Running Windows in Docker: Complete Guide and Best Practices

Introduction

Ever wondered if you could run a full Windows system inside a Docker container? What once seemed impossible is now a reality thanks to dockur/windows, a groundbreaking solution that lets you run Windows 11, 10, and even classic Windows 7 smoothly within Docker containers.

This guide will walk you through the process of achieving this seemingly impossible task, transforming your Docker container into a fully functional Windows workstation.

💡 If you’re interested in running Windows in Docker, this tutorial will guide you step by step through the process.

Why Run Windows in Docker?

Before diving into the technical details, let’s understand the benefits of running Windows in Docker:

• 🚀 Rapid deployment and migration
• 💾 Lower resource overhead
• 🔄 Multiple version coexistence
• 🛠️ Simplified environment management
• 🔒 Enhanced isolation

dockur/windows Features Overview

dockur/windows offers these core capabilities:

• ✨ Support for multiple Windows versions (11/10/8.1/7/XP and more)
• 🔄 Automatic ISO downloading
• ⚡ KVM acceleration support
• 🌐 Web-based remote access
• 🖥️ RDP remote desktop support
• 💽 Flexible storage configuration
• ⚙️ Customizable CPU and memory allocation
• 💪 ARM version support Check ARM version here

System Requirements

Before starting, ensure your system meets these prerequisites:

💡 If you’re testing in VirtualBox, remember to enable virtualization support first.

Requirement	Minimum	Recommended
OS	Linux (KVM support)	Ubuntu 22.04+
CPU	Virtualization capable	4+ cores
Memory	4GB	8GB+
Storage	20GB free space	SSD storage

Basic Installation and Configuration

1. Deploy with Docker Compose

Create a compose.yml file:

 services:
  windows:
    image: dockurr/windows
    container_name: windows
    environment:
      VERSION: "11"    # Choose Windows version
    devices:
      - /dev/kvm      # KVM device mapping
    cap_add:
      - NET_ADMIN
    ports:
      - 8006:8006     # Web access port
      - 3389:3389/tcp # RDP ports
      - 3389:3389/udp
    volumes:
      - /home/vir-docker/data:/storage  # Windows image will be created on your local drive
    stop_grace_period: 2m # Grace period for clean shutdown  

💡 Graceful shutdown enabled

2. Launch the Container

 docker-compose up -d  

System Configuration Guide

Windows Version Selection

Choose different Windows versions by setting the VERSION environment variable:

Code	Version	Image Size
11	Windows 11 Pro	5.4 GB
11l	Windows 11 LTSC	4.2 GB
11e	Windows 11 Enterprise	5.8 GB
10	Windows 10 Pro	5.7 GB
10l	Windows 10 LTSC	4.6 GB
10e	Windows 10 Enterprise	5.2 GB
8	Windows 8.1 Pro	4.0 GB
8e	Windows 8.1 Enterprise	3.7 GB
7e	Windows 7 Enterprise	3.0 GB
ve	Windows Vista Enterprise	3.0 GB
xp	Windows XP Professional	0.6 GB
2025	Windows Server 2025	5.0 GB
2022	Windows Server 2022	4.7 GB
2019	Windows Server 2019	5.3 GB
2016	Windows Server 2016	6.5 GB
2012	Windows Server 2012	4.3 GB
2008	Windows Server 2008	3.0 GB
2003	Windows Server 2003	0.6 GB

Storage Configuration

Modify default storage location:

 volumes:
  - /var/win:/storage  # Custom storage path  

Adjust disk sizes:

 environment:
  DISK_SIZE: "256G"   # Primary disk size
  DISK2_SIZE: "32G"   # Secondary disk size
  DISK3_SIZE: "64G"   # Third disk size
volumes:
  - /var/win:/storage    # Primary disk path
  - /home/win:/storage2  # Secondary disk path
  - /mnt/win:/storage3   # Third disk path  

System Resource Allocation

Configure CPU and memory:

 environment:
  RAM_SIZE: "8G"      # Allocate 8GB RAM
  CPU_CORES: "4"      # Allocate 4 CPU cores  

Language Customization

By default, Windows installs in English. Set a different language using the LANGUAGE environment variable:

 environment:
  LANGUAGE: "English"  # Set Windows language  

Supported languages include:

Language	Setting	Language	Setting
English	English	Chinese	Chinese
Japanese	Japanese	Korean	Korean
French	French	German	German
Spanish	Spanish	Russian	Russian
Italian	Italian	Portuguese	Portuguese

💡 Tip: Choose officially supported languages for best stability and compatibility.

Remote Access Setup

Web Access

1. Access http://your-host-ip:8006 after container launch
2. Wait for automatic installation
3. Installation is complete when Windows desktop appears

RDP Remote Desktop

1. Connect using any RDP client to your-host-ip:3389
2. Default username: Docker
3. Default password: none

Custom Credentials

 environment:
  USERNAME: "admin"
  PASSWORD: "secure_password"  

Advanced Configuration

Custom Installation Scripts

Create and mount install.bat :

 volumes:
  - /path/to/scripts:/oem  

DHCP Network Configuration

Enable DHCP:

 environment:
  DHCP: "Y"
devices:
  - /dev/vhost-net
device_cgroup_rules:
  - 'c *:* rwm'  

Troubleshooting

KVM Support Verification

Check KVM support:

 sudo apt install cpu-checker
sudo kvm-ok  

Performance Optimization Tips

1. Enable CPU virtualization extensions
2. Use SSD storage
3. Allocate sufficient system resources
4. Consider macvlan networking for better performance

Conclusion

dockur/windows provides a powerful and flexible solution for running Windows systems in Docker containers. This guide enables you to easily deploy and manage Windows in Docker, opening new possibilities for development, testing, and virtualization scenarios.

References

• dockur/windows GitHub Repository
• Docker Documentation
• Microsoft Remote Desktop Documentation