Downloading applications in Windows Docker images

General
1

Hello everyone!

Has anyone worked with Windows Docker images? I’ve noticed they don’t come with a package manager or even msiexec. How do you usually install necessary applications? Do you just COPY files and folders?

I’m stuck with this problem because I need to install .msi file, but there is no msi installer and no way to install it.

2

Yes, Windows Docker images often come stripped down to reduce size, lacking tools like msiexec. To install .msi files, you can follow these steps:

Use a Base Image with msiexec**: Switch to a fuller base image, like mcr.microsoft.com/windows/servercore, which includes msiexec.
Install Manually:
Download the required .msi file in your Dockerfile using RUN curl or RUN powershell -Command.
Use msiexec to install it:

dockerfile
FROM Microsoft Artifact Registry
COPY your-installer.msi C:
RUN msiexec /i C:\your-installer.msi /quiet /norestart
Use a Custom Installer: If msiexec is missing, you may need to include it or install an alternative package manager like choco by bootstrapping it in your Dockerfile.

For minimal images, copying pre-installed binaries or dependencies is also a viable option if packaging tools aren’t necessary.

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