Admin/Update screen is blank. How to manually updtate docker via SSH Console?

Product Support

AI-generated summary

jord8on reported that after attempting to update Docker via the Admin Dashboard, the Admin/Update screen went blank. Logging in via SSH and running ./launcher rebuild app returned an error stating Docker version 18.09.6 is unsupported (minimum 20.10.0 required). The site remained functional, but UI-based updates were blocked. Canapin referenced a similar issue with a solution. pfaffman suggested upgrading Docker via SSH using apt install docker-ce or the Docker install script, and warned that the OS (Ubuntu 18.04.6 LTS) is outdated and may require migration to a new VM. jord8on confirmed the OS version and asked for guidance on migrating. pfaffman linked to a guide on moving Discourse via rsync. Ultimately, jord8on resolved the issue by setting up a new DigitalOcean droplet with a current OS, restoring a backup, and updating DNS — successfully migrating the site without further issues.

1

Today when I went into our Admin Dashboard we had the notification:

Your Discourse installation is out of date. Click here to update.

I first clicked the button to Update Docker.

When the completed, from the Admin Dashboard, I again visited admin/update again, only to find that screen was blank within the “Admin/Update” frame.

Screenshot

Snapshot 2025-01-15 at 12.44.35@2x
Snapshot 2025-01-15 at 12.44.35@2x1920×1633 68.4 KB

I tried clearing browser cache/cookies and also disabling some theme components, etc.

I logged in via root to my server console and tried to run ./launcher rebuild app and got this error:

:warning: “ERROR: Docker version 18.09.6 not supported, please upgrade to at least 20.10.0, or recommended 24.0.7”

Our site is still working just fine… but I can’t upgrade Docker via the UI.

Is there a way to safely upgrade docker via SSH Console, and try to rebuild the app after that?

Some other points to consider:

We are currently on Docker version 18.09.6, build 481bc77

While Docker was updating via the Admin interface, I was logged into my console and attempting to add a plugin via nano containers/app.yml so maybe that caused some kind of conflict?? I have since deleted the two apps that I was attempting to add: - https://github.com/discourse/discourse-akismet.git and https://github.com/discourse/discourse-ai.git

2

There’s a similar topic with a solution here:

3

There’s a good chance your OS is out of date and that you should move to a fresh new VM. Does cat /etc/issue suggest that you have 18.04?

You can try

apt update;apt install docker-ce

Another way, that prints a scary message, but is probably safe if you installed docker with apt

wget -qO- https://get.docker.com/ | sh
4

Yes! I get this:

Ubuntu 18.04.6 LTS \n \l

What’s the cleanest/safest way to move to a fresh new VM?

5

Move a Discourse site to another VPS with rsync

6

You were right. Getting a new Ubuntu OS was probably the best way to go. I just went through the process of creating another install on a Digital Ocean droplet. then updated my DNS records and uploaded a backup from our old community. Everything is working great now!

Thanks!