Docker Desktop 4.1.0 - Installation Failed on Windows 10: Process InstallerCli.exe exited with code 1

Question

I tried to install the Docker Desktop 4.1.0 on Windows 10. I folowed the installation instruction from the official docs

• Hyper-V is enabled
• WLS-2 is installed

And I'm getting the following error:

Installation Failed
Component CommunityInstaller.ExecAction failed: Process InstallerCli.exe exited with code 1
   at CommunityInstaller.InstallWorkflow.<DoHandleD4WPackageAsync>d__30.MoveNext()
--- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---
   at System.Runtime.ExceptionServices.ExceptionDispatchInfo.Throw()
   at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.TaskAwaiter.HandleNonSuccessAndDebuggerNotification(Task task)
   at CommunityInstaller.InstallWorkflow.<DoProcessAsync>d__24.MoveNext() (

The installation log %LocalAppData%\Docker\install-log.11.txt:

Started on: 2021-10-08 16:18:00.362
File: C:\Users\Admin\AppData\Local\Docker\install-log.txt
CommandLine: "D:\Temp\Docker Desktop Installer.exe" 
[16:18:00.466][ManifestAndExistingInstallationLoader] No install path specified, looking for default installation registry key
[16:18:00.467][Program] No installation found
[16:18:00.569][InstallWorkflow] Cancel pending background download
[16:18:04.848][InstallWorkflow] Using package: res:DockerDesktop
[16:18:04.863][InstallWorkflow] Downloading
[16:18:08.038][InstallWorkflow] Extracting manifest
[16:18:09.562][InstallWorkflow] Manifest found: version=69386, displayVersion=4.1.0, channelUrl=https://desktop.docker.com/win/main/amd64/appcast.xml
[16:18:09.562][InstallWorkflow] Checking prerequisites
[16:18:10.089][InstallWorkflow] Prompting for optional features
[16:18:16.478][InstallWorkflow] Unpacking artifacts
[16:20:37.590][InstallWorkflow] Deploying component CommunityInstaller.CreateGroupAction
[16:20:51.267][InstallWorkflow] Deploying component CommunityInstaller.AddToGroupAction
[16:21:00.357][InstallWorkflow] Deploying component CommunityInstaller.EnableFeaturesAction
[16:21:01.235][InstallWorkflow] Deploying component CommunityInstaller.ServiceAction
[16:21:01.238][InstallWorkflow-ServiceAction] Removing service
[16:21:01.240][InstallWorkflow-ServiceAction] Creating service
[16:21:02.868][InstallWorkflow] Deploying component CommunityInstaller.ShortcutAction
[16:21:02.885][InstallWorkflow-ShortcutAction] Creating shortcut: D:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Docker Desktop.lnk/Docker Desktop
[16:21:02.891][InstallWorkflow] Deploying component CommunityInstaller.ShortcutAction
[16:21:02.893][InstallWorkflow-ShortcutAction] Creating shortcut: C:\Users\Admin\Desktop\Docker Desktop.lnk/Docker Desktop
[16:21:02.894][InstallWorkflow] Deploying component CommunityInstaller.AutoStartAction
[16:21:02.896][InstallWorkflow] Deploying component CommunityInstaller.PathAction
[16:21:03.196][InstallWorkflow] Deploying component CommunityInstaller.PathAction
[16:21:03.360][InstallWorkflow] Deploying component CommunityInstaller.ExecAction

The installation log 2 %LocalAppData%\Docker\install-log.txt:

Version: 4.1.0 (69386)
Sha1: 05eb8751ac40e465ab6691a9d6db535252f63c0d
Started on: 2021-10-08 16:21:03.710
Resources: D:\Program Files\Docker\Docker\resources
OS: Windows 10 Pro
Edition: Professional
Id: 2009
Build: 19042
BuildLabName: 19041.1.amd64fre.vb_release.191206-1406
File: C:\Users\Admin\AppData\Local\Docker\install-log.txt
CommandLine: "D:\Program Files\Docker\Docker\InstallerCli.exe" -i
You can send feedback, including this log file, at https://github.com/docker/for-win/issues
[16:21:03.883][Installer         ][Info   ] Preparing upgrade...
[16:21:03.906][HyperV            ][Info   ] Destroy
[16:21:04.488][LinuxWSL2Engine   ][Info   ] Destroying distro
[16:21:04.651][Installer         ][Info   ] Prepare upgrade completed successfully
[16:21:04.652][Installer         ][Info   ] Fixing permissions...
[16:21:04.653][Installer         ][Info   ] Deleting directory D:\Program Files\Docker\cli-plugins
[16:21:04.657][Installer         ][Info   ] removing permission inheritance from D:\ProgramData\DockerDesktop
[16:21:04.658][Installer         ][Info   ] removing ACLs except for SYSTEM and Administrators from D:\ProgramData\DockerDesktop
[16:21:04.658][Installer         ][Info   ] granting ReadAndExecute to everyone for D:\ProgramData\DockerDesktop
[16:21:04.659][Installer         ][Info   ] removing permission inheritance from D:\Program Files\Docker\cli-plugins
[16:21:04.659][Installer         ][Info   ] removing ACLs except for SYSTEM and Administrators from D:\Program Files\Docker\cli-plugins
[16:21:04.660][Installer         ][Info   ] granting ReadAndExecute to everyone for D:\Program Files\Docker\cli-plugins
[16:21:04.660][Installer         ][Info   ] removing permission inheritance from D:\ProgramData\Docker
[16:21:04.660][Installer         ][Info   ] removing ACLs except for SYSTEM and Administrators from D:\ProgramData\Docker
[16:21:04.663][Installer         ][Error  ] Access to the path 'D:\ProgramData\Docker\config' is denied.
[16:21:04.722][InstallWorkflow] Installation failed
Exception type: System.Exception, Exception message: Component CommunityInstaller.ExecAction failed: Process InstallerCli.exe exited with code 1, StackTrace:
   at CommunityInstaller.InstallWorkflow.<DoHandleD4WPackageAsync>d__30.MoveNext()
--- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---
   at System.Runtime.ExceptionServices.ExceptionDispatchInfo.Throw()
   at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.TaskAwaiter.HandleNonSuccessAndDebuggerNotification(Task task)
   at CommunityInstaller.InstallWorkflow.<DoProcessAsync>d__24.MoveNext()
[16:21:04.724][InstallWorkflow] Rollbacking component CommunityInstaller.PathAction
[16:21:04.919][InstallWorkflow] Rollbacking component CommunityInstaller.PathAction
[16:21:05.106][InstallWorkflow] Rollbacking component CommunityInstaller.AutoStartAction
[16:21:05.109][InstallWorkflow] Rollbacking component CommunityInstaller.ShortcutAction
[16:21:05.110][InstallWorkflow] Rollbacking component CommunityInstaller.ShortcutAction
[16:21:05.111][InstallWorkflow] Rollbacking component CommunityInstaller.ServiceAction
[16:21:06.121][InstallWorkflow] Rollbacking component CommunityInstaller.EnableFeaturesAction
[16:21:06.122][InstallWorkflow] Rollbacking component CommunityInstaller.AddToGroupAction
[16:21:06.123][InstallWorkflow] Rollbacking component CommunityInstaller.CreateGroupAction
[16:21:06.123][InstallWorkflow] Rollbacking component CommunityInstaller.UnpackArtifactsStep
[16:21:06.137][FileSystem] Deleting D:\Program Files\Docker\Docker
[16:21:06.333][FileSystem] Deleted D:\Program Files\Docker\Docker successfully
[16:21:06.333][InstallWorkflow] Rollbacking component CommunityInstaller.ExtractManifestStep
[16:21:06.334][InstallWorkflow] Rollbacking component CommunityInstaller.DownloadStep

I also tried to skip the installation of the WSL2 components and I got the same error

UPDATE: I see that it tried to change permissions for this folder: D:\ProgramData\Docker. But it could only remove all permissions:

removing ACLs except for SYSTEM and Administrators from D:\ProgramData\Docker
Access to the path 'D:\ProgramData\Docker\config' is denied.

What could be the problem?

Answer 1

I was getting the same error with Docker Desktop 4.6.1, where it was trying to remove permissions on the C:\ProgramData\Docker directory, but didn't have permissions to. I tried to grant the permissions on that directory as mentioned in your answer @Nikolay-Makhonin, but apparently didn't have access to, even though I'm an admin on my machine.

What fixed it for me was just outright deleting the C:\ProgramData\Docker directory and then running the installer again.

Answer 2

My problem was similar but in my case it was caused by a computer trojan. The trojan inserted a registry key inside HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run and locked the registry folder.

I had to open regedit as administrator:

Navigate to the folder:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

Right click -> Permissions -> Advanced.

There I saw that one of the permission entries was Denied. I had to change it to allow, delete the malignous key RuntimeBroker, and run the Docker Installation again.