Cannot find the Advanced option under Settings --> Resources (Windows 10)

Docker Desktop
1

Hi all,
I am trying to change the default directory where images are downloaded. As per suggestions on this forum, I should be changing the settings under Resources → Advanced. But, I cannot see any Advanced tab. Image below.

image
image766×428 33.6 KB

My Docker Desktop shows version 4.57.0

Please advise.

Thanks,
Sau

2

It looks like your Docker Desktop is in Windows container mode. You need to switch to Linux containers to have those tabs. You can do that by going to the notification area, right clicking on the Docker Desktoip icon and chosing “Switch to Linux containers”

3

Hello @rimelek ,
Thanks for the quick reply.
Yes. I am in Windows container mode. I wanted to test out some Windows specific images.

4

The storage settings in Docker Desktop are for the virtual machine (WSL2 distribution) created by Docker Desktop for Linux containers. When you use Windows containers, you don’t need that. Similarly, when you want to change the Docker Data root for Linux containers, you do it by changing the Docker engine daemon.json.

For Windows containers, you can find a “windows-daemon.json” file in your “.docker” folder.

{
  "experimental": false
}

You can add the Data Root like this after you stop Docker Desktop:

{
  "experimental": false,
  "data-root": "C:\\ProgramData\\Docker2"
}

Don’t forget the double backslashes; otherwise, it will try to interpret \P as some kind of control character.

I used the Docker2 folder for testing, but you can use whatever you want. You will also need to make sure you give the right permissions to the new folder. Originally, I just created the folder with my user. It wasn’t enough. I had to go to the folder properties, then Security, Advanced, and remove my user and add “SYSTEM” and “Administrator” with full privileges. Just check the original “Docker” folder under “ProgramData” and copy the permissions from there.

If you do everything right, when you start Docker Desktop again, the “docker info” should show the new Data Root. You can also check it before changing, just to confirm it is where it was for me.

I hope this helps. If I wasn’t clear, feel free to ask back.

1 Like
5

Thank you very much. Yes. you are right.

In addition to the above, I found this guidance from MS helpful as well:

1 Like