Docker Windows how to keep container running without login?

I have Docker installed inside a Virtual Machine with Windows Server 2016.

I have a Linux Container from Python3 with NGINX server using --restart=always param, it runs fine while I am logged in, if I restart the VM, the container is no longer active, and it starts only if I log in.

Also if I logout, the container stops.

How can I make a container run as a service without login and keep it running on logout?

Since I went through quite a lot of pain in order to make this work, here is a solution that worked for me for running a linux container using docker desktop on a windows 10 VM.

First, read this page to understand a method for running a python script as a windows service.

Then run your container using powershell and give it a name e.g

docker run --name app your_container

In the script you run as a service, e.g the main method of your winservice class, use subprocess.call(['powershell.exe', 'path/to/docker desktop.exe]) to start docker desktop in the service. Then wait for docker to start. I did this by using the docker SDK:

client = docker.from_env()
started = False
while not started:
    try:
        info = client.info()
        started = True
    except:
        time.sleep(1)

When client has started, run your app with subprocess again

subprocess.call(['powershell.exe', 'docker start -interactive app'])

Finally ssh into your container to keep the service and container alive

subprocess.check_call(['powershell.exe', 'docker exec -ti app /bin/bash'])

Now install the service using python service.py install

Now you need to create a service account on the VM that has local admin rights. Go to Services in windows, and find your service in the list of services. Right click -> properties -> Log On and enter the service account details under "This account". Finally, under general, select automatic(delayed) start and start the service.

Probably not the most 'by the book' method, but it worked for me.