π ~1 min read
Table of contents
Symptom & Impact
Containers fail to start and Docker reports cgroup-related runtime errors.
Environment & Reproduction
Seen after upgrades when Docker and runtime drivers are inconsistent.
Root Cause Analysis
Docker daemon cgroup driver conflicts with host cgroup hierarchy expectations.
Quick Triage
Inspect daemon config and recent logs for cgroup startup failures.
Step-by-Step Diagnosis
Validate current cgroup mode and container runtime compatibility.
Solution – Primary Fix
Set systemd cgroup driver in daemon.json and restart Docker.
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Solution – Alternative Approaches
Reinstall docker engine packages to restore known-good defaults.
Verification & Acceptance Criteria
Docker starts cleanly and test containers run without cgroup errors.
Rollback Plan
Restore prior daemon.json and restart service if workload behavior changes.
Prevention & Hardening
Pin and document container runtime settings in configuration management.
Related Errors & Cross-Refs
Related to OCI runtime create failed and failed to write cgroup.
Related tutorial: View the step-by-step tutorial for Ubuntu 22.04 LTS.
View all Ubuntu 22.04 LTS tutorials on the Tutorials Hub β
Browse all common problems & solutions on the Tutorials Hub.
References & Further Reading
Ubuntu 22.04 Docker packaging and cgroup driver guidance.
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