Ubuntu or Windows for docker hosting? reddit / selfhosted ---------------------------------------------------------------------- KingMerc23 · 2023-11-17 00:24 So I've got an old PC with a SSD for root drive, and then a HDD with 1tb for external. I've been told linux is the way to go for self-hosting docker containers, whether it be portainer to manage, sonarr, etc. I'm running into nothing but round arounds with linux and I just can't seem to figure this out. Can I just use windows instead to host my docker images? How can I point to my external drive to host all the docker stuff so my SSD doesn't get crowded? I'm lost here. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- thekrautboy · 2023-11-17 00:33 Sure you *can* use Windows for it... but you will likely run into all sorts of issues over time. Starting with the question of external drive to run things of. If you can, use Ubuntu or Debian and install Docker. If you want some buttons to click, add Portainer for example. Maybe something like /r/CosmosServer is ideal for you. And if Linux gives you issues, you should mention which specific issues those are. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Cautious_Delay153 · 2023-11-17 00:49 Docker using right slash for a lot of their naming/scripting/etc. The forward/back slash has work around. But my experience with both is that docker on windows is added barriers for learning at best. Better to use. Unix based distro/OS ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Cautious_Delay153 · 2023-11-17 00:50 Can you use windows? Yes But the linux learning curve will suit you better than the learning curve for docker on windows. Also. If the pc is older the containers are gonna be butt butt is my guess ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ceciltech · 2023-11-17 00:53 I have the same question and one other as a follow up: Should I use Windows or Linux? and what distribution of Linux should I use. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- thekrautboy · 2023-11-17 00:58 > and what distribution of Linux should I use. This question has been asked countless times already and the outcome is always the same. You can simply use the search if youre interested. Use a distro that you have knowledge with, and that suits your actual needs. For beginners, typically Ubuntu or Debian are ideal. That doesnt meant that they are the "best distros" that exist (there isnt one), but simply because the majority of tutorials you will find and use will use these as their base, so it makes things much easier to follow along and learn things over time. Both are also very stable, when using Ubuntu i would recommend using a LTS version, and for Debian the current stable version (12, Bookworm). ---------------------------------------------------------------------- msanangelo · 2023-11-17 00:58 most docker stuff is built on linux. windows will still end up using a linux vm to run the stuff. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- crysisnotaverted · 2023-11-17 01:52 Seconding Debian and Ubuntu. Great distros in my opinion. Pretty resource friendly, and there are a LOT of learning resources to solve any problem you may have, which is perfect for learning. Hell, I use both just for tooling around in my homelab because I don't want to deal with goofy problems on top of me already doing something fuckin dumb. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- apperrault · 2023-11-17 01:56 As a windows admin in real life, I would NOT recommend running docker in windows. Does it work, yeah, does it suck, yeah. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- KingMerc23 · 2023-11-17 02:01 Thanks for the detailed post! I do have Ubuntu installed on the pc currently, and I believe i have most of the initial setup completed including editing daemon.json to point to the new /mint folder but I can’t see any docker image files there at all so i’m not sure if i did it right or not which was driving me mad. I figured out how to use root though in it! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- KingMerc23 · 2023-11-17 02:02 I am using ubuntu on my pc server but it’s driving me mad figuring how to name my external drive and running into errors with docker. Notably knowing if my daemon.json with data root pointed to /mnt is running correctly ---------------------------------------------------------------------- MasterGlassMagic · 2023-11-17 02:24 Ubuntu with portainer ---------------------------------------------------------------------- mattzuba · 2023-11-17 02:43 If the server is only being used for docker, I run Alpine on the host. Very lightweight and easily gets the job done ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Bagel42 · 2023-11-17 02:43 Windows is just bad ---------------------------------------------------------------------- FraggedYourMom · 2023-11-17 03:16 Ditto. Ubuntu Server (or Debian) with Portainer if you want to be headless. Docker Desktop will get you by for starting out but not as much of a 'self hosted' vs 'run these in containers' setup. There's also CasaOS which run atop Debian based systems but I find Portainer a much better option. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- DMenace83 · 2023-11-17 04:26 docker was created for Linux. To choose windows server to run docker in is like choosing a fish tank to swim in. Just because you can doesn't mean you should. Go swim in a swimming pool, not a fish tank. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- HecateRaven · 2023-11-17 05:16 Why people dont use rocky Linux or alma Linux ? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- scytob · 2023-11-17 06:47 Debian non gui install with portainer. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- dudeskeeroo · 2023-11-17 07:57 You don't name external drives on Linux. Additional disks on Unix are mounted into a directory. With windows, you would have a C: and then each new disk would get another letter, like D: But on Unix, you have the file system, which starts at the root / You can mount the disk in a directory, usually under the /mnt or /media directories. You may need to read up on "fstab" Stock with it! Linux is awesome, but it's frustrating because things are done a bit differently. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- numblock699 · 2023-11-17 10:48 Go Unraid. Great starting point for that kind of setup. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Elle221LL · 2023-11-17 14:22 I would Recommend Using Hyper V for linux VM if you are going with Windows ---------------------------------------------------------------------- mega_corvega · 2023-11-17 16:13 Taking the time to learn the Linux command line, and how to configure a docker-compose file will pay dividends when it comes to docker. Just remember to locally mount all volumes. Makes transferring to another host stupid easy. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Suspicious-Cash-7685 · 2023-11-17 17:34 I dont get the other comments at all. Windows will start a Linux vm to enable docker. I work on both systems and I never had any issue at all from an os perspective. I also mainly develop inside of containers, so I would count me as a quite frequent user. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Suspicious-Cash-7685 · 2023-11-17 17:37 Afaik nowadays docker desktop uses wsl2. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Suspicious-Cash-7685 · 2023-11-18 10:40 Could the downvoters might explain where I‘m wrong? I‘m eager to learn and to fix my own misunderstanding