I am using Debian 12, and trying to get Docker CE and Compose up and running in order to work with an Ansible course. I thought that I was making some progress - but found that the container images were taking up too much space on the /var directory - so I researched on how to change the storage location.
I followed the steps in this page and referenced this page in order to change the default storage directory to /home/USERNAME/docker in the /lib/systemd/system/docker.service file, and restarted the service - but am currently unable to start the docker.service. The systemctl status docker.service and journalctl -xeu commands seem to indicate that the service starts too quickly - with little else to show as to why the service is failing to start.
ps aux | grep -i docker | grep -v grep also shows no information as to the service being online.
I can provided the readouts on request (I don’t know the etiquette on how to provide it, so I will do so upon request).
XXXXXX@XXXXXX:~/diveintoansible-lab$ docker version
Client: Docker Engine - Community
Version: 29.2.0
API version: 1.53
Go version: go1.25.6
Git commit: 0b9d198
Built: Mon Jan 26 19:26:07 2026
OS/Arch: linux/amd64
Context: desktop-linux
failed to connect to the docker API at unix:///home/priestapostate/.docker/desktop/docker.sock; check if the path is correct and if the daemon is running: dial unix /home/priestapostate/.docker/desktop/docker.sock: connect: no such file or directory
XXXXXX@XXXXXX:\/diveintoansible-lab$ docker compose version
Docker Compose version v5.0.2
System is a Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5,
Kernel is 6.12.12+bpo-amd64
RAM: 16GB
CPU cores: 12 - 13th Gen Intel i7
NOTE: I am very new with working upon Docker - please interact accordingly!
XXXXXX@XXXXXX$ sudo systemctl status docker.service
× docker.service - Docker Application Container Engine
Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/docker.service; enabled; preset: enabled)
Active: failed (Result: exit-code) since Thu 2026-01-29 15:54:24 PST; 18min ago
TriggeredBy: × docker.socket
Docs: https://docs.docker.com
Process: 14708 ExecStart=/usr/bin/dockerd -g /home/priestapostate/docker -H fd:// --containerd=/run/containerd/cont>
Main PID: 14708 (code=exited, status=1/FAILURE)
CPU: 41ms
Jan 29 15:54:24 XXXXXX systemd\[1\]: docker.service: Scheduled restart job, restart counter is at 3.
Jan 29 15:54:24 XXXXXX systemd\[1\]: Stopped docker.service - Docker Application Container Engine.
Jan 29 15:54:24 XXXXXX systemd\[1\]: docker.service: Start request repeated too quickly.
Jan 29 15:54:24 XXXXXX systemd\[1\]: docker.service: Failed with result ‘exit-code’.
Jan 29 15:54:24 XXXXXX systemd\[1\]: Failed to start docker.service - Docker Application Container Engine.
lines 1-14/14 (END)
XXXXXX@XXXXXX$ sudo journalctl -xeu docker.service
░░
░░ A start job for unit docker.service has begun execution.
░░
░░ The job identifier is 7375.
Jan 29 15:54:22 XXXXXX dockerd\[14708\]: Status: unknown shorthand flag: ‘g’ in -g
Jan 29 15:54:22 XXXXXX dockerd\[14708\]: See ‘dockerd --help’., Code: 125
Jan 29 15:54:22 XXXXXX systemd\[1\]: **docker.service: Main process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE**
░░ Subject: Unit process exited
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: Debian – User Support **(I removed the link here)**
░░
░░ An ExecStart= process belonging to unit docker.service has exited.
░░
░░ The process’ exit code is ‘exited’ and its exit status is 1.
Jan 29 15:54:22 XXXXXX systemd\[1\]: **docker.service: Failed with result ‘exit-code’.**
░░ Subject: Unit failed
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: Debian – User Support **(I removed the link here)**
░░
░░ The unit docker.service has entered the ‘failed’ state with result ‘exit-code’.
Jan 29 15:54:22 XXXXXX systemd\[1\]: **Failed to start docker.service - Docker Application Container Engine.**
░░ Subject: A start job for unit docker.service has failed
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: Debian – User Support **(I removed the link here)**
░░
░░ A start job for unit docker.service has finished with a failure.
░░
░░ The job identifier is 7375 and the job result is failed.
Jan 29 15:54:24 scion0829 systemd\[1\]: docker.service: Scheduled restart job, restart counter is at 3.
░░ Subject: Automatic restarting of a unit has been scheduled
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: Debian – User Support **(I removed the link here)**
░░
░░ Automatic restarting of the unit docker.service has been scheduled, as the result for
░░ the configured Restart= setting for the unit.
Jan 29 15:54:24 XXXXXX systemd\[1\]: Stopped docker.service - Docker Application Container Engine.
░░ Subject: A stop job for unit docker.service has finished
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: Debian – User Support **(I removed the link here)**
░░
░░ A stop job for unit docker.service has finished.
░░
░░ The job identifier is 7514 and the job result is done.
Jan 29 15:54:24 XXXXXX systemd\[1\]: **docker.service: Start request repeated too quickly.**
Jan 29 15:54:24 XXXXXX systemd\[1\]: **docker.service: Failed with result ‘exit-code’.**
░░ Subject: Unit failed
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: Debian – User Support **(I removed the link here)**
░░
░░ The unit docker.service has entered the ‘failed’ state with result ‘exit-code’.
Jan 29 15:54:24 XXXXXX systemd\[1\]: **Failed to start docker.service - Docker Application Container Engine.**
░░ Subject: A start job for unit docker.service has failed
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: Debian – User Support **(I removed the link here)**
░░
░░ A start job for unit docker.service has finished with a failure.
░░
░░ The job identifier is 7514 and the job result is failed.
lines 1236-1293/1293 (END)
When systemd tries to start a service which fails, that is a common error. It has nothing to do with Docker actually. The actual error message must be somewhere earlier in the log and you need to scroll back as far as you can (or use the filter parameters of journalctl) to see the beginning of the error. Than you will probably see a syntax error in the daemon.json or something else. I wish I could reproduce this error and finish my blogpost about it. Maybe if we solve your problem and I can intentionally make the same mistake.
I would start with checking the daemon.json that you changed for changing the storage size. Can you please share the file content here?
When you do, please use maarkdown to format the content. I also edited your previous posts to make them more readable. Example:
Okay - I’ve made some progress. After a few attempts of removing docker, purging and autocleaning - then reinstalling, it looks like systemctl status sees the application online.
However, after performing the steps in this document (which doesn’t mention the daemon.json file), upon attempting to restart docker, the I then receive the error message.
Using vim, I change the line in the /lib/systemd/system/docker.service to add in the new location, with the -g prefacing the location, as per step 3:
instead of adding “-g /new/path/docker“ after the /usr/bin/dockerd, I inputted “-g /home/priestapostate/docker“ (which has already been created) - but after saving the file, and then performing step 6, I run into the error message. Said error message goes again once I revert the file back to its original content.
I’ll try the json method you mentioned in the meantime, after I find a reputable article outlining said steps.
NOTE As I merely mentioned file/folder locations, and didn’t include any code - I didn’t employ the formatting method. If that was in error, just let me know.
There seems to be an issue with the ```systemctl daemon-reload``` command caused the error messages to manifest. Rebooting the system to see if that clears up the issue.
That is not a document, just someone’s old blogpost from more than 4 years ago. Why not starting with the documentation instead?
I even shared the right link to the right configuration in the previous topic, so I’m not sure why you went to a blogpost instead
The old -g option doesn’t exist anymore. It is --data-root which can be set in the daemon.json and that is the recommended way to set it instead of changing the systemd service files.
Also don1t forget the containerd settings which is just under the docker settings in the linked documentation.
And if you are looking for the daemon json, that is also on the same page a little above the other part:
