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Docker Desktop Crashed After upgrade 4.90 -> 4.96 #766
Description
Bug report
Upgraded Docker Desktop 4.90 to 4.96.
starting engine: engine windows failed to start: starting windows containers: An error has occurred.
Crashed
Platform
Windows
Version information
Client:
Version: 29.9.1
API version: 1.56
Go version: go1.26.9
Git commit: dfc520d
Built: Wed Oct 14 18:34:24 2026
OS/Arch: windows/amd64
Context: desktop-windows
Error response from daemon: Docker Desktop is unable to startDiagnostics ID
60F5C05A-9C4B-4C07-AC29-AA0107B71C34/20261021055306
Activity
fire332 commentedon Oct 21, 2026
Possible duplicate of #729
MarCezG commentedon Oct 22, 2026
Hi @TheDoubleH , thanks for the report.
Looking at your diagnostics, the root cause is this error during Windows container startup:
Failed to start Windows containers: System.Exception: Path contains symlink: C:\ProgramData\Docker\exec-root\extensions\callback.sock
This has already been identified internally and fixed. The fix will be available in Docker Desktop 4.97, you’re currently on 4.96.0, just before the fix lands, so please look out for the new version and update once available.
In the meantime, here’s a workaround that’s resolved this for other users hitting the same issue:
Right-click the Docker icon in the system tray → Quit Docker Desktop.
Open an elevated PowerShell and run:
'''
powershell
Stop-Service com.docker.service
Remove-Item "C:\ProgramData\Docker\exec-root\extensions\callback.sock" -Force
Start-Service com.docker.service
'''
Start Docker Desktop again.
GreyGhostStudio commentedon Oct 22, 2026
note: workaround appears to be required after each windows reboot, callback.sock possibly generated during the startup process of an underlying service.