To force delete Docker containers that cannot be stopped or removed normally, you should use the docker rm -f command. 1. Use docker rm -f
Sometimes a Docker container won't stop or remove normally — maybe it's stuck, unresponsive, or tied up in a weird state. In these cases, you need to force remove it. Here's how to do it safely and effectively.
1. Stop and Remove in One Command (Force Kill Remove)
The quickest way to force remove a container is to use the -f flag with docker rm :
docker rm -f <container_name_or_id>
-
-ftells Docker to force stop the container (like sendingSIGKILL) if it's running, then remove it. - This combines
docker stopanddocker rmin one step.
Example:
docker rm -f my_nginx_container
? This is the most common and recommended method for forcing removal.
2. Manually Stop, Then Remove (Alternative)
If you prefer more control, stop the container first (forcefully), then remove it:
docker stop <container_name_or_id> # Graceful stop (can hang) docker kill <container_name_or_id> # Immediate SIGKILL (use if stop hangs) docker rm <container_name_or_id>
Use kill instead of stop if the container is unresponsive.
3. Handle "Device or Resource Busy" Errors
Sometimes you get an error like:
Error: driver failed to remove container: unable to remove filesystem: remove /var/lib/docker/...: device or resource busy
This usually means:
- The container's filesystem is still in use.
- A process or mount is holding it open.
Try these fixes:
Check for lingering processes:
lsof | grep <container_id>
Kill any related processes if safe.
Unmount container layers manually (advanced):
umount /var/lib/docker/aufs/mnt/<container_id>*
?? Only do this if you know what you're doing — can affect Docker stability.
Restart Docker daemon (last resort):
sudo systemctl restart docker
Then try
docker rm -fagain.
4. Remove Associated Volumes (Optional)
By default, docker rm doesn't remove volumes. To remove the container and its volumes :
docker rm -f -v <container_name_or_id>
-
-vremoves any anonymous volumes associated with the container.
? Named volumes are not removed automatically — you'll need to prune or remove them separately.
Summary
| Goal | Command |
|---|---|
| Force remove container | docker rm -f <container></container>
|
| Kill then remove | docker kill <container> && docker rm <container></container></container>
|
| Remove with volumes | docker rm -f -v <container></container>
|
| Fix "device busy" error | Check lsof , unmount, or restart Docker |
Basically, docker rm -f handles most cases. If it fails, investigate system-level locks or restart Docker. Not complicated — but easy to overlook the filesystem issues.
The above is the detailed content of How to force remove a Docker container?. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!
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