Installation issue: Component Docker.Installer.ServiceAction failed: Failed to create service: Access is denied

vladkharitonov87 · May 9, 2025, 9:55pm

Hi All,

I’m trying to install Docker Desktop on Windows 11 Pro 24H2

and getting an error which I cant fix.

Here is log :

Version: 4.40.0 (187762)
Sha1: 
Started on: 2025/05/09 21:31:53.762
Resources: D:\resources
OS: Windows 10 Pro
Edition: Professional
Id: 2009
Build: 26100
BuildLabName: 26100.1.amd64fre.ge_release.240331-1435
File: C:\ProgramData\DockerDesktop\install-log-admin.txt
CommandLine: "D:\DockerDesktopInstaller.exe" "install" -package "res:DockerDesktop" --relaunch-as-admin
You can send feedback, including this log file, at https://github.com/docker/for-win/issues
[2025-05-09T21:31:53.889087400Z][ManifestAndExistingInstallationLoader][I] No install path specified, looking for default installation registry key
[2025-05-09T21:31:53.904927100Z][Installer][I] No installation found
[2025-05-09T21:31:53.999693300Z][InstallWorkflow][I] Using package: res:DockerDesktop
[2025-05-09T21:31:53.999693300Z][InstallWorkflow][I] Downloading
[2025-05-09T21:31:55.013748300Z][InstallWorkflow][I] Extracting manifest
[2025-05-09T21:31:56.091748900Z][InstallWorkflow][I] Manifest found: version=187762, displayVersion=4.40.0, channelUrl=https://desktop-stage.docker.com/win/main/amd64/appcast.xml
[2025-05-09T21:31:56.091748900Z][InstallWorkflow][I] Checking prerequisites
[2025-05-09T21:31:56.421535000Z][InstallWorkflow][I] Prompting for optional features
[2025-05-09T21:31:59.703939800Z][InstallWorkflow][I] Selected backend mode: wsl-2
[2025-05-09T21:31:59.703939800Z][InstallWorkflow][I] Unpacking artifacts
[2025-05-09T21:33:42.555987400Z][InstallWorkflow][I] Deploying component Docker.Installer.CreateGroupAction
[2025-05-09T21:33:42.614984800Z][InstallWorkflow][I] Deploying component Docker.Installer.AddToGroupAction
[2025-05-09T21:33:42.621985400Z][InstallWorkflow][I] Deploying component Docker.Installer.EnableFeaturesAction
[2025-05-09T21:33:42.639985100Z][InstallWorkflow-EnableFeaturesAction][I] Required features: VirtualMachinePlatform, Microsoft-Windows-Subsystem-Linux
[2025-05-09T21:33:43.123725200Z][InstallWorkflow][I] Deploying component Docker.Installer.ServiceAction
[2025-05-09T21:33:43.125725700Z][InstallWorkflow-ServiceAction][I] Removing service
[2025-05-09T21:33:43.126723800Z][InstallWorkflow-ServiceAction][I] Creating service
[2025-05-09T21:34:23.157090900Z][InstallWorkflow][E] Installation failed System.Exception: Component Docker.Installer.ServiceAction failed: Failed to create service: Access is denied ---> Docker.Installer.Service.Win32ExceptionWithContext: Failed to create service: Access is denied
   at Docker.Installer.Service.Manager.AddService(String serviceName, String displayName, String startMode, String pathName, String[] dependencies)
   at Docker.Installer.ServiceAction.<DoAsync>d__43.MoveNext()
--- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---
   at System.Runtime.ExceptionServices.ExceptionDispatchInfo.Throw()
   at Docker.Installer.InstallWorkflow.<DoHandleD4WPackageAsync>d__29.MoveNext()
   --- End of inner exception stack trace ---
   at Docker.Installer.InstallWorkflow.<DoHandleD4WPackageAsync>d__29.MoveNext()
--- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---
   at System.Runtime.ExceptionServices.ExceptionDispatchInfo.Throw()
   at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.TaskAwaiter.HandleNonSuccessAndDebuggerNotification(Task task)
   at Docker.Installer.InstallWorkflow.<DoProcessAsync>d__24.MoveNext()
[2025-05-09T21:34:23.158129200Z][InstallWorkflow][I] Rollbacking component Docker.Installer.EnableFeaturesAction
[2025-05-09T21:34:23.159087200Z][InstallWorkflow][I] Rollbacking component Docker.Installer.AddToGroupAction
[2025-05-09T21:34:23.160087300Z][InstallWorkflow][I] Rollbacking component Docker.Installer.CreateGroupAction
[2025-05-09T21:34:23.160087300Z][InstallWorkflow][I] Rollbacking component Docker.Installer.UnpackArtifactsStep
[2025-05-09T21:34:23.170086800Z][FileSystem][I] Deleting C:\Program Files\Docker\Docker
[2025-05-09T21:34:23.620354100Z][FileSystem][E] Failed to delete Access to the path 'com.docker.service' is denied.
[2025-05-09T21:34:24.629843900Z][FileSystem][E] Retrying delete directory
[2025-05-09T21:34:24.642724900Z][FileSystem][I] Deleted C:\Program Files\Docker\Docker successfully
[2025-05-09T21:34:24.642724900Z][InstallWorkflow][I] Rollbacking component Docker.Installer.ExtractManifestStep
[2025-05-09T21:34:24.643733300Z][InstallWorkflow][I] Rollbacking component Docker.Installer.DownloadStep

WSL 2 and ububtu are intalled, needed windows feature are selected.
I’ve tried to install as a different user, tried to install different version, added all users to docker-users group.
Nothing helped.
Maybe somebody has any idea what need to do?

rimelek · May 11, 2025, 8:12pm

As far as I remember, that only helps to use Docker Desktop, but for installing it, you need an administrator user.

vladkharitonov87 · May 12, 2025, 6:18am

Totally right, but I just had tried everything before righting here. I use Admin user for installing.

rimelek · May 12, 2025, 12:02pm

As an admin, you should have access to everything, unless there is some kind of Policy (could it be on Windows?) that forbirds it.

One strange URL in your log is

channelUrl=https://desktop-stage.docker.com/win/main/amd64/appcast.xml

That shouldn’T be stage unless you had a pre-release version installed on your machine before. We had two topics where I saw that URL

There is a GitHub link in the second topic’s last post

github.com/docker/for-win

Cannot uninstall Docker Desktop 4.37.1

opened 03:05AM - 09 Jan 25 UTC

LianD-09

area/installer status/triage version/4.37.1

### Description I launched my Docker Desktop and the UI did not show up. So, I …try to uninstall Docker Desktop (v4.37.1) even by command but got this error. ![Image](https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/4764a03c-6c5c-420b-b266-2ee4888d3d95) Additionally, when I try to run it, Docker Desktop Backend runs and shows up in Task Manager. However, I can not end this task. Pls, can someone help me cause I got stuck on this issue for several days? ### Reproduce 1. Start-Process 'C:\Program Files\Docker\Docker\Docker Desktop Installer.exe' -Wait uninstall ### Expected behavior Docker Desktop is uninstalled successfully. ### docker version ```bash Client: Version: 27.4.0 API version: 1.47 Go version: go1.22.10 Git commit: bde2b89 Built: Sat Dec 7 10:40:21 2024 OS/Arch: windows/amd64 Context: default error during connect: in the default daemon configuration on Windows, the docker client must be run with elevated privileges to connect: Get "http://%2F%2F.%2Fpipe%2Fdocker_engine/v1.47/version": open //./pipe/docker_engine: The system cannot find the file specified. ``` ### docker info ```bash Client: Version: 27.4.0 Context: default Debug Mode: false Plugins: ai: Ask Gordon - Docker Agent (Docker Inc.) Version: v0.5.1 Path: C:\Program Files\Docker\cli-plugins\docker-ai.exe buildx: Docker Buildx (Docker Inc.) Version: v0.19.2-desktop.1 Path: C:\Program Files\Docker\cli-plugins\docker-buildx.exe compose: Docker Compose (Docker Inc.) Version: v2.31.0-desktop.2 Path: C:\Program Files\Docker\cli-plugins\docker-compose.exe debug: Get a shell into any image or container (Docker Inc.) Version: 0.0.37 Path: C:\Program Files\Docker\cli-plugins\docker-debug.exe desktop: Docker Desktop commands (Beta) (Docker Inc.) Version: v0.1.0 Path: C:\Program Files\Docker\cli-plugins\docker-desktop.exe dev: Docker Dev Environments (Docker Inc.) Version: v0.1.2 Path: C:\Program Files\Docker\cli-plugins\docker-dev.exe extension: Manages Docker extensions (Docker Inc.) Version: v0.2.27 Path: C:\Program Files\Docker\cli-plugins\docker-extension.exe feedback: Provide feedback, right in your terminal! (Docker Inc.) Version: v1.0.5 Path: C:\Program Files\Docker\cli-plugins\docker-feedback.exe init: Creates Docker-related starter files for your project (Docker Inc.) Version: v1.4.0 Path: C:\Program Files\Docker\cli-plugins\docker-init.exe sbom: View the packaged-based Software Bill Of Materials (SBOM) for an image (Anchore Inc.) Version: 0.6.0 Path: C:\Program Files\Docker\cli-plugins\docker-sbom.exe scout: Docker Scout (Docker Inc.) Version: v1.15.1 Path: C:\Program Files\Docker\cli-plugins\docker-scout.exe Server: ERROR: error during connect: in the default daemon configuration on Windows, the docker client must be run with elevated privileges to connect: Get "http://%2F%2F.%2Fpipe%2Fdocker_engine/v1.47/info": open //./pipe/docker_engine: The system cannot find the file specified. errors pretty printing info ``` ### Diagnostics ID 94CB675A-EDDB-4586-90DF-F7966E57AE04/20250109030254 ### Additional Info _No response_

But I don’t see replies there. I also don’t know if that has to do anything with your issue. You could try to search for similar issues on GitHub or open a new issue if you don’t get a good answer here.

debolek · May 12, 2025, 12:07pm

Is the issue resolved now ? if not could follow the below steps

Run the installer as Administrator.
Ensure docker-users group and required Windows features are configured.
Clean up previous Docker installations and reset WSL.
Temporarily disable antivirus/firewall.
Try installing in a different directory

vladkharitonov87 · May 13, 2025, 8:53am

I reinstalled WSL with Ubuntu, downloaded docker installer from windows store and it installed successfully. Also I killed antivirus process. Don’t know what helped but it helped.

debolek · May 13, 2025, 10:54am

I guess the re installing and removing the antivirus helped in resolving the issue.

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