Incredibly large Docker.raw file on fresh install

[ducbrick]

Description

I am having an issue where a fresh Docker Desktop installs fills ~/.docker/desktop/vms/0/data/Docker.raw with an incredibly large amout of data - over 100 GB, and completely eats up all of my disk space.

Reproduce

• Set up Docker’s apt repository:

# Add Docker's official GPG key:
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install ca-certificates curl
sudo install -m 0755 -d /etc/apt/keyrings
sudo curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg -o /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.asc
sudo chmod a+r /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.asc

# Add the repository to Apt sources:
echo \
  "deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture) signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/docker.asc] https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu \
  $(. /etc/os-release && echo "${UBUNTU_CODENAME:-$VERSION_CODENAME}") stable" | \
  sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.list > /dev/null
sudo apt-get update

• Download the DEB package
• Install the package using apt:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install ./docker-desktop-amd64.deb

• Start the installed Docker Desktop desktop entry
• Agree to the Subscription Service

From this moment, my hard drive would start to fill up like crazy.

Running baobab reveals the culprit to be the ~/.docker directory, specifically the ~/.docker/desktop/vms/0/data/Docker.raw file.

The only way to stop it is to kill the com.docker.back process.

I’ved tried to uninstall and reinstall multiple times (including uninstalling any old packages) yet the issue still persists.

Expected behavior

~/.docker/desktop/vms/0/data/Docker.raw continously grows in size.

docker version

Client: Docker Engine - Community
 Version:           28.1.1
 API version:       1.49
 Go version:        go1.23.8
 Git commit:        4eba377
 Built:             Fri Apr 18 09:52:14 2025
 OS/Arch:           linux/amd64
 Context:           default
Cannot connect to the Docker daemon at unix:///var/run/docker.sock. Is the docker daemon running?

docker info

Client: Docker Engine - Community
 Version:    28.1.1
 Context:    default
 Debug Mode: false
 Plugins:
  ai: Docker AI Agent - Ask Gordon (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v1.1.3
    Path:     /usr/lib/docker/cli-plugins/docker-ai
  buildx: Docker Buildx (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v0.22.0-desktop.1
    Path:     /usr/lib/docker/cli-plugins/docker-buildx
  cloud: Docker Cloud (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  0.2.20
    Path:     /usr/lib/docker/cli-plugins/docker-cloud
  compose: Docker Compose (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v2.34.0-desktop.1
    Path:     /usr/lib/docker/cli-plugins/docker-compose
  debug: Get a shell into any image or container (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  0.0.38
    Path:     /usr/lib/docker/cli-plugins/docker-debug
  desktop: Docker Desktop commands (Beta) (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v0.1.6
    Path:     /usr/lib/docker/cli-plugins/docker-desktop
  dev: Docker Dev Environments (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v0.1.2
    Path:     /usr/lib/docker/cli-plugins/docker-dev
  extension: Manages Docker extensions (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v0.2.27
    Path:     /usr/lib/docker/cli-plugins/docker-extension
  init: Creates Docker-related starter files for your project (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v1.4.0
    Path:     /usr/lib/docker/cli-plugins/docker-init
  sbom: View the packaged-based Software Bill Of Materials (SBOM) for an image (Anchore Inc.)
    Version:  0.6.0
    Path:     /usr/lib/docker/cli-plugins/docker-sbom
  scout: Docker Scout (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v1.17.0
    Path:     /usr/lib/docker/cli-plugins/docker-scout

Server:
Cannot connect to the Docker daemon at unix:///var/run/docker.sock. Is the docker daemon running?

Diagnostics ID

E249B466-2780-40FB-A4DE-88D0405695AE/20250426111332

Additional Info

No response

[rimelek]

Just for additional details, I share the forum topic as well: https://forums.docker.com/t/incredibly-large-docker-raw-file-on-fresh-install/147832/2

The operating system is Linux Mint and we had a similar issue on Linux Mint in February: https://forums.docker.com/t/docker-destop-initialization-engine-starting-docker-raw-size-growing-ad-inifitum/146688/5?u=rimelek

I don't know if it could happen on supported distributions.

[ducbrick]

Just for additional details, I share the forum topic as well: https://forums.docker.com/t/incredibly-large-docker-raw-file-on-fresh-install/147832/2

The operating system is Linux Mint and we had a similar issue on Linux Mint in February: https://forums.docker.com/t/docker-destop-initialization-engine-starting-docker-raw-size-growing-ad-inifitum/146688/5?u=rimelek

I don't know if it could happen on supported distributions.

So i guess i'm cooked?

Is there any way to use Docker without Docker Desktop? I can work with the terminal so hopefully there's a CLI alternative.

[alex-shef]

The same on Ubuntu 25.04 using the link from docs(deb. of previous version)

[nickolasaperes]

Same problem here on PopOS

I reinstalled Docker Desktop several times, but it always takes up all my free space (+500 GB), making my OS completely broken. It's very frustrating.

[tycloud97]

I also same problem. It eat all storage i have

[sandeepn-quco]

Check this link https://forums.docker.com/t/docker-4-39-0-not-running-able-to-start-on-ubuntu-24-10/147171/4

Based on the link, you can either do it from the terminal or use the Docker Desktop GUI. Change the Disk usage limit from 1TB to the value you see fit. See attched screenshot

[nickolasaperes]

@sandeepn-quco It worked for me, thank you

[Yuqoi]

@sandeepn-quco Thank you worked exactly how it should.