docker login Fails on Windows Larger Runners

[Epgor]

Description

I’m encountering an issue where docker login fails on larger runners configured with windows-latest, but works without any issues on standard runners.

Error saving credentials: error storing credentials - err: exit status 1, out: `A specified logon session does not exist. It may already have been terminated.`

This suggests the problem may be related to the Docker credential storage mechanism on the custom runner environment.

The issue initially occurred on 12/12/24, after the pre-release of 20241211, and at that time, it was also failing on standard runners. In my case, the workaround was to use oras login instead.

Platforms affected

• Azure DevOps
• GitHub Actions - Standard Runners
• GitHub Actions - Larger Runners

Runner images affected

• Ubuntu 20.04
• Ubuntu 22.04
• Ubuntu 24.04
• macOS 12
• macOS 13
• macOS 13 Arm64
• macOS 14
• macOS 14 Arm64
• macOS 15
• macOS 15 Arm64
• Windows Server 2019
• Windows Server 2022

Image version and build link

Current runner version: '2.321.0'
Operating System
Microsoft Windows Server 2019
10.0.17763
Datacenter

Runner Image
Image: windows-2019
Version: 20241211.1.0
https://github.com/actions/runner-images/releases/tag/win22%2F20241211.1

Current runner version: '2.321.0'
Operating System
Microsoft Windows Server 2022
10.0.20348
Datacenter

Runner Image
Image: windows-2022
Version: 20241211.1.0
https://github.com/actions/runner-images/releases/tag/win22%2F20241211.1

Is it regression?

Yes, it was working till: 20241201.2.0

Expected behavior

docker-login correctly stores credentials and authenticates to ghcr.io

Actual behavior

docker login fails with the following:

Error: Error saving credentials: error storing credentials - err: exit status 1, out: A specified logon session does not exist. It may already have been terminated.

Repro steps

1. Create new GitHub-hosted runner on Windows x64 platform
2. Set-up a job for that runner and try to docker login

runs-on: serv22
steps:
  - name: Docker Login
    run: |
    echo ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }} | docker login ghcr.io --username ${{ github.actor }} --password-stdin

or

runs-on: serv22
steps:
  - name: Login to GitHub Container Registry
    uses: docker/login-action@v3
    with:
      registry: ghcr.io
      username: ${{ github.actor }}
      password: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}

[vidyasagarnimmagaddi]

Hi @Epgor ,Thank you for bringing this issue to our attention. We are looking into this issue and will update you on this issue after investigating.

[austindrenski]

@Epgor FYI a few of us have also run into this issue, and we're discussing workarounds over in #11172.