# Docker problems
**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/docker-problems/359438
**Category:** Self-hosting
**Created:** [March 29, 2025, 2:08pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/docker-problems/359438 "2025-03-29T14:08:01Z")
**Posts on this page:** 12
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@geoff777](https://meta.discourse.org/u/geoff777)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2025, 2:08pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/docker-problems/359438/1 "2025-03-29T14:08:01Z")
Having lots of problems installing discourse.
Cant use two containers because of a weird ssh container problem.
Single container.. app.yml leads to duplicate containers.
Tried lots of ai assisted fixes but we’ve been going round in circles.
Docker seems to be very flaky atm.
After 3 days of multiple attempts I’m giving up for the weekend.
Has anyone successfully installed a self hosted instance in the last day or so?
---
### Author:  [@Falco](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Falco)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2025, 5:41pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/docker-problems/359438/2 "2025-03-29T17:41:45Z")
Did you try starting on a brand new server and following the [standard install](https://meta.discourse.org/t/142537?silent=true) guide?
Please forget two container setups, unless you know what you doing.
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### Author:  [@geoff777](https://meta.discourse.org/u/geoff777)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2025, 6:19pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/docker-problems/359438/3 "2025-03-29T18:19:41Z")
Yes new server.
Said I’d tried both methods.
Done two container many times.
Following guide to letter.
How your reply is a solution to my problem beats me.
---
### Author:  [@supermathie](https://meta.discourse.org/u/supermathie)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2025, 6:36pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/docker-problems/359438/4 "2025-03-29T18:36:45Z")
> [@geoff777](#):
>
> How your reply is a solution to my problem beats me.
Falco’s reply is an attempt to gather more information, quite necessary given the lack of relevant information.
Why are you being rude to someone attempting to gather further information to help you?
The only useful information in your post is:
> [@geoff777](#):
>
> Single container.. app.yml leads to duplicate containers.
This line is just confusing:
> [@geoff777](#):
>
> weird ssh container problem
since ssh has nothing to do with docker.
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### Author:  [@geoff777](https://meta.discourse.org/u/geoff777)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2025, 6:39pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/docker-problems/359438/6 "2025-03-29T18:39:03Z")
> [@supermathie](#):
>
> since ssh has nothing to do with docker.
It does, its an old method of accessing a container.
Last line of web\_only.yml
---
### Author:  [@sam](https://meta.discourse.org/u/sam)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2025, 9:34pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/docker-problems/359438/7 "2025-03-29T21:34:15Z")
> [@geoff777](#):
>
> Said I’d tried both methods.
Can you clarify, following the issues you had, did you spin up a brand new droplet and try again?
---
### Author:  [@pfaffman](https://meta.discourse.org/u/pfaffman)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2025, 9:58pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/docker-problems/359438/8 "2025-03-29T21:58:51Z")
> [@geoff777](#):
>
> Cant use two containers because of a weird ssh container problem.
That’s a warning. Not an error.
> [@geoff777](#):
>
> Docker seems to be very flaky atm.
Sounds like not Discourse’s fault. Does
```
docker run hello-world
```
work?
> [@geoff777](#):
>
> Has anyone successfully installed a self hosted instance in the last day or so?
Just ran a 2-container install and it worked as expected.
And then a ran a `app.yml` install and it worked too. The specs pretty much guarantee that a [standard install](https://meta.discourse.org/t/142537?silent=true) works.
---
### Author:  [@Heliosurge](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Heliosurge)
#### Post date: [March 30, 2025, 6:39pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/docker-problems/359438/9 "2025-03-30T18:39:26Z")
What is your server specs? Recently discovered that a 4g ram server requires swap.
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### Author:  [@geoff777](https://meta.discourse.org/u/geoff777)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2025, 7:21am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/docker-problems/359438/10 "2025-03-31T07:21:52Z")
> [@pfaffman](#):
>
> That’s a warning. Not an error.
Was showing as FATAL. Otherwise I’d have been unaware as in all previous installs.
I had docker problems, two containers with web\_only were running?
Possibly caused by Docker and unauthorized requests so I had to get a docker hub login.
Then I had to work out I needed to be root when I logged in.
I also had mail delivery problems because DO have quietly blocked Port 587 -March 2025 and thought it was my credentials until I’d tried everything. I’m not sure SMPT domain is being filled in correctly.
Port 2525 works. (Mailjet)
(Sam) All these errors and I’m rebuilding the server from scratch each time for future stability.
I don’t post here any more as a rule but wanted to leave the info about the port block and docker hub.
I was on the receiving end of intense bullying by some of the ‘team’, (go team!) after I used a DM to one, unaware it would be read by everyone and about 40 piled on with comments or likes. A nasty experience after years of posting.
So I stay well clear of posting. I’m read only.
Is there a competition on for most solutions? Its not helpful especially if there is no solution offered.
So I run into LetsEncrypt limits and … when I get out of SSL jail I’m confident … ok fairly confident it will work.
Perhaps this Docker Hub login requirement needs to go in the [official install](https://meta.discourse.org/t/142537?silent=true). It seems necessary. .. as root!
---
### Author:  [@geoff777](https://meta.discourse.org/u/geoff777)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2025, 7:22am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/docker-problems/359438/11 "2025-03-31T07:22:07Z")
I’m not sure about memory. I was using the $8 Intel on DO. Then after a couple of failures, I upped it to a $32 dollar Intel (free credit to burn) as I thought it would speed the failure process up.
Once I get an instance up & running I really need to go back to the cheapest until I launch the site.
---
### Author:  [@Heliosurge](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Heliosurge)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2025, 7:29am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/docker-problems/359438/12 "2025-03-31T07:29:28Z")
This post of mine has the info for setting up a swap file.
> [@Failed new install](https://meta.discourse.org/t/failed-new-install/357790/4):
>
> That is possible. No swap setup. Could you share the command to add a 4g swap. Been awhile since have played around with that. Found this topic working on it. Thanks
I think my 4core 4g instance is around $8/month.
Saw DO post here recently about them blocking 587.
Not sure but if having mail problems. Look into using [www.brevo.com](http://www.brevo.com) they have a free tier that may work well to test. It gives 300 emails free a day
---
### Author:  [@pfaffman](https://meta.discourse.org/u/pfaffman)
#### Post date: [April 1, 2025, 3:31pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/docker-problems/359438/13 "2025-04-01T15:31:32Z")
Just saw this again on a server I upgraded. . .
> [@geoff777](#):
>
> Was showing as FATAL. Otherwise I’d have been unaware as in all previous installs.
The error you’re talking about is this one:
```plaintext
I, [2025-04-01T15:14:58.799796 #1] INFO -- : > awk -F\# '{print $1;}' ~/.ssh/authorized_keys | awk 'BEGIN { print "Authorized SSH keys for this container:"; } NF>=2 {print $NF
;}'
awk: fatal: cannot open file `/root/.ssh/authorized_keys' for reading: No such file or directory
I, [2025-04-01T15:14:58.810714 #1] INFO -- : Authorized SSH keys for this container:
```
And though `awk` thinks it’s fatal. I promise, it’s not actually a problem. You’ve been ignoring t for years. 🙂
> [@geoff777](#):
>
> Perhaps this Docker Hub login requirement needs to go in the [official install](https://meta.discourse.org/t/142537?silent=true). It seems necessary. .. as root!
I’ve been wondering when that was going to be true, but it seems not to be for many folks so far. I think I’ve seen one other example.
> [@geoff777](#):
>
> So I run into LetsEncrypt limits and … when I get out of SSL jail
You can get out of jail free by adding another hostname (like just add `www.` as another name) as described at [Setup Multisite Configuration with Let's Encrypt and no Reverse Proxy](https://meta.discourse.org/t/setup-multisite-configuration-with-lets-encrypt-and-no-reverse-proxy/175285) and include just the `after_ssl` stanza.