ElasticSearch in Windows docker image vm max map count

Question

I am new to Docker and Elasticsearch. I am using a Windows 7 machine. I am using docker-compose up to bring up the docker container. My yml file has

elasticsearch:
  image: elasticsearch:5.1.1
  environment:
    ES_JAVA_OPTS: "-Xms1g -Xmx1g"

along with other linked images.
I am using docker to bring up the elasticsearch image and when I do so I get the following error

[36melasticsearch_1   |←[0m ERROR: bootstrap checks failed
[36melasticsearch_1   |←[0m max virtual memory areas vm.max_map_count [65530]  is too low, increase to at least [262144]
[36melasticsearch_1   |←[0m [2017-02-08T11:06:51,752][INFO ][o.e.n.Node

I googled for a solution and everywhere they suggest to use sudo sysctl vm.max_map_count=262144, but in Windows sysctl is not available. No clear steps are given for Windows.

Some other Docker images are up and running on my machine so Docker is working.

Can someone give any clues to solve this issue?

Thanks for asking this question. I found the answer in one of the suggestions below. You might save people time in the future if you tick the right answer. — Steve Tomlin, Oct 24 '20 at 13:45

Paolo De Dominicis · Answer 1 · 2022-03-03T09:03:50.820

114

I have been stuck for months on this problem, the solution is launch the following commands on cmd.exe (try Powershell or Bash if cmd doesn't work), as stated in the official Elasticsearch documentation:

1) wsl -d docker-desktop
2) sysctl -w vm.max_map_count=262144

And you are ready to start Elasticsearch!

edited Mar 03 '22 at 09:03

answered Sep 14 '20 at 10:14

Paolo De Dominicis

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Saved me! only thig is, didn't work for me when ran that in CMD, but running that in PowerShell fixed the issue. – Talkhak1313 Mar 02 '22 at 05:25
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Saved me .. Thanks – Sunny Tambi Mar 31 '22 at 10:58
If `wsl -d docker-desktop` does not bring you into the docker-desktop subsystem, you will be prompt `sysctl` is not found when you execute the second command. In this case, try uncheck "Use the WSL 2 based engine" in the docker desktop app and then check it again. – Yuefeng Li Aug 25 '22 at 08:46
1

Thank you very much, saved me hours of searching – Asaad Mamoun Jul 23 '23 at 00:43

score 21 · Answer 2 · answered May 29 '20 at 03:14

21

Currently, following this issue, the way to make it work is by wsl -d docker-desktop and sysctl -w vm.max_map_count=262144 there.

Some people got it to work persistently by echo "vm.max_map_count = 262144" > /etc/sysctl.d/99-docker-desktop.conf or echo -e "\nvm.max_map_count = 262144\n" >> /etc/sysctl.d/00-alpine.conf, but none of these worked for me.

answered May 29 '20 at 03:14

João Ciocca

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This worked for me as `docker-machine ssh` was not an option. – Severin Aug 16 '20 at 11:11
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yeah, I forgot to mention that since I was dealing with WSL, `docker-machine ssh` wasn't an option either! – João Ciocca Aug 18 '20 at 03:28
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Good answer people forget not everyone wants to use a different distro. I have Docker-Desktop with WSL 2 using Debian – Trevor Apr 03 '21 at 19:42
2

Please use this commands `wsl -d docker-desktop` `echo 262144 >> /proc/sys/vm/max_map_count` – Josh Apr 07 '21 at 16:14
Good Job 100% working – Sep 28 '22 at 06:56

score 9 · Answer 3 · edited May 19 '23 at 23:09

9

the only thing that worked for me as permanent solution was adding this line to the .wslconfig (should be in your windows user directory %userprofile%)

[wsl2]
kernelCommandLine="sysctl.vm.max_map_count=262144"

thanks to @NotTheDr01ds for finding the solution

https://stackoverflow.com/a/69294687/1972133

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/wsl-config#wslconfig

edited May 19 '23 at 23:09

NanoNova

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answered Oct 11 '21 at 08:04

mukki182

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And shutdown docker, shutdown wsl2 with `wsl --shutdown`, then start docker – Max May 26 '23 at 09:07

JohnC · Answer 4 · 2020-12-30T12:18:21.543

8

Elasticsearch have a fix for this.

This worked for me on Win 10 Pro Version 10.0.19042.685, Docker Engine v20.10.0 Using ES 7.10

The problem is on the host linux machine (WSL2) not the containers.

see section Windows with Docker Desktop WSL 2 backend https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/docker.html#_set_vm_max_map_count_to_at_least_262144

-d distribution (eg not ubuntu)

wsl -d docker-desktop
sysctl -w vm.max_map_count=262144

After that my 3 node cluster docker-compose launched successfully.

edited Dec 30 '20 at 12:18

answered Dec 30 '20 at 11:59

JohnC

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Hi, good answer, but is there anyway to keep this permanent? It seems I keep having to do this. – Joe Yahchouchi Jul 15 '21 at 17:08

score 6 · Answer 5 · answered Sep 20 '17 at 17:59

6

You can set up vm.max_map_count using following commands:

docker-machine ssh

sudo sysctl -w vm.max_map_count=262144

answered Sep 20 '17 at 17:59

Rinat Suleimanov

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This works if you SSH into the docker-machine. I am doing this on Windows 7 with Docker toolbox(legacy requirement). – Namphibian Oct 02 '19 at 00:51
What is wrong if my machine doesn't have the command `docker-machine`? – Jolta Oct 06 '21 at 07:01

score 3 · Answer 6 · edited Sep 19 '21 at 15:26

I tried all the approaches and non worked for me... However I was able to set it permanently like this.

Create a bat file for example (set_vm_max.bat)
Write the command inside the file "wsl -d docker-desktop sysctl -w vm.max_map_count=262144"
Now will have to copy the file to the startup location, press "Windows + R"
Type "shell:startup" and press Enter.
Copy the file you just created to start location.

To verify it works:

Reboot
wsl -d docker-desktop
cat /proc/sys/vm/max_map_count

score 2 · Answer 7 · answered Feb 08 '17 at 20:41

You started Elasticsearch in normal or production mode, which from Version 5 contains bootstrap checks, and if they fail Elasticsearch won't start.

https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/bootstrap-checks.html

However you can run the development mode on Windows, which only resolves into warnings. Just try to run the image of elastic itself.

docker run -p 9200:9200 -e "http.host=0.0.0.0" \
 -e "transport.host=127.0.0.1" \
 docker.elastic.co/elasticsearch/elasticsearch:5.2.0

https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/docker.html

score 1 · Answer 8 · edited Jul 14 '17 at 13:20

1

As I was new to this Docker I am confused with the basics. I found the solution for my problem now. In the docker installed in windows there is an Oracle VM Linux box created. I opened that and then there I added the sudo sysctl vm.max_map_count=262144 after which the problem was solved.

edited Jul 14 '17 at 13:20

Martín Schonaker

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answered Feb 13 '17 at 09:59

Anantha Krishnan

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how/where did you find that? – João Ciocca May 28 '20 at 21:32

score 1 · Answer 9 · answered Apr 07 '21 at 11:46

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Unintentionally found that simpler solution for wsl2 user, just run following command in your default wsl2 distribution shell

sudo sysctl -w vm.max_map_count=262144

for example:

answered Apr 07 '21 at 11:46

Jay

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how to open such shell? – Luk Aron Nov 07 '21 at 09:54
@Luck-Aron If you mean the shell, its windows terminal, if you mean the info, install and run `neofetch` bro. – Jay Nov 08 '21 at 12:55

score 1 · Answer 10 · answered Aug 24 '23 at 14:03

In Docker Desktop

wsl -d docker-desktop
sysctl -w vm.max_map_count=262144

In Rancher Desktop

wsl -d rancher-desktop
sysctl -w vm.max_map_count=262144

Rancher with provisioning scripts

YakovK · Answer 11 · 2021-09-17T20:49:06.157

0

The following answer suggested in one of the comments worked well (persisted until machine reboot) in Windows 10, WSL2:

wsl -d docker-desktop
echo 262144 >> /proc/sys/vm/max_map_count

edited Sep 17 '21 at 20:49

answered Sep 16 '21 at 20:12

YakovK

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score 0 · Answer 12 · edited Dec 09 '21 at 06:11

0

wsl -d docker-desktop
vi /etc/wsl.conf

add these lines at the end:

[boot]
kernelCommandLine = "sysctl.vm.max_map_count=262144"

Then restart docker-desktop.

edited Dec 09 '21 at 06:11

Dharman

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answered Dec 09 '21 at 06:05

Wp.

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better put into `.wslconfig` since `wsl.conf` will reset after reboot. like this: ` [wsl2] kernelCommandLine = "sysctl.vm.max_map_count=262144" ` https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/wsl-config#wslconfig – NanoNova May 16 '23 at 09:14

score -1 · Answer 13 · answered Sep 11 '20 at 07:29

-1

Elasticsearch required minimal value 262144 for variable vm.max_map_count.

In linux, show variable value:

sysctl --values vm.max_map_count

Change variable value:

sudo sysctl --w vm.max_map_count=262144

Learn more at Elastisearch guide

answered Sep 11 '20 at 07:29

Eduardo Basílio

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ElasticSearch in Windows docker image vm max map count

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