WSL 2 / Docker Desktop cannot see ANY files on Windows C: drive after exhaustive troubleshooting

[dwainpipe]

Hello everyone,

I’m facing a critical issue where my Docker containers (specifically Radarr, Sonarr, etc.) running via Docker Desktop on Windows cannot access files on my local C: drive. What’s more concerning is that the underlying WSL 2 distribution itself also cannot see these files, despite Windows File Explorer confirming their existence. I’ve tried nearly every troubleshooting step imaginable, including full reinstalls, and I’m at my wit’s end.

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My Setup

• Operating System: Windows 11 (OS Build 10.0.22631.5335)
• Docker Desktop Version: 4.41.2
• WSL Version: 2.5.7.0
• Kernel Version: 6.6.87.1-1
• WSLg Version: 1.0.66
• MSRDC Version: 1.2.6074
• Direct3D Version: 1.611.1-81528511
• DXCore Version: 10.0.26100.1-240331-1435.ge-release
• WSL 2 Backend: Yes, Docker Desktop is configured to use the WSL 2 engine.

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The Problem

I’m using Docker Compose with bind mounts for my media stack. Example from docker-compose.yml:

volumes:
  - C:\data\media\movies:/data/movies

• When I run docker exec radarr ls -l /data/movies inside the container, it consistently shows total 0 (i.e., the directory appears empty).
• Crucially, when I go directly into the docker-desktop WSL 2 shell (wsl -d docker-desktop) and run ls -l /mnt/c/data/media/movies, it also shows total 0 or, if I try to list specific content like ls -l "/mnt/c/data/media/movies/The Man (2005)", it says No such file or directory.
• To rule out issues with specific paths, I created a simple folder C:\WSL_TEST\SUB_FOLDER directly on my C: drive, confirmed its existence in Windows File Explorer, but ls -l /mnt/c/WSL_TEST from within the docker-desktop WSL 2 shell still returns No such file or directory.

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Repro Steps

1. Initial Setup (What should happen on a fresh system):

• Install Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL 2).
• Install Docker Desktop for Windows, configured to use the WSL 2 backend.
• Create a simple directory on the Windows C: drive, e.g., C:\WSL_TEST, and place an empty subfolder C:\WSL_TEST\SUB_FOLDER inside it.
• Create another directory, e.g., C:\data\media\movies, and place some files/folders inside it (or leave empty for testing total 0).
• Create a docker-compose.yml file (e.g., C:\docker-compose\test-app\docker-compose.yml) that includes a service with a bind mount to a Windows path, e.g.:

services:
  testapp:
    image: alpine/git
    container_name: test_app
    command: sh -c "ls -l /data/movies && tail -f /dev/null"
    volumes:
      - C:\data\media\movies:/data/movies

2. To Reproduce the Bug (What I experience):

• After the setup, from a PowerShell window, enter the docker-desktop WSL 2 shell: wsl -d docker-desktop.
• Attempt to list the contents of any C: drive folder:
  • ls -l /mnt/c/WSL_TEST
  • ls -l /mnt/c/data/media/movies
• From PowerShell, in the docker-compose directory: docker compose up -d.
• Then, docker exec test_app ls -l /data/movies.

3. Exhaustive Troubleshooting Already Performed (No change in behaviour after each step):

• Verified docker-compose.yml bind mount syntax.
• Applied chmod -R 777 and chown -R 1000:1000 to C:\data (via /mnt/c/data) from within WSL 2.
• Performed docker compose down then docker compose up -d.
• Quit and restarted Docker Desktop application via system tray.
• Ran wsl --terminate docker-desktop in PowerShell, then restarted Docker Desktop.
• WSL 2 Distribution Hard Reset:
  • Ran wsl --unregister docker-desktop in PowerShell.
  • Quit Docker Desktop.
  • Rebooted PC.
  • Launched Docker Desktop (which implicitly re-created the docker-desktop WSL VM).
• Full WSL 2 Platform Reinstallation:
  • Quit Docker Desktop.
  • Unregistered all WSL 2 distributions (wsl --unregister docker-desktop).
  • Unticked “Virtual Machine Platform” and “Windows Subsystem for Linux” in “Turn Windows features on or off”.
  • Rebooted PC.
  • Ran wsl --install in PowerShell (Admin).
  • Rebooted PC again (as prompted by wsl --install).
  • Ran wsl --update and wsl --shutdown in PowerShell (Admin).
• Docker Desktop Clean Reinstallation:
  • Uninstalled Docker Desktop via “Apps and Features”.
  • Rebooted PC.
  • Downloaded the latest Docker Desktop installer and performed a fresh installation.
• Confirmed: Checked Antivirus/Security Software (e.g., temporary disable, exclusions applied where possible).
• Confirmed: Ran chkdsk C: /f /r on the C: drive (with reboot).

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Expected Behavior

What were you expecting to see? Include any relevant examples or documentation links.

1. When running ls -l /mnt/c/WSL_TEST or ls -l /mnt/c/data/media/movies from within the docker-desktop WSL 2 shell, I expect to see the actual contents of those folders as they appear in Windows File Explorer (e.g., listing SUB_FOLDER inside WSL_TEST, or my movie files/folders inside movies).
2. The docker compose up -d command should start the test_app container successfully.
3. docker exec test_app ls -l /data/movies should list the contents of the C:\data/media/movies folder as seen from the container’s perspective.

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Actual Behavior

What happened instead?

1. From the docker-desktop WSL 2 shell:

• ls -l /mnt/c/WSL_TEST consistently returns ls: /mnt/c/WSL_TEST: No such file or directory.
• ls -l /mnt/c/data/media/movies consistently returns total 0 (if the directory is empty) or ls: /mnt/c/data/media/movies: No such file or directory (if trying to list specific known contents).

2. Windows File Explorer unequivocally shows that C:\WSL_TEST, C:\WSL_TEST\SUB_FOLDER, and C:\data\media\movies (with its contents) all exist and are accessible from Windows.
3. Docker containers using bind mounts to these paths (e.g., /data/movies) consistently see them as empty or inaccessible, leading to applications like Radarr failing to find media.

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Diagnostic Logs

As I am unable to generate these logs directly, please provide guidance on which specific logs would be most helpful given the nature of this issue (e.g., WSL 2 kernel logs, 9p diagnostics, or specific Docker Desktop logs related to drive mounting). I am happy to collect them if instructed.

[meyay (Metin Y.)]

Looks like you have a general problem with WSL2.

You should see your directories and files in a WSL2 distribution in the subfolder(s) of /mnt/c/ (replace c with whatever your Windows drive letter for the drive is). If those are not shared, you need to sort out why. Docker Desktop depends on a functioning WSL2 installation. If it’s not working properly, then there is not much Docker Desktop can do to work around that issue.

I am using Windows 11 Enterprise with the same Docker Desktop and WSL version, I can’t confirm that it’s a general problem:

PS D:\> mkdir "wsl-test"

    Directory: D:\

Mode                 LastWriteTime         Length Name
----                 -------------         ------ ----
d----          03.06.2025    23:33                wsl-test

PS D:\> date > wsl-test\date.txt
PS D:\> docker run --rm -v d:\wsl-test:/test alpine cat /test/date.txt
Unable to find image 'alpine:latest' locally
latest: Pulling from library/alpine
fe07684b16b8: Pull complete
Digest: sha256:8a1f59ffb675680d47db6337b49d22281a139e9d709335b492be023728e11715
Status: Downloaded newer image for alpine:latest

Dienstag, 3. Juni 2025 23:33:23