💻 Windows in Docker Container

Discover an innovative and efficient method of deploying Windows OS (x64) on your linux system using the power of Vagrant VM, libvirt, and docker-compose. Together, these technologies help you containerize Windows OS, enabling you to manage a Windows instance just as you would any Docker container. This seamless integration into existing workflows significantly enhances convenience and optimizes resource allocation.

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📋 Prerequisites

Ensure your system meets the following requirements:

• Docker: Version 20 or higher (Install Docker)

• Host OS: Linux

• Virtualization Enabled:

  • Check with:
    • grep -E -o 'vmx|svm' /proc/cpuinfo
  • Output indicates:
    • vmx → Intel VT-x is supported & enabled.
    • svm → AMD-V is supported & enabled.
  • If virtualization is not enabled, enable it in the BIOS/UEFI settings.

🚀 Deployment Guide

1. Create/Update the environmental file .env

# Vagrant image settings
MEMORY=8000 # 8GB
CPU=4
DISK_SIZE=100

2. Create docker-compose.yml

services:
  win10:
    image: docker.io/vaggeliskls/windows-in-docker-container:latest
    platform: linux/amd64
    env_file: .env
    stdin_open: true
    tty: true
    privileged: true
    cgroup: host
    restart: always
    ports:
      - 3389:3389
      - 2222:2222

4. Create docker-compose.override.yml when you want your VM to be persistent

services:
  win10:
    volumes:
      - libvirt_data:/var/lib/libvirt
      - vagrant_data:/root/.vagrant.d
      - vagrant_project:/app/.vagrant
      - libvirt_config:/etc/libvirt

volumes:
  libvirt_data:
    name: libvirt_data
  vagrant_data:
    name: vagrant_data
  vagrant_project:
    name: vagrant_project
  libvirt_config:
    name: libvirt_config

5. Run: docker compose up -d

When you want to destroy everything docker compose down -v

🌐 Access

Remote Desktop (RDP)

For debugging or testing, you can connect to the VM using Remote Desktop on port 3389.

Software for Remote Desktop Access

OS	Software
Linux	rdesktop → rdesktop <ip>:3389 or Remmina
MacOS	Microsoft Remote Desktop
Windows	Built-in Remote Desktop Connection

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SSH

You can connect via SSH using either the administrator or Vagrant user credentials.

ssh <user>@<host> -p 2222

🔑 User Login

Default users based on the Vagrant image are:

1. Administrator
   • Username: Administrator
   • Password: vagrant
2. User
   • Username: vagrant
   • Password: vagrant

📚 Further Reading and Resources

• Windows Vagrant Tutorial
• Vagrant image: peru/windows-server-2022-standard-x64-eval
• Vagrant by HashiCorp
• Windows Virtual Machine in a Linux Docker Container
• GPU inside a container