Start LxssManager service.
Repeat twice or more if issues persist.
Docker and WSL issues are solved.

Answer 3

Here i am using Windows platform, I faced this issue.
And to resolve this issue follow the below steps.
Just delete the temporary files from the following.
C:\Windows\Temp
C:\Users{yourAccountName}\AppData\Local\Temp
C:\Windows\Prefetch
then
Uninstall Docker Desktop
Restart computer
before installing docker, make sure you have Ubuntu WSL(download from Microsoft store)
[optional] If you need Terminal Preview(multi-terminal) download from Microsoft Store. Great Terminal
Install Docker Desktop Again
Thanks

Answer 4

For me, it was a problem with WSL. When I tried:
wsl --install -d Ubuntu
in a command window, after a few minutes I got error 0x80370114
The fix was to do:
Exploit Protection > System Settings > Control Flow Guard
turn on
restart computer
Then reinstall/restart Docker Desktop, and it works!
Hope this helps someone else

Answer 5

I was facing same code for for Docker version 4.*. For me it was Visual Studio code,
Stopped WSL form Task manager
stopped Docker which was showing "Docker desktop is starting" form Task manage
stopped Visual Studio code form Task manager
Started Docker again
These steps placed my Docker in Running state in 30 seconds
Hope this helps someone!

Answer 6

Solved this issue with #Alvi answer
Docker forever in "Docker is starting.." at Windows task
I guess you are using wsl2 features. In that case, open PowerShell or command prompt and type: optionalfeatures.exe
scroll down and uncheck
Windows Subsystem for Linux
apply the changes and restart your computer.
After restart follow the previous steps again and check
Windows Subsystem for Linux
and restart again. Hopefully now your docker will run

Answer 7

My fresh install was experiencing the same symptoms. Also wsl --list showed "no installed distributions". I tried many reinstallations and restarts of Docker and WSL, but eventually found the steps:
In Task Manager, kill all processes related to Docker & Docker Desktop
Run Docker Desktop as administrator
Got it working on on Windows 11 Enterprise.

Answer 8

for me it worked in windows (docker desktop):
to uninstall the docker
reinstall as administrator
don't select the part with wsl

Answer 9

As wrote here, you need to do:
wsl --update
But after that it doesn't fix my issue until I did restart to my pc.

Answer 10

What worked for me was to log in into the Docker (upper right corner), but when I first clicked on login, it said "exec: "rundll32": executable file not found in %PATH%" - I search and found that I need to check environmental variable in PATH that I have "C:\WINDOWS\system32" there - (and in my case I really had it broken somehow - don't know why, but I missed backslash between Windows and system32). So I fixed to correct path, restarted PC. Then I was able to login. And immediately "Docker Desktop Starting..." was gone.

Answer 11

I use Docker with PyCharm. I ran into this problem when I launched PyCharm and Docker Desktop at about the same time.
On my machine Docker Desktop starts automatically when I boot. I can avoid the problem by waiting for Docker Desktop to finish starting. And then start PyCharm.

Answer 12

I was also having the same problem, just a few minutes ago.
Platform:
Windows 10 Pro - 22H2 - Build 19045.2486
Windows Updates newly installed: KB5022282, KB5020876, KB5012170
What i did was: Activating the Windows Hypervisor Platform
And it did solve the problem, atleast for now

Answer 13

In my case it helped me to enable the CPU SVM (Support Vector Machine) function in my BIOS settings.
Also, if you have this feature disabled, you will not be able to use Virtual Box either.
SVM in BIOS

Answer 14

got to services and stop Docker desktop service and start again
reopen Docker desktop it will work

Answer 15

wsl -v
if it show version then linx is install
search windows programer feature in your laptop
enable virtulization
wsl --set-default-version 2
restart laptop and then start docker and wait for 2 minutes your docker will start working

Answer 16

I am running windows 11, visual studio 2023 and had this issue.
First, open a command prompt and type
wsl.exe --list --online
Then enter following
wsl.exe --install Ubuntu-20.04
Then type in the prompt sudo apt update to update the distribution. Lastly, start up Docker desktop and log in (you can register at their site). That fixed Docker on my pc.