# “Your Docker installation is not using a supported storage driver.”
**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/your-docker-installation-is-not-using-a-supported-storage-driver/159688
**Category:** Self-hosting
**Created:** [August 3, 2020, 5:52pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/your-docker-installation-is-not-using-a-supported-storage-driver/159688 "2020-08-03T17:52:04Z")
**Posts on this page:** 19
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@pauln](https://meta.discourse.org/u/pauln)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2020, 5:52pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/your-docker-installation-is-not-using-a-supported-storage-driver/159688/1 "2020-08-03T17:52:04Z")
Hey Guys, I have problem with an update giving me the following msg:
```
If you wish to continue anyway using your existing unsupported storage driver,
read the source code of launcher and figure out how to bypass this check.
root@sendy:/var/docker/discourse# git pull
Already up-to-date.
root@ **** :/var/docker/discourse# ./launcher rebuild app
Your Docker installation is not using a supported storage driver. If we were t.
overlay2 is the recommended storage driver, although zfs and aufs may work as w.
Other storage drivers are known to be problematic.
You can tell what filesystem you are using by running "docker info" and looking.
If you wish to continue anyway using your existing unsupported storage driver,
read the source code of launcher and figure out how to bypass this check.
root@ **** :/var/docker/discourse# docker info
Containers: 5
Images: 74
Storage Driver: devicemapper
Pool Name: docker-8:0-1970634-pool
Pool Blocksize: 65.54 kB
Data file: /var/lib/docker/devicemapper/devicemapper/data
Metadata file: /var/lib/docker/devicemapper/devicemapper/metadata
Data Space Used: 34.15 GB
Data Space Total: 107.4 GB
Metadata Space Used: 41.37 MB
Metadata Space Total: 2.147 GB
Library Version: 1.02.82-git (2013-10-04)
Execution Driver: native-0.2
Kernel Version: 5.6.14-x86_64-linode135
Operating System: Debian GNU/Linux
```
---
### Author:  [@neounix](https://meta.discourse.org/u/neounix)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2020, 9:36pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/your-docker-installation-is-not-using-a-supported-storage-driver/159688/2 "2020-08-03T21:36:16Z")
Hi @pauln
If your host is only running Docker to support Discourse and your Linux kernel supports the OverlayFS, then I recommend you reconfigure Docker (carefully) to use the overlay2 storage driver.
Hope this helps.
---
### Author:  [@pauln](https://meta.discourse.org/u/pauln)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2020, 9:43pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/your-docker-installation-is-not-using-a-supported-storage-driver/159688/5 "2020-08-03T21:43:27Z")
Can you let me know how to do it?
I am running on Linode (Debian 7.5)
Can you tell me how to reconfigure Docker?
---
### Author:  [@Falco](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Falco)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2020, 9:54pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/your-docker-installation-is-not-using-a-supported-storage-driver/159688/9 "2020-08-03T21:54:59Z")
> [@pauln](#):
>
> Debian 7.5
Per official Docker docs:
> To install Docker Engine, you need the 64-bit version of one of these Debian or Raspbian versions:
>
> - Debian Buster 10 (stable)
> - Debian Stretch 9 / Raspbian Stretch
I recommend using an updated VPS.
---
### Author:  [@neounix](https://meta.discourse.org/u/neounix)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2020, 10:02pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/your-docker-installation-is-not-using-a-supported-storage-driver/159688/10 "2020-08-03T22:02:12Z")
@pauln
Hey, I’m booted up and awake.
What do you want to do?
Do you want to move to a more recent version of Debian or do you want me to see if I can get your 7.5 working first?
If you want me to see if I can get your 7.5 version working; I need to know:
- Is Docker running anything else?
The issue is that when you change the Docker storage driver in the Docker config file; all existing containers will not be accessible; so we will need to:
- Make sure you have a full Discourse backup (always)
- Shutdown Docker.
- Edit the Docker config to change the storage driver.
- Restart Docker
- Rebuild Discourse
If your Debian kernel supports OverlayFS, this will go smoothly. If not, it will fail, but no harm done, we can revert back to devicemapper.
Let me know how you wish to proceed.
Thanks.
---
### Author:  [@pauln](https://meta.discourse.org/u/pauln)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2020, 10:03pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/your-docker-installation-is-not-using-a-supported-storage-driver/159688/11 "2020-08-03T22:03:31Z")
Yes I would like to get it working on 7.5 first. Docker is only running Discourse.
Thank you lets do it 🙂
---
### Author:  [@neounix](https://meta.discourse.org/u/neounix)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2020, 10:05pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/your-docker-installation-is-not-using-a-supported-storage-driver/159688/12 "2020-08-03T22:05:20Z")
> [@pauln](#):
>
> Yes I would like to get it working on 7.5 first. Docker is only running Discourse.
>
> Thank you lets do it
OK… that’s what I thought 🙂
Actually, the steps are outlined here:
> **[OverlayFS storage driver](https://docs.docker.com/engine/storage/drivers/overlayfs-driver/)**
>
> Learn how to optimize your use of OverlayFS driver.
Take a quick look and let me know if you are OK with the steps outlined or if you have any questions.
Thanks.
---
### Author:  [@pauln](https://meta.discourse.org/u/pauln)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2020, 10:08pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/your-docker-installation-is-not-using-a-supported-storage-driver/159688/13 "2020-08-03T22:08:40Z")
OK let me try this steps and get back to you? I did try similar and it did not work. Will keep you posted
---
### Author:  [@neounix](https://meta.discourse.org/u/neounix)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2020, 10:09pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/your-docker-installation-is-not-using-a-supported-storage-driver/159688/14 "2020-08-03T22:09:28Z")
> [@pauln](#):
>
> OK let me try this steps and get back to you? I did try similar and it did not work. Will keep you posted
If your Linux kernel does not support the OverlayFS, it will fail.
No worries.
You can revert back 😉
If it does not fail, then I can go back to sleep 🙂
---
### Author:  [@pauln](https://meta.discourse.org/u/pauln)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2020, 10:11pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/your-docker-installation-is-not-using-a-supported-storage-driver/159688/15 "2020-08-03T22:11:34Z")
How can i test if it does support or not?
---
### Author:  [@neounix](https://meta.discourse.org/u/neounix)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2020, 10:12pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/your-docker-installation-is-not-using-a-supported-storage-driver/159688/16 "2020-08-03T22:12:54Z")
Docker will not restart.
In other words, step 5 in the Docker instructions (above) will fail:
```plaintext
5. Start Docker.
$ sudo systemctl start docker
```
This will either fail or succeed…
(you might need a different command other than `systemctl` , but the concept is the same)
---
### Author:  [@pauln](https://meta.discourse.org/u/pauln)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2020, 10:18pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/your-docker-installation-is-not-using-a-supported-storage-driver/159688/17 "2020-08-03T22:18:14Z")
Ok trying. Will post update here
---
### Author:  [@neounix](https://meta.discourse.org/u/neounix)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2020, 10:20pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/your-docker-installation-is-not-using-a-supported-storage-driver/159688/18 "2020-08-03T22:20:42Z")
Have fun.
I will not have a coffee, hoping for a miracle and that your old Linux kernel (for some odd reason) actually supports OverlayFS.
My quick “Google” on this, was not encouraging, to be honest, but I’m trying to be optimistic.
🙂
---
### Author:  [@pauln](https://meta.discourse.org/u/pauln)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2020, 10:25pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/your-docker-installation-is-not-using-a-supported-storage-driver/159688/19 "2020-08-03T22:25:37Z")
Did not work. ☹ How would I move my Forum to new VPS not losing all the user data?
---
### Author:  [@Stephen](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Stephen)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2020, 10:27pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/your-docker-installation-is-not-using-a-supported-storage-driver/159688/20 "2020-08-03T22:27:09Z")
Download your app.yml and the most recent backup.
Your `app.yml` is typically in `/var/discourse/containers`
The backups are in `/var/discourse/shared/CONTAINERNAME/backups`
If your discourse site is inaccessible they can still be downloaded via SFTP or using SCP.
---
### Author:  [@neounix](https://meta.discourse.org/u/neounix)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2020, 10:27pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/your-docker-installation-is-not-using-a-supported-storage-driver/159688/21 "2020-08-03T22:27:27Z")
Hi @pauln
Sorry to hear that. I suspected your old kernel did not support OverlayFS, but it rarely hurts to try and learn things along the way.
Do you want to stick with Debian or go for Ubuntu on your new setup?
I have used Ubuntu “forever” and it is officially supported by Discourse, so that is my recommendation, but of course, the choice is up to you. Debian is cool too 🙂
---
### Author:  [@neounix](https://meta.discourse.org/u/neounix)
#### Post date: [August 3, 2020, 10:40pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/your-docker-installation-is-not-using-a-supported-storage-driver/159688/22 "2020-08-03T22:40:08Z")
> [@pauln](#):
>
> Did not work. ☹ How would I move my Forum to new VPS not losing all the user data?
Hey @pauln
There are a herd of people who can help you spin up a new VPS and install Discourse from scratch and restore your site; so I’m going to go back to sleep.
Nice working with you. In closing, here is my recommendation:
- Spin up a new Linode Ubuntu VPS, since you are already a Linode user (like me, BTW).
- Install Discourse from scratch (well documented)
- Restore Discourse from your backup (well documented)
There are a lot of talented folks to guide you along this journey, so I’m signing off for now.
Best wishes.
---
### Author:  [@neounix](https://meta.discourse.org/u/neounix)
#### Post date: [August 4, 2020, 5:18am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/your-docker-installation-is-not-using-a-supported-storage-driver/159688/23 "2020-08-04T05:18:25Z")
Good Morning (my time) @pauln
I checked for you this morning and if you do not want to change to a new VPS at this time, for what ever reason you might have, you can try the same method; but instead of `overlay2` you can try `aufs`.
According to the Discourse launcher script:
```plaintext
# 2. running an approved storage driver?
if ! $docker_path info 2> /dev/null | egrep -q 'Storage Driver: (aufs|zfs|overlay2)$'; then
```
This means that, since some older versions of Debian support `aufs` and because Discourse appears to support `aufs` (from reading launcher); you can give that a try.
It’s really best to upgrade to a new Linux distro and kernel, since Debian 7.5 was EOL over two years ago, and it’s always best to get off EOL code when you can. I would go that route, for sure and move to the `overlay2` storage driver (highly recommended). However, it is your choice and if you want to try `aufs` for fun, go for it. It’s always fun and rewarding to learn new things.
Reference:
> **[Select a storage driver](https://docs.docker.com/engine/storage/drivers/select-storage-driver/)**
>
> Learn how to select the proper storage driver for your container.
HTH
* * *
> Testbed Notes:
@pauln
To help you, I just took a fresh Linode Ubuntu VPS, installed Docker and changed the Storage Driver to `aufs`:
```plaintext
# docker info | grep aufs
Storage Driver: aufs
Root Dir: /var/lib/docker/aufs
```
Then I followed the standard Docker install directions:
```plaintext
https://github.com/discourse/discourse/blob/master/docs/INSTALL-cloud.md
```
and Discourse installed no problem on top of Docker with the `aufs` storage driver.
So maybe. you can try this on your Debian 7.5 VPS, for fun and knowledge, if you want.
Of course, recommended (officially and unofficially) is for you to move to a new supported VPS, as mentioned before. Please post back and update us on your decision and your progress.
---
### Author:  [@dillfrescott](https://meta.discourse.org/u/dillfrescott)
#### Post date: [March 15, 2024, 12:24am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/your-docker-installation-is-not-using-a-supported-storage-driver/159688/24 "2024-03-15T00:24:36Z")
I just commented the code block out in `launcher`. sometimes you have to live on the edge 😎!