Can I run DCOM server on docker?

Question

Can I run DCOM server on docker?

Leonardo Leal Oliveira 6

I have created an image from docker:

FROM mcr.microsoft.com/windows:20H2
USER "NT Authority\System"

Installed a big legacy system, with COM/DCOM client/server communication.
When I try to run the application, there's DCOM error on CoCreateInstanceEx function:
hr = 0X800703F0 An attempt was made to reference a token that does not exist.

Is it possible to make DCOM server run on docker windows container?

SRIJIT-BOSE-MSFT 4,346 Reputation points Microsoft Employee

2021-10-04T11:03:53.137+00:00

@Leonardo Leal Oliveira , We regret the delay and any inconvenience it caused. We are internally investigating on this and will get back to you with more information.
Tobin, Sean G 1 Reputation point

2022-12-20T15:08:21.577+00:00

@Leonardo Leal Oliveira did you ever get an answer?
TeaTimeChimp 0 Reputation points

2023-07-23T18:02:10.1+00:00

I get this is an old post, but, yes, it's possible. I have a DCOM server application running in a Windows container and working perfectly. In my case the application is a database server and the client (GUI) applications run on the host connect via DCOM. I'm not saying it's fit for production, this is a lab, but once I'd created a local admin user on the host and in the container with the same username and password (and attached the container with a 'transparent' network) then it was trivial - it's 8 lines of command shell to go from nothing to a functioning DCOM container,
Kathrotiya, Akash 0 Reputation points

2023-07-24T20:29:18.0066667+00:00

@TeaTimeChimp - would you mind sharing shell or docker file that you created? I am struggling with the same issue.
TeaTimeChimp 0 Reputation points

2023-07-25T08:00:36.53+00:00
I'm unable to share a docker contain because the DCOM server/client are both commercial product, but I can share the outline of the script.

Create a new Docker container from the Windows Server image connected to a new transparent network.

docker network create -d transparent trans
docker create -it --network=trans --name=engsvr mcr.microsoft.com/windows/server:ltsc2022 cmd.exe

Copy your DCOM server installation to the new container (mine has a Wix installer). e.g. in my case

docker cp e:\installers\docker\installer.exe engsvr:c:\installer.exe

Start the container and run your DCOM server installer (or whatever you need to do) - must be a silent install e.g. in my case

docker start -i engsvr

installer.exe /install /quiet /log c:\log.txt

Create a new Windows user inside the container that by default has DCOM launch/access permissions (DCOM User Group does not without changing default access permissions so I used Administrators)

net user /add mydcomuser password123!

net localgroup administrators mydcomuser /add

That's all I needed for the container, now you need to jump though a few hoops on the host machine to get a client connected.

Create a new admin user with the same username and password on the host.

net user /add mydcomuser password123!

net localgroup administrators mydcomuser /add

Run a command shell running as this new user (I used psexec which is a download from MS)

psexec -u mydcomuser -p password123! cmd.exe

From this new command shell launch your DCOM client application. In my case the client takes a command line argument which is the IP address of the DCOM server, the container. E.g. in my case

client.exe /server:192.168.0.xxx

As I said, not ideal creating admin users but it's the only way I found without having to modify DCOM permissions. However, my client application requires admin permissions anyway so not a problem for me.

Your answer

SRIJIT-BOSE-MSFT 4,346 Reputation points Microsoft Employee

2021-10-04T11:03:53.137+00:00

@Leonardo Leal Oliveira , We regret the delay and any inconvenience it caused. We are internally investigating on this and will get back to you with more information.
Tobin, Sean G 1 Reputation point

2022-12-20T15:08:21.577+00:00

@Leonardo Leal Oliveira did you ever get an answer?
TeaTimeChimp 0 Reputation points

2023-07-23T18:02:10.1+00:00

I get this is an old post, but, yes, it's possible. I have a DCOM server application running in a Windows container and working perfectly. In my case the application is a database server and the client (GUI) applications run on the host connect via DCOM. I'm not saying it's fit for production, this is a lab, but once I'd created a local admin user on the host and in the container with the same username and password (and attached the container with a 'transparent' network) then it was trivial - it's 8 lines of command shell to go from nothing to a functioning DCOM container,
Kathrotiya, Akash 0 Reputation points

2023-07-24T20:29:18.0066667+00:00

@TeaTimeChimp - would you mind sharing shell or docker file that you created? I am struggling with the same issue.
TeaTimeChimp 0 Reputation points

2023-07-25T08:00:36.53+00:00

I'm unable to share a docker contain because the DCOM server/client are both commercial product, but I can share the outline of the script.

Create a new Docker container from the Windows Server image connected to a new transparent network.

docker network create -d transparent trans
docker create -it --network=trans --name=engsvr mcr.microsoft.com/windows/server:ltsc2022 cmd.exe

Copy your DCOM server installation to the new container (mine has a Wix installer). e.g. in my case

docker cp e:\installers\docker\installer.exe engsvr:c:\installer.exe

Start the container and run your DCOM server installer (or whatever you need to do) - must be a silent install e.g. in my case

docker start -i engsvr

installer.exe /install /quiet /log c:\log.txt

Create a new Windows user inside the container that by default has DCOM launch/access permissions (DCOM User Group does not without changing default access permissions so I used Administrators)

net user /add mydcomuser password123!

net localgroup administrators mydcomuser /add

That's all I needed for the container, now you need to jump though a few hoops on the host machine to get a client connected.

Create a new admin user with the same username and password on the host.

net user /add mydcomuser password123!

net localgroup administrators mydcomuser /add

Run a command shell running as this new user (I used psexec which is a download from MS)

psexec -u mydcomuser -p password123! cmd.exe

From this new command shell launch your DCOM client application. In my case the client takes a command line argument which is the IP address of the DCOM server, the container. E.g. in my case

client.exe /server:192.168.0.xxx

As I said, not ideal creating admin users but it's the only way I found without having to modify DCOM permissions. However, my client application requires admin permissions anyway so not a problem for me.

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Can I run DCOM server on docker?

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