Check the Docker Desktop logs

Oct 13, 2025 by pinkandtrash.com 53 views

Can't Start Docker Desktop for Windows (Version 4.39.0)

Troubleshooting Guide

Are you experiencing issues with Docker Desktop for Windows version 4.39.0? You're not alone. Many users have reported that they can't start Docker Desktop after upgrading to the latest version. In this article, we'll walk you through the troubleshooting process to help you resolve the issue.

Description

The problem occurs when you try to start Docker Desktop after upgrading to version 4.39.0. The Docker service fails to start, and you receive an error message indicating that the system cannot find the file specified.

Reproduce

To reproduce the issue, follow these steps:

Upgrade Docker Desktop to version 4.39.0.
Try to start Docker Desktop.
Observe the error message indicating that the system cannot find the file specified.

Expected Behavior

The expected behavior is that Docker Desktop should start successfully after the upgrade.

Docker Version

Here's the output of the docker version command:

Client:
 Version:           28.0.1
 API version:       1.48
 Go version:        go1.23.6
 Git commit:        068a01e
 Built:             Wed Feb 26 10:41:52 2025
 OS/Arch:           windows/amd64
 Context:           desktop-linux
error during connect: Get "http://%2F%2F.%2Fpipe%2FdockerDesktopLinuxEngine/v1.48/version": open //./pipe/dockerDesktopLinuxEngine: The system cannot find the file specified.

Docker Info

Here's the output of the docker info command:

Client:
 Version:    28.0.1
 Context:    desktop-linux
 Debug Mode: false
 Plugins:
  ai: Docker AI Agent - Ask Gordon (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v0.9.4
    Path:     C:\Users\user\.docker\cli-plugins\docker-ai.exe
  buildx: Docker Buildx (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v0.21.1-desktop.2
    Path:     C:\Users\user\.docker\cli-plugins\docker-buildx.exe
  compose: Docker Compose (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v2.33.1-desktop.1
    Path:     C:\Users\user\.docker\cli-plugins\docker-compose.exe
  debug: Get a shell into any image or container (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  0.0.38
    Path:     C:\Users\user\.docker\cli-plugins\docker-debug.exe
  desktop: Docker Desktop commands (Beta) (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v0.1.5
    Path:     C:\Users\user\.docker\cli-plugins\docker-desktop.exe
  dev: Docker Dev Environments (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v0.1.2
    Path:     C:\Users\user\.docker\cli-plugins\docker-dev.exe
  extension: Manages Docker extensions (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v0.2.27
    Path:     C:\Users\user\.docker\cli-plugins\docker-extension.exe
  feedback: Provide feedback, right in your terminal! (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v1.0.5
    Path:     C:\Users\user\.docker\cli-plugins\docker-feedback.exe
  init: Creates Docker-related starter files for your project (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v1.4.0
    Path:     C:\Users\user\.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:\Users\user\.docker\cli-plugins\docker-sbom.exe
  scout: Docker Scout (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v1.16.3
    Path:     C:\Users\user\.docker\cli-plugins\docker-scout.exe

Server:
ERROR: error during connect: Get "http://%2F%2F.%2Fpipe%2FdockerDesktopLinuxEngine/v1.48/info": open //./pipe/dockerDesktopLinuxEngine: The system cannot find the file specified.
errors pretty printing info

Diagnostics ID

The diagnostics ID for this issue is 0702EA7F-7AF1-4A08-8FA3-951D56294E10/20250312013450.

Troubleshooting Steps

To troubleshoot the issue, follow these steps:

Check the Docker Desktop logs: Open the Docker Desktop logs by clicking on the three dots in the top-right corner of the Docker Desktop window and selecting "Settings." Then, click on the "Logs" tab. Check the logs for any error messages that may indicate the cause of the issue.
Check the Docker service status: Open the Command Prompt or PowerShell and type net start docker to check the status of the Docker service. If the service is not running, try starting it manually by typing net start docker.
Check the Docker Desktop configuration: Open the Docker Desktop configuration file by navigating to the Docker Desktop installation directory and opening the docker-desktop.exe.config file in a text editor. Check the configuration file for any errors or inconsistencies that may be causing the issue.
Try restarting the Docker Desktop service: Try restarting the Docker Desktop service by clicking on the three dots in the top-right corner of the Docker Desktop window and selecting "Settings." Then, click on the "Advanced" tab and click on the "Restart" button.
Try uninstalling and reinstalling Docker Desktop: If none of the above steps resolve the issue, try uninstalling and reinstalling Docker Desktop.

Conclusion

In this article, we've walked you through the troubleshooting process to help you resolve the issue of not being able to start Docker Desktop for Windows version 4.39.0. By following the steps outlined above, you should be able to identify and resolve the issue. If you're still experiencing problems, feel free to reach out to the Docker community for further assistance.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - Can't Start Docker Desktop for Windows (Version 4.39.0)

Q: What is the cause of the issue?

A: The cause of the issue is not explicitly stated, but it is likely related to a configuration error or a problem with the Docker Desktop service.

Q: How do I check the Docker Desktop logs?

A: To check the Docker Desktop logs, follow these steps:

Click on the three dots in the top-right corner of the Docker Desktop window.
Select "Settings" from the dropdown menu.
Click on the "Logs" tab.
Check the logs for any error messages that may indicate the cause of the issue.

Q: How do I check the Docker service status?

A: To check the Docker service status, follow these steps:

Open the Command Prompt or PowerShell.
Type net start docker to check the status of the Docker service.
If the service is not running, try starting it manually by typing net start docker.

Q: How do I check the Docker Desktop configuration?

A: To check the Docker Desktop configuration, follow these steps:

Navigate to the Docker Desktop installation directory.
Open the docker-desktop.exe.config file in a text editor.
Check the configuration file for any errors or inconsistencies that may be causing the issue.

Q: How do I restart the Docker Desktop service?

A: To restart the Docker Desktop service, follow these steps:

Click on the three dots in the top-right corner of the Docker Desktop window.
Select "Settings" from the dropdown menu.
Click on the "Advanced" tab.
Click on the "Restart" button.

Q: How do I uninstall and reinstall Docker Desktop?

A: To uninstall and reinstall Docker Desktop, follow these steps:

Uninstall Docker Desktop from the Control Panel or Settings app.
Download and install the latest version of Docker Desktop from the official Docker website.
Follow the installation instructions to complete the installation process.

Q: What are the system requirements for Docker Desktop?

A: The system requirements for Docker Desktop are:

Windows 10 (64-bit) or later
4 GB of RAM or more
2 GB of free disk space or more
A 64-bit processor or later

Q: How do I contact Docker support?

A: To contact Docker support, follow these steps:

Visit the Docker website and click on the "Support" tab.
Click on the "Contact Support" button.
Fill out the support request form with your contact information and a detailed description of the issue.
Submit the support request form to contact Docker support.

Q: What are the troubleshooting steps for the issue?

A: The troubleshooting steps for the issue are:

Check the Docker Desktop logs.
Check the Docker service status.
Check the Docker Desktop configuration.
Try restarting the Docker Desktop service.
Try uninstalling and reinstalling Docker Desktop.

Q: What are the common causes of the issue?

A: The common causes of the issue are:

Configuration errors
Problems with the Docker Desktop service
Incompatible system requirements
Corrupted installation files

Q: How do I prevent the issue from occurring in the future?

A: To prevent the issue from occurring in the future, follow these steps:

Regularly update Docker Desktop to the latest version.
Check the Docker Desktop logs and configuration regularly.
Ensure that the system meets the minimum system requirements for Docker Desktop.
Avoid installing incompatible software or plugins.