Change Docker machine location - Windows

Question

I am using docker toolbox on Windows 7 to run docker. (docker version 1.9.1)

As it turns out, the docker machine creates its VM at C:\\Users\\username\\.docker\\mach

Answer 1

This answer is for people using Docker Toolbox (Windows 10 Home Build 1909, You can follow below steps for docker installation and then location change. I am not adding any images)

Install Docker Toolkit and VM must be installed with Admin Privileges after the installation of docker toolkit (*because Docker Toolkit also installs VM but it's of lower version and creates a problem with other iso files, u can uncheck also, in that case, *). Now we have to change the location of disk.vmdk and update the new location in VM.

• Install Docker Toolbox from here. Follow the instructions provided
• Now Download Virtual Machine v6+
• Install Virtual Machine as Administrator (By Right-clicking and selecting there)
• Goto place where your VirtualBox.exe(Not the installer) is present and right-click on it (you can find from the shortcut created on your Desktop)
• goto properties --> compatibility --> change setting for all users --> select run this program as administrator
• Now close the VM if it's running and run the Kitematic, If it fails (it will probably) then select option provided related to VM (only 2 options are there)
• This time it will work, now close it

Changing the Location where Images will be downloaded

• open your VM and close a newly running image default (right-click -> close --> power off)
• copy paste your disk.vmdk file (for me it's present at C:\Users\Dell\.docker\machine\machines\default\disk.vmdk) to a place where you want to store your images that you download (basically disk.vmdk is what will grow in size when you are using docker)
• Now we need to tell the VM also about this change
• Right-click default image and goto settings
• Select Storage
• remove disk.vmdk attachment by right-clicking --> remove (that was the older path binded disk.vmdk)
• click on file --> virtual media manager and remove disk.vmdk from here also (Now VM don't know if such a disk.vmdk thing exsists)
• Right-click default image --> storage --> add hard disk (this option is just above that iso image)
• Now select that disk.vmdk that you have pasted somewhere
• Now run your docker cli and then run this command docker run hello-world
• If no error is there then it's all done
• You can verify size by checking the sizes of those two vmdk disks and then pulling some new images

I have written a very descriptive answer starting from installation because I did face some issues and so wanted to make it highly straight forward for the others.
You can delete your disk.vmdk disk (older one) from your C drive if you want to