Docker Desktop will not start after version 4.39.0 upgrade

[CRFricke]

Description

Receive the following error when starting Docker Desktop after upgrading from 4.38.0 to 4.39.0:

running engine: waiting for the VM setup to be ready:
starting windows containers: status code not OK but 500:
Unhandled exception: Time out has expired and the operation has not been completed.

Diagnostic file: 20250306162810.zip

Reproduce

1. Upgrade from 4.38.0 to 4.39.0
2. Start Docker Desktop

Expected behavior

Docker Desktop UI is displayed.

docker version

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-windows
error during connect: Get "http://%2F%2F.%2Fpipe%2FdockerDesktopWindowsEngine/v1.48/version": open //./pipe/dockerDesktopWindowsEngine: The system cannot find the file specified.

docker info

Client:
 Version:    28.0.1
 Context:    desktop-windows
 Debug Mode: false
 Plugins:
  ai: Docker AI Agent - Ask Gordon (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v0.9.4
    Path:     C:\Program Files\Docker\cli-plugins\docker-ai.exe
  buildx: Docker Buildx (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v0.21.1-desktop.2
    Path:     C:\Program Files\Docker\cli-plugins\docker-buildx.exe
  compose: Docker Compose (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v2.33.1-desktop.1
    Path:     C:\Program Files\Docker\cli-plugins\docker-compose.exe
  debug: Get a shell into any image or container (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  0.0.38
    Path:     C:\Program Files\Docker\cli-plugins\docker-debug.exe
  desktop: Docker Desktop commands (Beta) (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v0.1.5
    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:  v1.16.3
    Path:     C:\Program Files\Docker\cli-plugins\docker-scout.exe

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

Diagnostics ID

A6E230F2-1599-4B72-9D16-9FB7B2ACB9BB/20250306162810

Additional Info

docker version after reinstalling version 4.38.0:
Client:
Version: 27.5.1
API version: 1.47
Go version: go1.22.11
Git commit: 9f9e405
Built: Wed Jan 22 13:41:44 2025
OS/Arch: windows/amd64
Context: desktop-windows

Server: Docker Desktop 4.38.0 (181591)
Engine:
Version: 27.5.1
API version: 1.47 (minimum version 1.24)
Go version: go1.22.11
Git commit: 4c9b3b0
Built: Wed Jan 22 13:40:41 2025
OS/Arch: windows/amd64
Experimental: false

docker info after reinstalling version 4.38.0:
Client:
Version: 27.5.1
Context: desktop-windows
Debug Mode: false
Plugins:
ai: Ask Gordon - Docker Agent (Docker Inc.)
Version: v0.7.3
Path: C:\Program Files\Docker\cli-plugins\docker-ai.exe
buildx: Docker Buildx (Docker Inc.)
Version: v0.20.1-desktop.2
Path: C:\Program Files\Docker\cli-plugins\docker-buildx.exe
compose: Docker Compose (Docker Inc.)
Version: v2.32.4-desktop.1
Path: C:\Program Files\Docker\cli-plugins\docker-compose.exe
debug: Get a shell into any image or container (Docker Inc.)
Version: 0.0.38
Path: C:\Program Files\Docker\cli-plugins\docker-debug.exe
desktop: Docker Desktop commands (Beta) (Docker Inc.)
Version: v0.1.4
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: v1.16.1
Path: C:\Program Files\Docker\cli-plugins\docker-scout.exe

Server:
Containers: 0
Running: 0
Paused: 0
Stopped: 0
Images: 0
Server Version: 27.5.1
Storage Driver: windowsfilter
Windows:
Logging Driver: json-file
Plugins:
Volume: local
Network: ics internal l2bridge l2tunnel nat null overlay private transparent
Log: awslogs etwlogs fluentd gcplogs gelf json-file local splunk syslog
Swarm: inactive
Default Isolation: hyperv
Kernel Version: 10.0 26100 (26100.1.amd64fre.ge_release.240331-1435)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows Version 24H2 (OS Build 26100.3194)
OSType: windows
Architecture: x86_64
CPUs: 8
Total Memory: 15.6GiB
Name: Surface-Pro-7
ID: QDE6:OGPY:BHP4:MRSK:ZNV4:ZLNS:7QFC:LMF4:EJ3W:RUSR:PZO2:Q7YJ
Docker Root Dir: C:\ProgramData\Docker
Debug Mode: false
Labels:
com.docker.desktop.address=npipe://\.\pipe\docker_cli
Experimental: false
Insecure Registries:
127.0.0.0/8
Live Restore Enabled: false
Product License: Community Engine

[alvarezmario]

I'm having the same issue as well. It's broken on windows after updating from 4.38 to 4.39

[vaishali4]

I also have the same issue, for me it automatically got upgraded to latest 4.39 version due to IT policies. Tried factory reset but it didn't work.

[Aeonbrk]

Same problem, like it will be "Starting the Docker Engine..." infinitely

[wangzhione]

Encountering the same problem, my solution is to re download the 4.38 installation package and roll back to 4.38.
Hope to fix it soon. Thank you

遇到一样的问题, 我的解决方案, 重新下载 4.38 安装包 回滚到 4.38 .
希望早日修复. 谢谢

[devAlex-sys]

Same problem here after updating to 4.39. The only solution is to going back to 4.38

[timvw]

The same on macos :(

[MarioJames]

same issue, i will hold version to 4.38 forever 😂

[timvw]

The same on macos :(

Somehow, re-installing did the trick for me.. Currently running 4.39.0 (184744)