Docker daemon: Is the docker daemon running?

Question

[c.eskiw]

Good day all,

I am trying to eventually run the Genome Analysis Tool Kit. However, I am a Linux user and GATK does not run directly from the Windows version of Docker Desktop. I have been trying to install Docker Desktop through Ubuntu. Some nice tutorials online; however, these are failing. I am not using Ubuntu desktop but the terminal window (Ubuntu 22.1).

I have followed the installation instructions listed here: https://docs.docker.com/desktop/install/ubuntu/

I have installed with:

sudo apt-get install sudo apt install "/mnt/c/Users/chris/Downloads/docker-desktop-4.14.1-amd64.deb" 

All good.

The next set of instructions has confounded me:

There are a few post-install configuration steps done through the post-install script contained in the deb package.

The post-install script:

Sets the capability on the Docker Desktop binary to map privileged ports and set resource limits.
Adds a DNS name for Kubernetes to /etc/hosts.
Creates a link from /usr/bin/docker to /usr/local/bin/com.docker.cli

I have not completed this as there is no /bin/docker file

The error message here is:

Cannot connect to the Docker daemon at unix:///var/run/docker.sock. Is the docker daemon running?

I have been through multiple help pages and fixes but I am still getting this message.

Any fix for this would be great or another way I could use GATK in the linux/ubuntu environment would be great.

Cheers,
Chris

Answer 1

[zorbax]

If you are trying to install Docker Desktop Linux on Windows WSL with Ubuntu, it would be better to install the Windows version of Docker Desktop and enable the WSL 2 backend engine. Otherwise, you will be using virtual machines instead of a Linux kernel built by Microsoft.

[c.eskiw]

This worked! Thank you for the suggestion.

Answer 2

[Istvan Albert]

If you are working on Unix I would recommend using Singularity containers. A whole lot less hassle than Docker.