Error every time I open Docker Desktop

[kk-spartans]

Description

Every single time I open Docker Desktop on windows, an error shows up that says:

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Privileged helper service is not running
The Privileged helper service is not running. The service runs in the background with SYSTEM privileges. Docker Desktop needs the service to interact with privileged parts of Windows.
To learn more about the privileged helper service and the functions it provides, visit the docs ⁠.
Would you like to start the service? Windows will ask you for elevated access.

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When I click the "Start Service" button, I don't get an elevated access prompt and nothing in the docker console loads. After a few seconds I get an error saying:

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An unexpected error occurred
Docker Desktop encountered an unexpected error and needs to close.
Search our troubleshooting documentation ⁠ to find a solution or workaround. Alternatively, you can gather a diagnostics report and submit a support request or GitHub issue.
starting the docker service: pinging com.docker.service: context deadline exceeded

---

The only option here is "Quit"

Reproduce

Open Docker

Expected behavior

Docker opens normally.

docker version

Client:
 Version:           27.5.1
 API version:       1.47
 Go version:        go1.22.11
 Git commit:        9f9e405
 Built:             Wed Jan 22 13:41:44 2025
 OS/Arch:           windows/amd64
 Context:           desktop-windows
request returned Internal Server Error for API route and version http://%2F%2F.%2Fpipe%2FdockerDesktopWindowsEngine/v1.47/version, check if the server supports the requested API version

docker info

Client:
 Version:    27.5.1
 Context:    desktop-windows
 Debug Mode: false
 Plugins:
  ai: Ask Gordon - Docker Agent (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v0.7.3
    Path:     C:\Users\admin\.docker\cli-plugins\docker-ai.exe
  buildx: Docker Buildx (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v0.20.1-desktop.2
    Path:     C:\Users\admin\.docker\cli-plugins\docker-buildx.exe
  compose: Docker Compose (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v2.32.4-desktop.1
    Path:     C:\Users\admin\.docker\cli-plugins\docker-compose.exe
  debug: Get a shell into any image or container (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  0.0.38
    Path:     C:\Users\admin\.docker\cli-plugins\docker-debug.exe
  desktop: Docker Desktop commands (Beta) (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v0.1.4
    Path:     C:\Users\admin\.docker\cli-plugins\docker-desktop.exe
  dev: Docker Dev Environments (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v0.1.2
    Path:     C:\Users\admin\.docker\cli-plugins\docker-dev.exe
  extension: Manages Docker extensions (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v0.2.27
    Path:     C:\Users\admin\.docker\cli-plugins\docker-extension.exe
  feedback: Provide feedback, right in your terminal! (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v1.0.5
    Path:     C:\Users\admin\.docker\cli-plugins\docker-feedback.exe
  init: Creates Docker-related starter files for your project (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v1.4.0
    Path:     C:\Users\admin\.docker\cli-plugins\docker-init.exe
  sbom: View the packaged-based Software Bill Of Materials (SBOM) for an image (Anchore Inc.)
    Version:  0.6.0
    Path:     C:\Users\admin\.docker\cli-plugins\docker-sbom.exe
  scout: Docker Scout (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v1.16.1
    Path:     C:\Users\admin\.docker\cli-plugins\docker-scout.exe

Server:
ERROR: request returned Internal Server Error for API route and version http://%2F%2F.%2Fpipe%2FdockerDesktopWindowsEngine/v1.47/info, check if the server supports the requested API version
errors pretty printing info

Additional Info

No response

[thaJeztah]

This looks like an issue specific to Docker Desktop, and not related to the docker CLI client. Let me transfer this to the https://github.com/docker/for-win/issues issue tracker.