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Dockur Windows

dockur/windows

Dockur Windows runs Windows in a Docker-managed QEMU virtual machine.

Forks 4,416
Author dockur
Language Shell
License MIT
Synced 2026-06-27

What it is

Dockur Windows starts Windows inside a Docker container using QEMU virtualization. It is useful when a separate Windows environment is needed without manually creating a VM.

Windows is not becoming a container system here. A full virtual machine runs underneath, while Docker packages launch configuration, volumes, and ports.

What is inside

The repository contains Dockerfiles, scripts, launch parameters, and documentation for Windows images, storage, networking, and access.

It is useful for testing apps, browsers, clients, automation, and disposable environments. It still needs VM-level resources: memory, disk, and hardware acceleration matter.

How it is used

It is often run on a Linux host to check software in Windows, open a remote desktop, or prepare an isolated environment.

Long-running environments still require attention to Windows licensing, updates, remote access security, and volume backups.

Strengths and limits

The strength is a short path from command to a running Windows environment. The configuration can live with other infrastructure files.

The limitation is resource use and host capability. Graphics-heavy tasks, games, or unusual USB devices may not be a good fit.

Dockur Windows fits temporary test rigs: checking an installer, opening a browser in Windows, reproducing a client bug, or preparing a clean environment. The longer the machine lives, the more it requires normal Windows administration.

For server use, ports, passwords, network rules, and VM disk storage matter. A convenient one-command launch should not hide that a full operating system with normal risks is running inside.

That is why it should be documented like any other shared environment: who can access it, where data is stored, when it is rebuilt, and how it is removed.

Example

Running a Windows container

The example shows the core idea: a persistent volume stores the VM disk and a port exposes remote access.

Language: Bash
docker run -it --rm \
  --device=/dev/kvm \
  -p 8006:8006 \
  -v windows-data:/storage \
  dockurr/windows