Docker Desktop for Linux stuck on "Starting" screen after installation

[mk1337]

Description

After installing Docker Desktop on Linux Mint, the application is stuck on the "Starting" screen. The GUI does not respond to input, including login, and the process cannot be closed without being force-killed.

I have followed troubleshooting steps, including removing all Docker components (Desktop, CLI, dependencies), clearing /var/lib/docker and related files, and performing a clean reinstall, but the issue persists.

When the desktop is active and stuck on running, trying to run docker version / info in terminal also hangs and never resolves.

System Details

OS: Linux Mint 22.1 Kernel Version: 6.8.0-51-generic CPU Architecture: x86_64 Docker CLI Previously Installed: Yes

Steps to Reproduce

Install Docker Desktop using the .deb package for Linux from the official website. Start Docker Desktop: systemctl --user start docker-desktop. Open Docker Desktop. Observe the status stuck on "Starting" with no response from buttons.

Logs (journalctl --user -u docker-desktop -n 50 --no-pager)

Jan 25 00:15:39 com.docker.backend[16074]: - The AI Catalog in Docker Hub is directly available through Docker Desktop.}}] {...}
Jan 25 00:15:39 com.docker.backend[16074]: [22:15:39.463445011Z][main.updater] [W] converting currentTarget string to number, strconv.Atoi: parsing "": invalid syntax
Jan 25 00:15:39 com.docker.backend[16074]: [22:15:39.463477439Z][main.updater] Listing modules...
Jan 25 00:15:39 com.docker.backend[16074]: [22:15:39.464879229Z][main.ipc] (2e21e4df-1) BackendAPI GET /features
Jan 25 00:15:39 com.docker.backend[16074]: [22:15:39.465145532Z][main.updater][W] failed to get module updates for DD 4.37.1: error while listing module updates: {"message":"modules disabled, enable feature flag if you want to use them"}
Jan 25 00:15:39 com.docker.backend[16074]: [22:15:39.816805446Z][main.ipc] (bc0f4e59) BackendAPI GET /notify/messagebox/events
Jan 25 00:15:39 com.docker.backend[16074]: [22:15:39.888444073Z][main.ipc] (bc0f4e59) BackendAPI GET /pause/events
Jan 25 00:15:39 com.docker.backend[16074]: [22:15:39.888637639Z][main.ipc] (bc0f4e59) BackendAPI GET /engine/events
Jan 25 00:15:39 com.docker.backend[16074]: [22:15:39.889033072Z][main.ipc] (bc0f4e59) BackendAPI GET /app/settings
Jan 25 00:15:39 com.docker.backend[16074]: [22:15:39.889932230Z][main.ipc] (bc0f4e59) BackendAPI GET /app/settings response: {"cli": {...}, "desktop": {...}}
Jan 25 00:15:40 com.docker.backend[16074]: [22:15:40.008913687Z][main.features/unleash] fetching features from remote
Jan 25 00:15:40 com.docker.backend[16074]: [22:15:40.398085358Z][main.ipc] (bc0f4e59) BackendAPI GET /install/check response: {"binariesBasePath":"","valid":false}
Jan 25 00:15:40 com.docker.backend[16074]: [22:15:40.947030622Z][main.ipc] (bc0f4e59) BackendAPI POST /analytics/track action: "EngineScreenDisplayed", state: "EngineWaiting"
Jan 25 00:15:41 com.docker.backend[16074]: [22:15:41.005927778Z][main.ipc] (bc0f4e59) BackendAPI POST /analytics/track action: "EngineScreenDisplayed", state: "EngineStarting"
Jan 25 00:15:41 com.docker.backend[16074]: [22:15:41.006289282Z][main.ipc] (bc0f4e59) BackendAPI POST /analytics/track OK
Jan 25 00:15:44 com.docker.backend[16074]: [22:15:44.177172523Z][main.segment] flushing 6 messages
Jan 25 00:15:45 com.docker.backend[16074]: [22:15:45.699741176Z][main.segment] response 200 OK

Reproduce

• Install Docker Desktop using the .deb package for Linux from the official website.
• Start Docker Desktop: systemctl --user start docker-desktop.
• Open Docker Desktop.
• Observe the status stuck on "Starting" with no response from buttons.

Expected behavior

Docker Desktop should start successfully and allow interaction with the GUI.

docker version

Client: Docker Engine - Community
 Version:           27.5.1
 API version:       1.47
 Go version:        go1.22.11
 Git commit:        9f9e405
 Built:             Wed Jan 22 13:41:31 2025
 OS/Arch:           linux/amd64
 Context:           desktop-linux
Cannot connect to the Docker daemon at unix:///home/mish-box/.docker/desktop/docker.sock. Is the docker daemon running?

docker info

Client: Docker Engine - Community
 Version:    27.5.1
 Context:    desktop-linux
 Debug Mode: false
 Plugins:
  ai: Ask Gordon - Docker Agent (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v0.5.1
    Path:     /usr/lib/docker/cli-plugins/docker-ai
  buildx: Docker Buildx (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v0.19.2-desktop.1
    Path:     /usr/lib/docker/cli-plugins/docker-buildx
  compose: Docker Compose (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v2.31.0-desktop.2
    Path:     /usr/lib/docker/cli-plugins/docker-compose
  debug: Get a shell into any image or container (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  0.0.37
    Path:     /usr/lib/docker/cli-plugins/docker-debug
  desktop: Docker Desktop commands (Beta) (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v0.1.0
    Path:     /usr/lib/docker/cli-plugins/docker-desktop
  dev: Docker Dev Environments (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v0.1.2
    Path:     /usr/lib/docker/cli-plugins/docker-dev
  extension: Manages Docker extensions (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v0.2.27
    Path:     /usr/lib/docker/cli-plugins/docker-extension
  feedback: Provide feedback, right in your terminal! (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v1.0.5
    Path:     /usr/lib/docker/cli-plugins/docker-feedback
  init: Creates Docker-related starter files for your project (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v1.4.0
    Path:     /usr/lib/docker/cli-plugins/docker-init
  sbom: View the packaged-based Software Bill Of Materials (SBOM) for an image (Anchore Inc.)
    Version:  0.6.0
    Path:     /usr/lib/docker/cli-plugins/docker-sbom
  scout: Docker Scout (Docker Inc.)
    Version:  v1.15.1
    Path:     /usr/lib/docker/cli-plugins/docker-scout

Server:
ERROR: Cannot connect to the Docker daemon at unix:///home/mish-box/.docker/desktop/docker.sock. Is the docker daemon running?
errors pretty printing info

Diagnostics ID

15392EC0-2C74-40A6-8F5C-639D2B6E486C/20250124222337

Additional Info

No response

[LewisRye]

I am also having this issue with hanging on Ubuntu 24.10, everything was working perfectly on Ubuntu 24.04.

[arenner-git]

Hi, same problem after upgrading from 4.37.1 to 4.38.0 on one of my hosts. Docker Desktop is unable to start the docker engine (27.5.1) and gives up after a while.

No problems so far on my other host (Docker Desktop 4.37.1; Docker Engine 27.4.0).

[fabbrius]

Hi, I have the same problem even after upgrading from 4.37.1 to 4.38.0 on one of my hosts (Debian 12). Docker Desktop fails to start the docker engine (27.5.1) and gives up after a while.

Even trying to downgrade back to version 4.37.1 Docker Desktop fails to start.

On another machine, also Debian 12, there are no problems with version 4.38.

Any ideas on how to solve this?

Thanks

[Antonino545]

Hi, i have the same problem on Ubuntu 24.10 any undate?

[0x-ximon]

Hello, same problem on Debian 12, and I had to roll back to older release.

[Vilchis-Joshua]

Posting with the same issue. Has anyone found out an answer?

[fraffugooby]

My issue was that QEMU couldn't create ICMP sockets due to a permission error (Ubuntu 24.10). This was the error I was getting:

[main.engines.unix     ] VM has started: qemu-system-x86_64 -accel kvm -cpu host ...
[main.gvisor           ] gvisor: serving qemu: listening on ICMP socket: socket: permission denied
[main.engines.unix     ] qemu exited with status -1

This solution worked for me:

sudo sysctl -w net.ipv4.ping_group_range="0 2147483647"

Reboot Docker Desktop after running.

This isn't persistent between reboots, so if it works for you as well you can make it persistent like so:

echo "net.ipv4.ping_group_range=0 2147483647" | sudo tee /etc/sysctl.d/99-ping.conf
sudo sysctl --system

[LewisRye]

My issue was that QEMU couldn't create ICMP sockets due to a permission error (Ubuntu 24.10). This was the error I was getting:

[main.engines.unix     ] VM has started: qemu-system-x86_64 -accel kvm -cpu host ...
[main.gvisor           ] gvisor: serving qemu: listening on ICMP socket: socket: permission denied
[main.engines.unix     ] qemu exited with status -1

This solution worked for me:

sudo sysctl -w net.ipv4.ping_group_range="0 2147483647"

Reboot Docker Desktop after running.

This isn't persistent between reboots, so if it works for you as well you can make it persistent like so:

echo "net.ipv4.ping_group_range=0 2147483647" | sudo tee /etc/sysctl.d/99-ping.conf
sudo sysctl --system

I ended up going back to 24.04 and this seems to have fixed the issue, but I also noticed that QEMU had an update through sudo apt upgrade, perhaps this solves the issue as well?

[fidesachates]

My issue was that QEMU couldn't create ICMP sockets due to a permission error (Ubuntu 24.10). This was the error I was getting:

[main.engines.unix     ] VM has started: qemu-system-x86_64 -accel kvm -cpu host ...
[main.gvisor           ] gvisor: serving qemu: listening on ICMP socket: socket: permission denied
[main.engines.unix     ] qemu exited with status -1

This solution worked for me:

sudo sysctl -w net.ipv4.ping_group_range="0 2147483647"

Reboot Docker Desktop after running.

This isn't persistent between reboots, so if it works for you as well you can make it persistent like so:

echo "net.ipv4.ping_group_range=0 2147483647" | sudo tee /etc/sysctl.d/99-ping.conf
sudo sysctl --system

This fixed my issue! Thank you so much!

EDIT: may have spoken too soon. It crashes when I pull a docker image. but I can run previously downloaded images.

Mar 09 23:05:46 olympus com.docker.backend[3443288]: [03:05:46.851806008Z][main.apiproxy         ][W] Proxy error handling "/containers/json?all=true": connect tcp 192.168.65.7:2375: no route to host
Mar 09 23:05:46 olympus com.docker.backend[3443288]: [03:05:46.851849266Z][main.apiproxy         ][W] Proxy error handling "/networks": connect tcp 192.168.65.7:2375: no route to host
Mar 09 23:05:46 olympus com.docker.backend[3443288]: [03:05:46.852944300Z][main.idle             ] event handler c57a811d-bce4-42d3-bce1-0f0af4d96f08: request: GET /v1.48/events?filters=%7B%22type%22%3A%7B%22container%22%3Atrue%7D%7D
Mar 09 23:05:46 olympus com.docker.backend[3443288]: [03:05:46.853135175Z][main.apiproxy         ] >> GET /v1.48/events?filters=%7B%22type%22%3A%7B%22container%22%3Atrue%7D%7D
Mar 09 23:05:46 olympus com.docker.backend[3443288]: [03:05:46.854032765Z][main.apiproxy         ] >> HEAD /_ping
Mar 09 23:05:47 olympus com.docker.backend[3443288]: [03:05:47.105555935Z][main.apiproxy         ] >> GET /images/json
Mar 09 23:05:47 olympus com.docker.backend[3443288]: [03:05:47.105923495Z][main.apiproxy         ] >> GET /networks
Mar 09 23:05:47 olympus com.docker.backend[3443288]: [03:05:47.705220731Z][main.idle             ] event handler c57a811d-bce4-42d3-bce1-0f0af4d96f08: request cancelled by client
Mar 09 23:05:47 olympus com.docker.backend[3443288]: [03:05:47.705284547Z][main.apiproxy         ][W] Proxy error handling "/_ping": context canceled
Mar 09 23:05:47 olympus com.docker.backend[3443288]: [03:05:47.705276314Z][main.apiproxy         ][W] Proxy error handling "/v1.48/events?filters=%7B%22type%22%3A%7B%22container%22%3Atrue%7D%7D": context canceled

[hsiktas]

Updated to v4.40.0 and still no change.

[CleverLittleMaker]

I am also encountering this issue on Linux Mint 22.04 LTS

[memelet]

I had docker-ce already installed on linux mint 22.1. Heavily using the cli tools. On boot, the docker cli is running. But when I start docker desktop, it goes into "Starging the Docker Engine" and never stops spinning. At this point the docker engine that was running has been stopped.

sudo systemctl start docker does not restart the engine. Have to reboot.

[michaeljdennis]

Is there any information we can provide from our systems to help with this ticket? I haven't moved past version 4.37.1 since that build is the most stable for me.

[LewisRye]

Is there any information we can provide from our systems to help with this ticket? I haven't moved past version 4.37.1 since that build is the most stable for me.

Have you tried the very latest release of Docker Desktop? The issue I encountered was fixed a few releases ago.

[arenner-git]

Is there any information we can provide from our systems to help with this ticket? I haven't moved past version 4.37.1 since that build is the most stable for me.

Have you tried the very latest release of Docker Desktop? The issue I encountered was fixed a few releases ago.

I can confirm that version 4.44.3 is working without problems for me.

[fusifusi]

i also had docker not starting turned out my Docker.raw file was seemingly too big (300gb) edited the json file to have it max size 16gb now it starts

[fusifusi]

~/.docker/desktop$ sudo nano settings-store.json "DiskSizeMiB": 64000,

[Sloma44]

~/.docker/desktop$ sudo nano settings-store.json "DiskSizeMiB": 64000,

I had the same issue. In settings-store.json I had the full dick space (almost 1TB). Limiting it to 65536 MB solved the issue. Thanks for help.

[clemenlg]

I had docker-ce already installed on linux mint 22.1. Heavily using the cli tools. On boot, the docker cli is running. But when I start docker desktop, it goes into "Starging the Docker Engine" and never stops spinning. At this point the docker engine that was running has been stopped.

sudo systemctl start docker does not restart the engine. Have to reboot.

Same problem with a Debian 13 fresh install. After starting Docker Desktop, docker service stop:

$ docker ps -a
request returned 500 Internal Server Error for API route and version http://%2Fhome%2Fuser%2F.docker%2Fdesktop%2Fdocker.sock/v1.52/containers/json?all=1, check if the server supports the requested API version