Docker failed to initialize

Docker Desktop
1

I’m running the Docker Desktop for Windows version 3.4.0 on Windows 10 Pro, version 21H1 OS build 19043.1052. I’m having trouble starting Docker. I try to launch it but nothing happens. After several minutes I attempt to launch it again and I get an error message: “Docker failed to initialize. The operation timed out.” My network seems to be working fine. I’ve tried rebooting my desktop but had the same behavior.

I use Docker to load the latest version of the Allegro triplestore image from Franz Inc. in case that matters. The Allegro image is stored in Docker and normally when I start Docker it automatically starts Allegro as well. I just did a Windows OS upgrade and I think that was the point where it stopped working although of course I can’t be sure it was the upgrade that caused the problem.

Michael DeBellis

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2

I solved this problem by deleting Docker and then reinstalling it. Everything seems to work now.

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3

I also upgraded recently to the version 3.4.0 (currently, the latest and greatest and the first one that says that it requires only a log-off, not a full restart after the installation). And I also have the exact behaviour and error message. However, in my case the uninstallation/reinstallation did not fix the problem.
Any suggestions? Or should I revert to the version used before?

Edition	        Windows 10 Enterprise
Version	        21H1
Installed on	‎2021-‎03-‎29
OS build	    19043.1081
Experience	    Windows Feature Experience Pack 120.2212.3530.0
4

I’m assuming you’ve enabled Hyper-V, you must have if it was working in the past. There was someone else who also had a similar problem. I’ll see if I can find his post and if it has any useful ideas I’ll post a link to it here. I guess rolling back to an older version of Windows may be your only hope, although that isn’t a great option. Sorry.

5

Yes, I have Hyper-V enabled, although I think it was not used by Docker Desktop, which used the WSL 2 backend.
It worth to mention that I run Docker Desktop as a standard, non administrative user (I am a member of the docker-users group).

Finally, it worked with the previous version, 3.3.3.
What is strange is that both installers reported success, but they both:

  • failed to create a Docker Desktop icon on the desktop (option for this was enabled during the installation) (and they also)
  • did not display the message with the need of a reboot (for version 3.3.3) or log-off (for 3.4.0).
6

Finally, it worked flawlessly with the latest 3.5.1 version (I was not aware that there were 2 newer releases after 3.4.0). It did not require a log-off after installation in order to be ready to be used.

7

Glad you got it to work.

8

Hi, I have exactly same problem with version 3.5.2. I’ve tried reinstaling Docker without any success. Win 10 Pro 21H1 build 19043.1110. It was working some weeks ago, now it does not show anything (no system tray icon) except (when I try to run it second time):
image

9

I have installed docker 3.5.1, used to work fine, then one day it refused to launch and since whenever I launch I get this message:

image

10

Any luck with above error?
For me as well it was working perfect a few days back (maybe 6-7) but now getting this same issue

11

No luck, I had to install older version (tried 3.3.3).

12

Having the same issue, how did you install an older version?

13

Hi,

I raised an issue for this error on GitHub: Issue 11822
In addition, by googling and trying to fix this error, I found there are many people have the same issue.
Please help us fix this problem.

Thanks

1 Like
14

Hi all,

According to Docker failed to initialize I resolved this issue by:

C:\Users[USER]\AppData\Local\Docker
C:\Users[USER]\AppData\Roaming\Docker
C:\Users[USER]\AppData\Roaming\Docker Desktop

Once deleted, I didn’t have to do anything else, Docker Desktop started booting up as normal.

37 Likes
15

it works for me, thanks

16

It`s works for me, Thx!

1 Like
17

Thanks for pointing out the directories !

In the log file in C:\Users[USER]\AppData\Local\Docker I found the culprit in my case:

[11:43:09.152][GoBackendProcess ][Error ] msg=“while parsing JSON from C:\Users\[USER]\AppData\Roaming\Docker\settings.json: json: cannot unmarshal bool into Go struct field Content.proxyHttpMode of type string”

I removed all settings lines related to proxy, and the service started fine.
FYI it replaced the “proxyHttpMode” value from false to “system”.

5 Likes
18

Not works for me.
After deleting these files

C:\Users[USER]\AppData\Local\Docker
C:\Users[USER]\AppData\Roaming\Docker
C:\Users[USER]\AppData\Roaming\Docker Desktop
1 Like
19

It works for me also, thanks

20

I found the best solution for myself - I checked AppData\Local\Docker - there is a log.txt, when I opened the file, the error appears "when parsing JSON AppData\Roaming\Docker\settings.json cannot unmarshal bool in Go struct field Content. proxyHttpMode of type string ", I checked this file and removed the proxyHttpMode field. After that, the docker was restored.

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