Windows for Docker

Windows in a docker container.

Features

• Multi-platform
• KVM acceleration

Usage

Via docker-compose.yml

version: "3"
services:
  windows:
    container_name: windows
    image: dockurr/windows:latest
    environment:
      VERSION: "win11x64"
    devices:
      - /dev/kvm
    cap_add:
      - NET_ADMIN
    ports:
      - 8006:8006
    stop_grace_period: 2m
    restart: unless-stopped

Via docker run

docker run -it --rm -e "VERSION=win11x64" -p 8006:8006 --device=/dev/kvm --cap-add NET_ADMIN dockurr/windows:latest

FAQ

• How do I specify the Windows version?

  You can modify the VERSION environment variable to specify the version of Windows you want to download:

  environment:
    VERSION: "win11x64"
  

  Select from the values below:

  • win11x64 (Windows 11)
  • win10x64 (Windows 10)
  • win81x64 (Windows 8.1)
  • win2022-eval (Windows Server 2022)
  • win2019-eval (Windows Server 2019)
  • win2016-eval (Windows Server 2016)

• How do I perform the installation?

  • Start the container and wait until the ISO download is completed. If needed, you can view this progress in the Docker log, wait until you see the message BdsDxe: starting Boot.
  • Connect to port 8006 of the container in your webbrowser.
  • Start the installation by clicking Install now. On the next screen, press 'OK' when prompted for Load driver and select the VirtIO SCSI driver from the list that matches your Windows version. So for Windows 11, select D:\amd64\w11\vioscsi.inf and click 'Next'.
  • Accept the license agreement and select your preferred Windows edition, like Home or Pro.
  • Choose Custom: Install Windows only (advanced), and click Load driver in the next screen. Select 'Browse' and navigate to the D:\NetKVM\w11\amd64 folder and click 'OK'. Select the VirtIO Ethernet Adapter from the list, and click 'Next'.
  • Select 'Drive 0' and click 'Next'.
  • Wait until Windows finishes copying files and completes the installation.
  • Once you see your desktop, open File Explorer and navigate to the CD-ROM drive (D:). Double-click on virtio-win-gt-x64 and proceed to install the VirtIO drivers.
  • Now your Windows installation is ready for use. Enjoy it and don't forget to star this repo!

• How can I view the screen?

  The container includes a web-based viewer, so you can visit http://localhost:8006/ using any webbrowser to view the screen and interact with Windows via the keyboard/mouse.

  This is mainly for use during installation, as afterwards you can use Remote Desktop, TeamViewer or any other software you prefer.

• How do I increase the amount of CPU or RAM?

  By default, 2 CPU cores and 4 GB of RAM are allocated to the container, as that are the minimum requirements of Windows 11.

  To increase this, add the following environment variables:

  environment:
    RAM_SIZE: "8G"
    CPU_CORES: "4"
  

• How do I change the size of the data disk?

  To expand the default size of 64 GB, add the DISK_SIZE setting to your compose file and set it to your preferred capacity:

  environment:
    DISK_SIZE: "128G"
  

  This can also be used to resize the existing disk to a larger capacity without any data loss.

• How do I change the location of the data disk?

  To change the location of the data disk, include the following bind mount in your compose file:

  volumes:
    - /var/win:/storage
  

  Replace the example path /var/win with the desired storage folder.

• How do I verify if my system supports KVM?

  To verify if your system supports KVM, run the following commands:

  sudo apt install cpu-checker
  sudo kvm-ok
  

  If you receive an error from kvm-ok indicating that KVM acceleration can't be used, check the virtualization settings in the BIOS.

• Is this project legal?

  Yes, this project contains only open-source code and does not distribute any copyrighted material. Neither does it try to circumvent any copyright protection measures. So under all applicable laws, this project would be considered legal.

Disclaimer

The product names, logos, brands, and other trademarks referred to within this project are the property of their respective trademark holders. This project is not affiliated, sponsored, or endorsed by Microsoft Corporation.