Noobie error starting Docker

Ok my problem is that I had Windows 10 Home and was running Docker toolbox and it ran great.

But I upgraded to windows 10 Pro and uninstalled Docker toolbox and put Docker for windows.

Now I get this:

PS C:\Users\user> docker --version
docker : The term ‘docker’ is not recognized as the name of a cmdlet, function, script file, or operable program.
Check the spelling of the name, or if a path was included, verify that the path is correct and try again.
At line:1 char:1

  • docker --version
  •   + CategoryInfo          : ObjectNotFound: (docker:String) [], CommandNotFoundException
      + FullyQualifiedErrorId : CommandNotFoundException
    
    

I know this is a noobie thing, but I’ve racked my peasized brain trying to get it to work.

Can anyone help me out here?

Thanks in advance.

You mean you first upgraded from Win 10 Home to Pro, then uninstalled Docker Toolbox? This could have broken the installation. Toolbox is based on Virtualbox, Docker Desktop on Hyper-V and they are incompatible. Is your installation running and do you see the Docker Desktop symbol in the taskbar?

You mean you first upgraded from Win 10 Home to Pro, then uninstalled Docker Toolbox?
Yes, I had Docker toolbox installed and working. I then (at a later date upgraded from home to pro. So I can use Docker for windows)

This could have broken the installation. Toolbox is based on Virtualbox, Docker Desktop on Hyper-V and they are incompatible.

Yes, i understand that because when i installed Docker for windows it told me Virtualbox will no longer work.

Is your installation running

Yes and no. It starts up in the taskbar, but when I open powershell it gives that error (shown in initial post).

do you see the Docker Desktop symbol in the taskbar?

Yes Docker Desktop’s little whale is in the taskbar.

The problem is it doesn’t recognize in powershell or even the command prompt.

Thank you for helping me. I know its probably a simple solution, I’m just not seeing it.

Then maybe the path to Docker is wrong or not set. Check if Docker is installed at the default location:

PS C:\> &'C:\Program Files\Docker\Docker\resources\bin\docker' version
Client: Docker Engine - Community
 Version:           19.03.0-beta3
 API version:       1.40
...

Check if Docker is added to the path:

PS C:\> $env:PATH
C:\ProgramData\DockerDesktop\version-bin;C:\Program Files\Docker\Docker\Resources\bin;...

To edit the path open the system info page with WINKEY-Pause, go to ‘Advanced system settings’, ‘Environment Variables’. Close and reopen PS to get the updated variables.

tekki, dude thank you.
I can’t believe I didnt see it before. It was set in the System32 folder… no wonder why it wouldn’t work.

I knew it was something simple.

I wasn’t in the root directory.

Again thank you for being patient with me and being helpful in resolving this simple dilemma.

Kudos to you dude. And thanks again.

Well now a new error pops up…

could not read CA certificate “C:\Users\user\.docker\machine\machines\default\ca.pem”: open C:\Users\user.docker\machine\machines\default\ca.pem: The system cannot find the path specified.

The same error comes up even in root (C:)

PS C:> docker run hello-world
could not read CA certificate “C:\Users\user\.docker\machine\machines\default\ca.pem”: open C:\Users\user.docker\machine\machines\default\ca.pem: The system cannot find the path specified.

It shows it in the path. It also offers docker --help, but when I hit enter it shows the same error.

It’s getting complicated. It seems there are still settings from Docker Toolbox around, but I can’t tell you where you find them. You see the actual folder structure under %userprofile%\.docker, the path machine\machines\default comes from Toolbox.
To remember for the next time: it’s probably better to make a clean installation of Win 10 Pro instead of an upgrade. I would be surprised if this is the only problem you got with the upgrade.

tekki, I agree. I did resolve the problem. It was the fact that when I installed Docker toolbox and then uninstalled it is what caused the issue.

I had to go into the settings and remove anything relating to Docker. Then I uninstalled Docker for windows.

I reinstalled Docker for windows and noticed it did not put anything in the path (The good people at Docker may want to look into that). So I manually entered what should be in the path (as you stated in an earlier reply).

That fixed my problem and now Docker for windows is working great. Ran a test (hello-world) to see and Poof It was successful. Now I can enjoy it.

Thanks for all your help tekki. I am grateful for people like you whom jump in and try to help those (even if it was a very simple problem). So Kuddos X5 dude. Thanks for all you did and do.