Hey everyone! I started using Docker because I've heard great things about it, but I'm running into a wall. I can only get the hello-world image to run successfully—the moment I try to launch any other image, the container just shuts down almost immediately without any error messages. I've made sure to set up WSL and virtualization, plus I'm running it as an admin, but nothing's improved. I've searched for solutions like 'docker container refuses to start on Windows,' but all I find are discussions about Windows containers on Linux, which isn't what I'm dealing with. What am I missing?
5 Answers
If Docker shuts down without any error on other images, it might be worth looking into the Docker logs or checking your resource allocation. Sometimes, resource limits can cause issues with starting containers. Also, have you considered alternatives like using Docker Toolbox or an actual Linux machine if things don’t work out?
You might be better off using a Linux environment for Docker. Windows can be tricky when it comes to running Docker reliably. Just so you know, there's no real 'Docker for Windows'—what you're using is likely Docker Desktop, which is known for having issues, especially when it comes to running containers that require a Linux kernel. If you're really keen on running Docker containers, consider setting up a proper Linux VM using tools like VirtualBox or VMware instead. This could save you a lot of hassle instead of battling Docker Desktop.
Running Docker on Windows can be frustrating. Sure, you have WSL2, but even that's not a perfect fix. You mentioned constant setups for Arch, which sounds like a plan! Keep in mind that many Docker images are built for Linux distributions. If you're just looking to run Linux as a host, a dedicated Linux VM might be the way to go. Also, make sure you're installing Docker following the recommendations for your distro—especially on Ubuntu, avoid the snap installation. Get it from the official sources for best results!
You've got to be specific in your problem description to get good help. Since you're only able to run hello-world, it’s possible there's an issue with the other images you're trying to run or your Docker setup itself. Docker relies heavily on the Linux kernel, so be careful when using it on Windows. Make sure the images you're trying to use are compatible with Docker on Windows, as many require Linux-based systems to function properly. Also, any chance you can share exactly which images you're trying to run?
You might want to dig into Docker's documentation and check if there are any additional parameters required for those images.
Honestly, Windows is one of the trickiest platforms to run Docker properly. Make sure you're following the installation guidelines for Windows. What setup steps have you already taken? If you share that, it might help pinpoint the issue.
I tried running Arch and Ubuntu images since they seemed like good options to test. I didn’t set any special options, just went with the defaults, and there wasn't any output, which is why I'm so confused.