🟡 Medium   ⏱ 5–30 min  Last verified: 20 May 2026
Affected versions: SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15

📖 ~1 min read

Table of contents
  1. Symptom & Impact
  2. Environment & Reproduction
  3. Root Cause Analysis
  4. Quick Triage
  5. Step-by-Step Diagnosis
  6. Solution – Primary Fix
  7. Solution – Alternative Approaches
  8. Verification & Acceptance Criteria
  9. Rollback Plan
  10. Prevention & Hardening
  11. Related Errors & Cross-Refs
  12. References & Further Reading

Symptom & Impact

`docker` or `podman` services fail to start due to incompatible storage driver state.

Environment & Reproduction

Triggered after engine upgrade or switching between docker and podman on SLES 15.

Root Cause Analysis

On-disk metadata uses one driver (`overlay2`) while config requests another (`devicemapper`).

Quick Triage

Check daemon config in `/etc/docker/daemon.json` and `/etc/containers/storage.conf`.

Step-by-Step Diagnosis

Inspect `/var/lib/docker` or `/var/lib/containers` for legacy driver directories.

Illustrative mockup for sles-15 — docker_storage-driver-mix_terminal
Terminal diagnostics for Container engine fails with storage driver mismatch — Illustrative mockup — Progressive Robot

Solution – Primary Fix

Drain workloads, set the correct driver, remove old storage directories, and restart engine.

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Illustrative mockup for sles-15 — docker_storage-driver-mix_logs
Logs and evidence for Container engine fails with storage driver mismatch — Illustrative mockup — Progressive Robot

Solution – Alternative Approaches

Migrate images with `skopeo` to a clean storage layout when changing drivers.

Verification & Acceptance Criteria

Engine starts cleanly, containers run, and `docker info` shows the configured driver.

Rollback Plan

Reinstate the previous driver via configuration backup if data must be recovered.

Prevention & Hardening

Standardise on overlay2/fuse-overlayfs and document driver per host class.

Pairs with `failed to start daemon: error initializing graphdriver` errors.

Related tutorial: View the step-by-step tutorial for sles-15.

View all sles-15 tutorials on the Tutorials Hub →

Browse all common problems & solutions on the Tutorials Hub.

References & Further Reading

SUSE container engine docs and overlay2 driver guidance.

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