WSL version updated to 2.5.7.0, caused docker Desktop to stop

[NihaNallappagari]

Windows Version

windows 11 enterprise

WSL Version

2.5.7.0

Are you using WSL 1 or WSL 2?

• [x] WSL 2
• [ ] WSL 1

Kernel Version

5.15.153.1-2

Distro Version

No response

Other Software

wsl -v -l WSL version: 2.5.7.0 Kernel version: 6.6.87.1-1 WSLg version: 1.0.66 MSRDC version: 1.2.6074 Direct3D version: 1.611.1-81528511 DXCore version: 10.0.26100.1-240331-1435.ge-release Windows version: 10.0.26100.4202

Repro Steps

Upgrade wsl to 2.5.7.0 and start docker desktop, docker desktop fails to start

Expected Behavior

It shouldn't interrupt docker behavior

Actual Behavior

Upgrade wsl to 2.5.7.0 and start docker desktop, docker desktop fails to start. Downgraded to WSL version: 2.2.4.0 and everything working as expected.

Diagnostic Logs

Different errors did popup Error occured during wsl startup failed to fetch extensions running engine: waiting for the Docker API: context deadline exceeded

[github-actions[bot]]

Logs are required for review from WSL team

If this a feature request, please reply with '/feature'. If this is a question, reply with '/question'. Otherwise please attach logs by following the instructions below, your issue will not be reviewed unless they are added. These logs will help us understand what is going on in your machine.

How to collect WSL logs

Download and execute collect-wsl-logs.ps1 in an administrative powershell prompt:

Invoke-WebRequest -UseBasicParsing "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/microsoft/WSL/master/diagnostics/collect-wsl-logs.ps1" -OutFile collect-wsl-logs.ps1
Set-ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Scope Process -Force
.\collect-wsl-logs.ps1

The script will output the path of the log file once done.

If this is a networking issue, please use collect-networking-logs.ps1, following the instructions here

Once completed please upload the output files to this Github issue.

Click here for more info on logging If you choose to email these logs instead of attaching to the bug, please send them to [email protected] with the number of the github issue in the subject, and in the message a link to your comment in the github issue and reply with '/emailed-logs'.

[github-actions[bot]]

Logs are required for review from WSL team

If this a feature request, please reply with '/feature'. If this is a question, reply with '/question'. Otherwise please attach logs by following the instructions below, your issue will not be reviewed unless they are added. These logs will help us understand what is going on in your machine.

How to collect WSL logs

Download and execute collect-wsl-logs.ps1 in an administrative powershell prompt:

Invoke-WebRequest -UseBasicParsing "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/microsoft/WSL/master/diagnostics/collect-wsl-logs.ps1" -OutFile collect-wsl-logs.ps1
Set-ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Scope Process -Force
.\collect-wsl-logs.ps1

The script will output the path of the log file once done.

If this is a networking issue, please use collect-networking-logs.ps1, following the instructions here

Once completed please upload the output files to this Github issue.

Click here for more info on logging If you choose to email these logs instead of attaching to the bug, please send them to [email protected] with the number of the github issue in the subject, and in the message a link to your comment in the github issue and reply with '/emailed-logs'.

[ecigar13]

This version doesn't have issue: PS C:\Users\keithnguyen> wsl -v -l WSL version: 2.2.4.0 Kernel version: 5.15.153.1-2 WSLg version: 1.0.61 MSRDC version: 1.2.5326 Direct3D version: 1.611.1-81528511 DXCore version: 10.0.26091.1-240325-1447.ge-release Windows version: 10.0.26100.4061

Docker version 4.41 (latest)

Issue posted with Docker team, but it seems WSL is the cause: https://github.com/docker/for-win/issues/14802

[gracewehner]

+1 having the same issue

[OneBlue]

/logs

[SirLouen]

Some logs: WslLogs-2025-05-31_18-57-54.zip

[leongj]

Same issue - I downgraded to 2.4.13 and Docker started working I was also having this issue: https://github.com/docker/for-win/issues/14704

[SirLouen]

Same issue - I downgraded to 2.4.13 and Docker started working I was also having this issue: docker/for-win#14704

Yes, this is what I also did to make it work

> wsl --version
WSL version: 2.4.13.0
Kernel version: 5.15.167.4-1
WSLg version: 1.0.65
MSRDC version: 1.2.5716
Direct3D version: 1.611.1-81528511
DXCore version: 10.0.26100.1-240331-1435.ge-release
Windows version: 10.0.26100.4061

[mikeleppane]

Hey! +1 also happens to me. It also affects VS Code when using the WSL extension. This version of WSL is now causing serious issues, making Docker Desktop and VS Code usage almost impossible.

WSL-versio: 2.5.7.0
Ytimen versio: 6.6.87.1-1
WSLg-versio: 1.0.66
MSRDC-versio: 1.2.6074
Direct3D-versio: 1.611.1-81528511
DXCore-versio: 10.0.26100.1-240331-1435.ge-release
Windows-versio: 10.0.26100.4202

[sXe79]

+1 Same issue

[romanko-ms]

Same issue: WSL version: 2.5.7.0 Kernel version: 6.6.87.1-1 WSLg version: 1.0.66 MSRDC version: 1.2.6074 Direct3D version: 1.611.1-81528511 DXCore version: 10.0.26100.1-240331-1435.ge-release Windows version: 10.0.26100.3983 Tried full reinstall + app data deletion from here but does not help.

[giacomo]

a downgrade of wsl seems not to be right choiche, is there any other solutions out there?

[giacomo]

Here are some logs:

bootstrapping in the main distro: deploying WSL distros: provisioning docker WSL distros: ensuring data distro is deployed: deploying "docker-desktop-data": importing WSL distro "Die importierte Datei ist keine gültige Linux-Distribution.\r\nFehlercode: Wsl/Service/RegisterDistro/WSL_E_NOT_A_LINUX_DISTRO\r\n" output="docker-desktop-data": exit code: 4294967295: running WSL command wsl.exe C:\WINDOWS\System32\wsl.exe --import docker-desktop-data <HOME>\AppData\Local\Docker\wsl\data C:\Program Files\Docker\Docker\resources\wsl\wsl-data.tar --version 2: Die importierte Datei ist keine gültige Linux-Distribution. Fehlercode: Wsl/Service/RegisterDistro/WSL_E_NOT_A_LINUX_DISTRO : exit status 0xffffffff

WslLogs-2025-06-03_00-45-50.zip

[OneBlue]

Thank you @giacomo. I can't reproduce that error unfortunately. Which version of docker, and what action / command gives you that error ?

[OneBlue]

Actually I found the information I was looking for. This is the root cause of the error you're seeing:

2440	False	Microsoft.Windows.Lxss.Manager	GuestLog	0	06-02-2025 15:46:33.681	"	"	"text: 	""[    4.310173] WSL (1 - LaunchDistro) ERROR: PostProcessImportedDistribution:2598: Failed to access /bin/sh 2 ""
vmId: 	{5b34f429-614d-46d6-84ec-952f5a29a5b7}"				4636	11788	5		00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000		

In 2.5.7 we added logic to validate that a distribution is valid, and having /bin/sh is one of checks that the tar needs to pass.

It looks like this might be a bit too strict for docker, I'll make a code change to fix that.

[giacomo]

@OneBlue running is actually the latest version of docker under arm64.

if you can provide a preview of the changes I can try it and give feedback.

[JeroenBer]

Same issue here

[chrisbjr]

same issue and the downgrade worked for me. feels bad though, i thought it was my SSD failing so i went and got a new one.

[julienstroheker]

Having the same issue.

Super naive question, is there any pipeline and/or validation that is running today (or can be added) that test a WSL release with docker ?

Thanks

[Tsingis]

Seem to work fine with the newest Docker Desktop https://docs.docker.com/desktop/release-notes/#4420

EDIT

First downgraded wsl to 2.4.13, then installed Docker Desktop 4.4.20 and finally updated wsl to 2.5.7.

Windows x64

[JeroenBer]

Newest docker desktop 4.42.0 didn't solve anything for me, same problem still persists

[JeroenBer]

Docker seems now unusable at least on Windows ARM64. I tried latest Docker 4.42 as suggest above but didn't solve, same issue.

I tried the downgrade to WSL v2.4.13 (as suggested in https://github.com/docker/for-win/issues/14802) but then we run into

Unexpected WSL error
wsl.exe --mount on ARM64 requires Windows version 27653 or newer

This seems another old bug: https://github.com/microsoft/WSL/issues/12360

@OneBlue when can we expect a new WSL version with the fix ?

[sXe79]

Win ARM64 here, last docker desktop still broken

WSL 2.5.7.0

mount: /mnt/host/wsl/docker-desktop/cli-tools: unknown filesystem type 'iso9660'.

[JeroenBer]

@sXe79 I finally managed to get it working on Windows ARM64 by doing both the following:

• Downgrading WSL to 2.4.13 (as suggested in https://github.com/docker/for-win/issues/14802)
• Install docker desktop 4.42.0 Windows ARM beta version (see download link at https://docs.docker.com/desktop/release-notes/#4420)

[mikeleppane]

I can confirm that Docker Desktop (version 4.42.0) with WSL2 (2.5.7.0) is still not functioning correctly. This issue also impacts the VS Code WSL extension, which crashes intermittently. I hope this problem is resolved quickly, as using VS Code alongside Docker Desktop is currently a frustrating experience.

[mortech69]

On recent Windows Insider/Canary builds, WSL is now a system component and cannot be downgraded or uninstalled. The workaround to downgrade to WSL 2.4.13.0 is not possible on this build.**

• Please advise if there is a workaround for Insider builds or if support for WSL 2.5.7.0+ is planned.

[fsalmasri]

WSL version: 2.5.7.0 Kernel version: 6.6.87.1-1 WSLg version: 1.0.66 MSRDC version: 1.2.6074 Direct3D version: 1.611.1-81528511 DXCore version: 10.0.26100.1-240331-1435.ge-release Windows version: 10.0.26100.4202

[fjmalan]

https://docs.docker.com/desktop/release-notes/#4420

• Fixed a bug where Docker Desktop failed to start on WSL 2.5.7 if another WSL distro is still using Linux cgroups v1. Fixes [docker/for-win#14801]

[OneBlue]

Fixed in 2.5.9. Also see the above docker issue for cgroupv1 issue.