In this guide, we'll walk you through the steps to resolve the "Docker service start request repeated too quickly" error, which is a common issue faced by developers while working with Docker. This error typically occurs when the Docker service repeatedly fails to start and exceeds the maximum restart limit.
Table of Contents
Understanding the Error
Before we dive into the solution, let's quickly understand the error. The "Docker service start request repeated too quickly" error occurs due to systemd's restart policy. Systemd, which manages services on Linux, has a default policy to restart a failed service. However, if a service fails too many times within a specified time window, systemd will stop attempting to restart the service and display the error message.
The error might look like this:
docker.service - Docker Application Container Engine
Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/docker.service; enabled; vendor preset: enabled)
Active: failed (Result: start-limit-hit) since Mon 2020-11-16 11:40:42 UTC; 6s ago
Docs: https://docs.docker.com
Process: 11635 ExecStart=/usr/bin/dockerd -H fd:// --containerd=/run/containerd/containerd.sock (code=exited, status=1/FAILURE)
Main PID: 11635 (code=exited, status=1/FAILURE)
Nov 16 11:40:42 ubuntu systemd[1]: Failed to start Docker Application Container Engine.
Nov 16 11:40:42 ubuntu systemd[1]: docker.service: Unit entered failed state.
Nov 16 11:40:42 ubuntu systemd[1]: docker.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
Nov 16 11:40:42 ubuntu systemd[1]: docker.service: Service hold-off time over, scheduling restart.
Nov 16 11:40:42 ubuntu systemd[1]: Stopped Docker Application Container Engine.
Nov 16 11:40:42 ubuntu systemd[1]: docker.service: Start request repeated too quickly.
Nov 16 11:40:42 ubuntu systemd[1]: Failed to start Docker Application Container Engine.
Nov 16 11:40:42 ubuntu systemd[1]: docker.service: Unit entered failed state.
Nov 16 11:40:42 ubuntu systemd[1]: docker.service: Failed with result 'start-limit-hit'.
Now, let's move on to the step-by-step solution.
Step-by-Step Solution
Follow these steps to resolve the "Docker service start request repeated too quickly" error:
Check Docker service status
The first step is to check the status of the Docker service using the following command:
sudo systemctl status docker
This command will show you whether the Docker service is running, stopped, or failed.
Review Docker logs
To identify the root cause of the failure, review the Docker logs using the following command:
sudo journalctl -u docker -n 100 --no-pager
This command will display the last 100 lines of the Docker logs. Look for any relevant error messages that might indicate the reason for the service failure.
Resolve the issue
Based on the error messages in the Docker logs, take the necessary steps to resolve the issue. This might include fixing configuration files, resolving port conflicts, or addressing permission issues.
Restart Docker service
Once the issue is resolved, restart the Docker service using the following command:
sudo systemctl restart docker
Verify Docker service is running
To ensure that the Docker service is running without any issues, check its status again using the following command:
sudo systemctl status docker
If the Docker service is running successfully, you should see an "active (running)" status.
Congratulations! You have successfully resolved the "Docker service start request repeated too quickly" error. If you still face any issues, refer to the official Docker documentation for more information.
FAQs
1. How do I check the status of the Docker service?
Use the following command to check the status of the Docker service:
sudo systemctl status docker
2. How do I restart the Docker service?
To restart the Docker service, use the following command:
sudo systemctl restart docker
3. How do I view the Docker logs?
To view the Docker logs, use the following command:
sudo journalctl -u docker -n 100 --no-pager
4. How do I identify the root cause of the Docker service failure?
Review the Docker logs for any relevant error messages that might indicate the reason for the service failure. You can view the logs using the following command:
sudo journalctl -u docker -n 100 --no-pager
5. What if the Docker service still fails to start after following the steps in this guide?
If you still face issues, refer to the official Docker documentation or seek help from the Docker community through forums, such as Stack Overflow or the Docker Community Forums.