How to Fix Docker Service Failing to Start Due to Network Issues
If Docker fails to start, and you see errors related to the network controller or bridge, follow these steps to resolve the issue:
Step 1: Disable and Stop Docker Service
First, disable the Docker service to prevent it from automatically restarting, then stop the service.
sudo systemctl disable docker
sudo systemctl stop docker
Step 2: Check the Docker Service Status
Run the following command to check the current status of the Docker service and confirm it has been stopped.
sudo systemctl status docker
You might see an output similar to this:
× docker.service - Docker Application Container Engine
Active: failed (Result: exit-code) since <timestamp>
Main PID: <process_id> (code=exited, status=1/FAILURE)
Step 3: Remove Docker Network Configuration
Next, delete the Docker network configuration that could be causing the issue:
sudo rm -rf /var/lib/docker/network
Step 4: Start Docker Service
Now, attempt to restart the Docker service:
sudo systemctl start docker
Step 5: Re-enable Docker Service
Once Docker has successfully started, re-enable it to ensure it starts automatically on system boot:
sudo systemctl enable docker
You should see a confirmation like this:
Created symlink '/etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants/docker.service' → '/usr/lib/systemd/system/docker.service'.
Step 6: Verify Docker is Running
Finally, check the status of the Docker service to ensure everything is working properly:
sudo systemctl status docker
If successful, the output should show the Docker service is running:
● docker.service - Docker Application Container Engine
Active: active (running) since <timestamp>
Main PID: <process_id> (dockerd)
At this point, Docker should be running normally, and the network issue should be resolved.