Docker machine timeout - how to fix without destroying the machine?

Question

I\'m having a recurring problem with Docker Machine - every few days it decides to timeout and I am unable to recover it once this happens.

Example

Answer 1

So far I have a bit of a hacky solution - this fixes the docker machine but destroys all containers and images.

Script: rebuild-machine.sh

docker-machine rm -y default
docker-machine create -d virtualbox default
docker-machine stop default
VBoxManage modifyvm "default" --natpf1 "Forwarding App 1,tcp,127.0.0.1,3000,,3000"
VBoxManage modifyvm "default" --natpf1 "Forwarding App 2,tcp,127.0.0.1,3001,,3001"
VBoxManage modifyvm "default" --natpf1 "Forwarding App 3,tcp,127.0.0.1,3004,,3004"
VBoxManage modifyvm "default" --natpf1 "Forwarding App 4,tcp,127.0.0.1,3005,,3005"
VBoxManage modifyvm "default" --natpf1 "Forwarding App 5,tcp,127.0.0.1,3006,,3006"
VBoxManage modifyvm "default" --natpf1 "Forwarding App 6,tcp,127.0.0.1,8081,,8081"
docker-machine start default
eval $(docker-machine env)

Explanation

• Destroys the default docker machine, containers and images.
• Creates a new docker machine on VirtualBox and stops it so we can modify VirtualBox.
• Adds port forwarding for various applications on VirtualBox.
• Starts the docker machine.
• Ensures the Terminal is setup for the new IP address of the docker machine.

Answer 2

This is usually a problem related to the way you start and stop your machine.

You can solve it using

1. $ docker-machine stop default
2. $ docker-machine start default
3. $ docker-machine regenerate-certs default

Do not use docker-machine restart default because it will not refresh your networking configs.

Answer 3

This worked for me and my containers were not destroyed:

1. Opened Oracle virtual box and paused the VM
2. Restarted the VM on docker machine

$ docker-machine restart default

• docker version: 1.12.3
• docker-machine version: 0.8.2, build e18a919

Answer 4

My problem was very trivial - I did the docker machine ls command right after restarting a docker machine, so it was not running yet, and that caused a timeout.

Answer 5

My problem was very simple. I was blocking port 2376 with my ufw firewall. Docker-machine needs this port open to connect to the remote.

I found the answer to my problem in on this page:

Answer 6

Check if you are are using a proxy or VPN!

None of the above suggestions worked for me until I turned off my VPN and suddenly:

docker-machine.exe ls
NAME      ACTIVE   DRIVER       STATE     URL                         SWARM   DOCKER     ERRORS
default   *        virtualbox   Running   tcp://192.168.99.102:2376           v19.03.5