Cannot install docker: dpkg: error processing package docker-ce (--configure): subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1

Everytime I try to install docker, it returns an error.

Log:

Setting up docker-ce (17.12.0~ce-0~debian) ...
Job for docker.service failed. See 'systemctl status docker.service' and 'journalctl -xn' for details.
invoke-rc.d: initscript docker, action "start" failed.
dpkg: error processing package docker-ce (--configure):
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1
Errors were encountered while processing:
 docker-ce
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)
root@srv49023:~# sudo dpkg --configure -a
Setting up docker-ce (17.12.0~ce-0~debian) ...
Job for docker.service failed. See 'systemctl status docker.service' and 'journalctl -xn' for details.
invoke-rc.d: initscript docker, action "start" failed.
dpkg: error processing package docker-ce (--configure):
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1
Errors were encountered while processing:
 docker-ce
root@srv49023:~#

systemctl status docker.service means:

root@srv49023:~# systemctl status docker.service
â—Ź docker.service - Docker Application Container Engine
   Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/docker.service; enabled)
   Active: failed (Result: start-limit) since Fri 2018-02-16 10:13:04 EST; 2min 29s ago
     Docs: https://docs.docker.com
  Process: 30888 ExecStart=/usr/bin/dockerd -H fd:// (code=exited, status=1/FAILURE)
 Main PID: 30888 (code=exited, status=1/FAILURE)

Feb 16 10:13:04 srv49023 systemd[1]: docker.service: main process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE
Feb 16 10:13:04 srv49023 systemd[1]: Failed to start Docker Application Container Engine.
Feb 16 10:13:04 srv49023 systemd[1]: Unit docker.service entered failed state.
Feb 16 10:13:04 srv49023 systemd[1]: docker.service holdoff time over, scheduling restart.
Feb 16 10:13:04 srv49023 systemd[1]: Stopping Docker Application Container Engine...
Feb 16 10:13:04 srv49023 systemd[1]: Starting Docker Application Container Engine...
Feb 16 10:13:04 srv49023 systemd[1]: docker.service start request repeated too quickly, refusing to start.
Feb 16 10:13:04 srv49023 systemd[1]: Failed to start Docker Application Container Engine.
Feb 16 10:13:04 srv49023 systemd[1]: Unit docker.service entered failed state.

journalctl -xn means:

-- Logs begin at Fri 2018-02-16 10:05:44 EST, end at Fri 2018-02-16 10:15:04 EST. --
Feb 16 10:14:17 srv49023 sshd[30909]: pam_unix(sshd:auth): check pass; user unknown
Feb 16 10:14:17 srv49023 sshd[30909]: pam_unix(sshd:auth): authentication failure; logname= uid=0 euid=0 tty=ssh ruser= rhost=40.65.121.17
Feb 16 10:14:19 srv49023 sshd[30909]: Failed password for invalid user abc from 40.65.121.17 port 59582 ssh2
Feb 16 10:14:19 srv49023 sshd[30909]: Received disconnect from 40.65.121.17: 11: Normal Shutdown, Thank you for playing [preauth]
Feb 16 10:15:02 srv49023 sshd[30911]: Invalid user chris from 40.65.121.17
Feb 16 10:15:02 srv49023 sshd[30911]: input_userauth_request: invalid user chris [preauth]
Feb 16 10:15:02 srv49023 sshd[30911]: pam_unix(sshd:auth): check pass; user unknown
Feb 16 10:15:02 srv49023 sshd[30911]: pam_unix(sshd:auth): authentication failure; logname= uid=0 euid=0 tty=ssh ruser= rhost=40.65.121.17
Feb 16 10:15:04 srv49023 sshd[30911]: Failed password for invalid user chris from 40.65.121.17 port 46352 ssh2
Feb 16 10:15:04 srv49023 sshd[30911]: Received disconnect from 40.65.121.17: 11: Normal Shutdown, Thank you for playing [preauth]

Thanks for helping!

1 Like

HLEP, I got the same problem…

Are you behind a VPN? That could very well be the reason why it fails