How to Solve Error Message An Error Occurred Containers feature is disabled when changing Docker Desktop Application Engine from WSL 2 Engine to Hyper-V in Microsoft Windows

Introduction

Actually, this article is an article where it can be useful if there is something wrong exist as in the previous article. In other words, if the step in that article contains specific error, this article will help to provide a solution. The article has the title of ‘How to Change Docker Desktop application Engine from WSL 2 based Engine to Hyper-V Engine as Backend in Microsoft Windows’ and it exist in this link. The error appear upon clicking the Apply & Restart button in the Docker Desktop application. Precisely, the button exist in the General menu inside the Settings window. Below is the appearance of it :

In the Settings Window above, there is a process for unchecking a certain checkbox. That is a checkbox with the label of ‘Use the WSL 2 based engine’. By changing the checkbox value, the button with the label ‘Apply & Restart’ will be active with a blue color. After clicking that button, the following error message appear :

Furthemore, the following error will also appear :

There is a specific purpose for switching from WSL 2 engine to Hyper-V engine. The main purpose is to be able to activate or to show the File Sharing sub-menu in the Resources menu. So, it will appear in a Settings window of the Docker Desktop application where there is a Resources menu in it. The following is the appearance of the Resources menu in Setting window when the engine of the Docker Desktop application is a WSL 2 based engine :

How to Solve Error Message An Error Occurred Containers feature is disabled

After seeing the above error message, there are two choices available. The first one is switch back to the WSL 2 engine. In order to break it down, the following is the step to solve for specific purpose :

1. The first one is the choice to switch back to WSL 2 engine. This is not an actual option in order to change the sub-menu appearance of the Resources menu in Settings window of Docker Desktop application. Actually, deactivating WSL 2 engine will force Docker Desktop application to use Hyper-V engine. But in this context, using the Hyper-V engine is not possible. In the above message, currently Hyper-V engine does not exist as part of the Windows feature.  So, choosing this option is fine.

2. On the other hand, choose the other button with the label ‘Quit’ will make no different result. It will ends in the Docker Desktop application having the old settings keep intact. There will be no change for clicking both of the buttons.

3. So, the only solution for this error message by accomplishing the purpose is only by installing the Hyper-V engine as part of the Windows feature. Just check the article in this link to be able to do that. That is an article with the title of ‘How to Install Hyper-V engine as Windows Feature in Microsoft Windows’. Furthermore, the installation itself is using a PowerShell where it has an Administrator privilege. So, run the PowerShell using an Administrator account or any user account possessing Administrator privilege. If the execution is using an account which does not have any enough privilege, it will trigger an error. It is exist as in in another previous article in this link with the title of ‘How to Solve Error Message Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature : The requested operation requires elevation when Enabling Hyper-V Engine in Microsoft Windows’.

4. If the Hyper-V engine feature is available by performing the installation as in the previous step, just repeat the process to uncheck the label of ‘Use the WSL 2 Engine’ once more.