How to run CMD Commands in Dockerfile to change Windows Docker images?

When building a new Windows image, you can only run executable programs that are already installed on the image.

A Windows image usually provides programs in the C:\Windows\System32 directory, including two commonly used programs CMD.exe and PowerShell.exe:

C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe
C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe

So if you are good at using CMD.exe, you can use it to change the Windows image by using the "RUN CMD ..." instruction in the Dockerfile.

Since you can not run CMD.exe interactively the Dockerfile, you must run CMD.exe with its sub-command using the /S switch in a single command line, like:

RUN CMD /C DIR

1. Enter the following Dockerfile, CmdImage, to modify image with the CMD.exe program.

C:\fyicenter> type CmdImage
FROM microsoft/dotnet-samples
ENV HOME="C:\\fyicenter"
RUN CMD /C ECHO %HOME%
RUN CMD /C ECHO %PATH%
RUN CMD /C DIR
ENTRYPOINT CMD /S /C ECHO "Hello world!"

2. Build image with the Dockerfile:

C:\fyicenter> docker build --file CmdImage --tag cmd .

Sending build context to Docker daemon  12.88MB
Step 1/6 : FROM microsoft/dotnet-samples
 ---> afca1083bf22

Step 2/6 : ENV HOME="C:\\fyicenter"
 ---> Running in b4d172dfde41
Removing intermediate container b4d172dfde41
 ---> bec3045ef04c

Step 3/6 : RUN CMD /C ECHO %HOME%
 ---> Running in 2e563e51cef5
C:\fyicenter
Removing intermediate container 2e563e51cef5
 ---> fe17238a0ace

Step 4/6 : RUN CMD /C ECHO %PATH%
 ---> Running in 8d568a470f7f
C:\Windows\system32;C:\Windows;C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;...
Removing intermediate container 8d568a470f7f
 ---> fcd2e65963a9

Step 5/6 : RUN CMD /C DIR
 ---> Running in cb030c9d9f77
           725 dotnetapp.deps.json
         9,216 dotnetapp.dll
           744 dotnetapp.pdb
           154 dotnetapp.runtimeconfig.json
         4,608 utils.dll
           712 utils.pdb
Removing intermediate container cb030c9d9f77
 ---> ce83f3018986

Step 6/6 : ENTRYPOINT CMD /S /C ECHO "Hello world!"
 ---> Running in 6c3b3acc754f
Removing intermediate container 6c3b3acc754f
 ---> 222e202c2f9d

Successfully built 222e202c2f9d
Successfully tagged cmd:latest

3. Run the new image:

C:\fyicenter> docker run --name cmd cmd
Hello world!

3. Remove container and image, so we can build it again with same name:

C:\fyicenter>docker rm cmd
C:\fyicenter>docker image rm cmd

Ok, we are able to use CMD.exe program to modify the Windows image.

⇒ Run PowerShell Commands in Dockerfile

⇐ Build a Dummy Windows Image

⇑ Building Docker Images for Windows

⇑⇑ Docker Container Platform - Tutorials