Ubuntu WSL with docker could not be found

Question

The command $ docker could not be found in this WSL 1 distro. We recommend to convert this distro to WSL 2 and activate the WSL integration in Docker Desktop settings.

See https://docs.docker.com/docker-for-windows/wsl/ for details.

Not able to change to WSL2 and not able to install docker:

Answer 1

You need to go to the docker desktop settings, and enable integration with your distro in "Resources -> WSL Integration".

Answer 2

Assuming you already have wsl 2 in your system, run powershell as admin:

run wsl --list --verbose which will give you a list of your wsl running processes:

> wsl --list --verbose
  NAME                   STATE           VERSION
  Ubuntu-20.04           Running         1

Then to switch it with wsl --set-version <your proc> 2:

> wsl --set-version Ubuntu-20.04 2
Conversion in progress, this may take a few minutes...
For information on key differences with WSL 2 please visit https://aka.ms/wsl2
Conversion complete.

Answer 3

I stuck with this error after remove Ubuntu 18.04 and install the 20.04.

Even with the WSL 2 enabled, I still face this error.

This is what works for me, go the Settings --> resource and toggle the "Ubuntu" then the error disappear :)

Answer 4

My problem seems like it's the same, despite the integration WSL is already enabled since installation.

In the windows shell:

> wsl docker --version

The command 'docker' could not be found in this WSL 2 distro.
We recommend to activate the WSL integration in Docker Desktop settings.

See https://docs.docker.com/docker-for-windows/wsl/ for details.

An option to resolve this problem is reinstalling Docker Desktop (https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/virtualization/windowscontainers/manage-docker/configure-docker-daemon#how-to-uninstall-docker), but don't need to do this.

The steps below work for me (I found at https://github.com/docker/for-win/issues/7039).

Open windows shell (maybe as admin), and run:

> wsl -t docker-desktop
> wsl --shutdown
> wsl --unregister docker-desktop

Then go to windows services, stop the Docker Desktop Service, OR to do this running the command in windows shell as admin:

> Stop-Service -Name "com.docker.service"

And finally, restart the Docker Desktop App.

Test in the windows shell:

> wsl docker --version
Docker version 20.10.2, build 2291f61