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(HTTP code 500) server error - hcsshim::ActivateLayer failed in Win32: The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process. (0x20) #2553

@xlazom00

Description

@xlazom00

Describe the bug
I want to run windows docker container(--isolation=process) and first time it run just fine but when I rerun it it will report this error
(HTTP code 500) server error - hcsshim::ActivateLayer failed in Win32: The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process. (0x20)
All fine with --isolation=hyperv

To Reproduce

  1. docker run -it --isolation=process --name hello-world hello-world:latest
  2. docker start -i hello-world
  3. container don't start

Expected behavior
container will start

Configuration:

docker version

Client:
 Version:           28.5.1
 API version:       1.51
 Go version:        go1.24.8
 Git commit:        e180ab8
 Built:             Wed Oct  8 12:19:16 2025
 OS/Arch:           windows/amd64
 Context:           desktop-windows

Server: Docker Desktop 4.50.0 (209931)
 Engine:
  Version:          28.5.1
  API version:      1.51 (minimum version 1.24)
  Go version:       go1.24.8
  Git commit:       f8215cc
  Built:            Wed Oct  8 12:16:52 2025
  OS/Arch:          windows/amd64
  Experimental:     false

docker info

Client:
 Version:    28.5.1
 Context:    desktop-windows
 Debug Mode: false
 Plugins:
  ai: Docker AI Agent - Ask Gordon (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v1.9.11
    Path:     C:\Program Files\Docker\cli-plugins\docker-ai.exe
  buildx: Docker Buildx (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v0.29.1-desktop.1
    Path:     C:\Program Files\Docker\cli-plugins\docker-buildx.exe
  compose: Docker Compose (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v2.40.3-desktop.1
    Path:     C:\Program Files\Docker\cli-plugins\docker-compose.exe
  debug: Get a shell into any image or container (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  0.0.45
    Path:     C:\Program Files\Docker\cli-plugins\docker-debug.exe
  desktop: Docker Desktop commands (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v0.2.0
    Path:     C:\Program Files\Docker\cli-plugins\docker-desktop.exe
  extension: Manages Docker extensions (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v0.2.31
    Path:     C:\Program Files\Docker\cli-plugins\docker-extension.exe
  init: Creates Docker-related starter files for your project (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v1.4.0
    Path:     C:\Program Files\Docker\cli-plugins\docker-init.exe
  mcp: Docker MCP Plugin (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v0.25.0
    Path:     C:\Program Files\Docker\cli-plugins\docker-mcp.exe
  model: Docker Model Runner (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v0.1.46
    Path:     C:\Program Files\Docker\cli-plugins\docker-model.exe
  offload: Docker Offload (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v0.5.10
    Path:     C:\Program Files\Docker\cli-plugins\docker-offload.exe
  sandbox: Docker Sandbox (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v0.5.0
    Path:     C:\Program Files\Docker\cli-plugins\docker-sandbox.exe
  sbom: View the packaged-based Software Bill Of Materials (SBOM) for an image (Anchore Inc.)
    Version:  0.6.0
    Path:     C:\Program Files\Docker\cli-plugins\docker-sbom.exe
  scout: Docker Scout (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v1.18.3
    Path:     C:\Program Files\Docker\cli-plugins\docker-scout.exe

Server:
 Containers: 1
  Running: 0
  Paused: 0
  Stopped: 1
 Images: 1
 Server Version: 28.5.1
 Storage Driver: windowsfilter
  Windows:
 Logging Driver: json-file
 Plugins:
  Volume: local
  Network: ics internal l2bridge l2tunnel nat null overlay private transparent
  Log: awslogs etwlogs fluentd gcplogs gelf json-file local splunk syslog
 CDI spec directories:
  /etc/cdi
  /var/run/cdi
 Swarm: inactive
 Default Isolation: hyperv
 Kernel Version: 10.0 26200 (26100.1.amd64fre.ge_release.240331-1435)
 Operating System: Microsoft Windows Version 24H2 (OS Build 26200.5622)
 OSType: windows
 Architecture: x86_64
 CPUs: 32
 Total Memory: 55.65GiB
 Name: DESKTOP-04AV7JL
 ID: 56ff010a-fc8e-4dad-a922-3921a3981575
 Docker Root Dir: C:\ProgramData\Docker
 Debug Mode: false
 Labels:
  com.docker.desktop.address=npipe://\\.\pipe\docker_cli
 Experimental: false
 Insecure Registries:
  ::1/128
  127.0.0.0/8
 Live Restore Enabled: false
 Product License: Community Engine

Additional context
OS: windows 11 25H2
Clean install of windows + docker desktop
AMD drivers Adrenalin 25.10.2 from 2025-10-29 (whql-amd-software-adrenalin-edition-25.10.2-win10-win11-oct-rdna3.exe)
Asus Z13 with AMD 395+ MAX + Radeon 8060

I did spend like one week to find out what is source of this problem. As I can't reporoduce this with clean install in virtual machine. When I install windows 11 (us eng iso) + drivers + updates + docker desktop on my Asus Z13 I started to have this error.
So I did install windows(us eng iso) on Asus Z13 but I disabled windows update with blackisting windows update in hosts
0.0.0.0 *.download.windowsupdate.com
0.0.0.0 *.microsoft.com
0.0.0.0 *.update.microsoft.com
0.0.0.0 *.windowsupdate.com
0.0.0.0 *.windowsupdate.microsoft.com
0.0.0.0 download.microsoft.com
0.0.0.0 download.windowsupdate.com
0.0.0.0 ntservicepack.microsoft.com
0.0.0.0 test.stats.update.microsoft.com
0.0.0.0 windowsupdate.microsoft.com
0.0.0.0 wustat.windows.com
0.0.0.0 tlu.dl.delivery.mp.microsoft.com
0.0.0.0 cp801.prod.do.dsp.mp.microsoft.com
0.0.0.0 settings-win.data.microsoft.com
0.0.0.0 geo.prod.do.dsp.mp.microsoft.com
0.0.0.0 fe3cr.delivery.mp.microsoft.com
0.0.0.0 kv801.prod.do.dsp.mp.microsoft.com
0.0.0.0 msedge.b.tlu.dl.delivery.mp.microsoft.com

And I was finnaly able to run docker image without problem. So I installed driver by driver on this clean Windows and I found that when I install AMD drivers I will start to get this error.
And it really is. When I disable AMD gfx in Device manager all works fine :)

And I also found that when I install McAfee and
when I enable real time virus detection all works fine
when I disable real time virus detection "hcsshim::ActivateLayer failed in Win32..."

Tested on
AMD 395+ MAX + Radeon 8060(RDNA3.5) error
intel 9700K CPU + RX 5500 XT(RDNA1) no problem
intel CPU + intel GPU no problem
AMD 9950x + iGPU(RDNA2) no problem
intel 9700K + AMD Radeon RX 9060(RDNA4) error

time="2025-11-06T22:28:41.383924200+01:00" level=info msg="sending event" container=95a5174cba3696f2ea327704ad81ae68c82be4cd8ae4253b2d9f04534ccbe046 event=create module=libcontainerd
time="2025-11-06T22:28:41.422088400+01:00" level=info msg="sending event" container=95a5174cba3696f2ea327704ad81ae68c82be4cd8ae4253b2d9f04534ccbe046 event=start event-info="{95a5174cba3696f2ea327704ad81ae68c82be4cd8ae4253b2d9f04534ccbe046 95a5174cba3696f2ea327704ad81ae68c82be4cd8ae4253b2d9f04534ccbe046 14160 0 0001-01-01 00:00:00 +0000 UTC <nil>}" module=libcontainerd
time="2025-11-06T22:28:41.441121000+01:00" level=info msg="sending event" container=95a5174cba3696f2ea327704ad81ae68c82be4cd8ae4253b2d9f04534ccbe046 event=exit event-info="{95a5174cba3696f2ea327704ad81ae68c82be4cd8ae4253b2d9f04534ccbe046 95a5174cba3696f2ea327704ad81ae68c82be4cd8ae4253b2d9f04534ccbe046 14160 0 2025-11-06 22:28:41.441121 +0100 CET m=+228.522013501 <nil>}" module=libcontainerd
time="2025-11-06T22:28:41.810994200+01:00" level=error msg="error unmounting container" container=95a5174cba3696f2ea327704ad81ae68c82be4cd8ae4253b2d9f04534ccbe046 error="hcsshim::UnprepareLayer failed in Win32: Do not detach the filter from the volume at this time. (0x801f0010)"
time="2025-11-06T22:28:41.820062900+01:00" level=error msg="Error setting up exec command in container 95a5174cba3696f2ea327704ad81ae68c82be4cd8ae4253b2d9f04534ccbe046: container 95a5174cba3696f2ea327704ad81ae68c82be4cd8ae4253b2d9f04534ccbe046 is not running"

Bug report on docker
docker/for-win#14977

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