Hey there, let's work through this step by step since you're new to Docker—no worries, this is a common gotcha! 😊

The reason new containers keep popping up is likely your original Portainer container was set with an auto-restart policy (like --restart=always), so Docker automatically recreates it when you delete the old one. Here's how to fully resolve this:

Step 1: View All Containers (Even Stopped Ones) #

The docker container ls command only shows running containers. To see every container tied to the Portainer image (including stopped ones), run:

docker container ls -a --filter ancestor=portainer/portainer:latest

This will list all related containers with their IDs and statuses, so you can confirm which ones are linked to the image.

Step 2: Force Stop & Delete All Portainer Containers #

Since the containers auto-restart, we need to force-stop and delete them in one go to prevent immediate recreation. Run this command to target all Portainer-related containers at once:

docker rm -f $(docker ps -aq --filter ancestor=portainer/portainer:latest)

• The -f flag forces the container to stop (if running) and delete it immediately.
• docker ps -aq --filter ancestor=... grabs all container IDs associated with the Portainer image, so you don't have to type each ID manually.

Step 3: Delete the Portainer Image #

Now that no containers are using the image, you can safely remove it:

docker rmi portainer/portainer:latest

If you still get an error, add the -f flag to force the deletion (though the previous step should have cleared up any conflicts):

docker rmi -f portainer/portainer:latest

Step 4: Reinstall Portainer Correctly (Optional) #

If you want to set up Portainer again with a new password, use this standard, beginner-friendly command (it includes proper persistence and safe restart settings):

docker run -d -p 9000:9000 \
  --name portainer \
  --restart=unless-stopped \
  -v /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock \
  -v portainer_data:/data \
  portainer/portainer:latest

Let's break down what each part does for you:

• -d: Runs the container in the background (so it doesn't tie up your terminal)
• -p 9000:9000: Maps your local port 9000 to the container's port 9000 (so you can access the UI)
• --name portainer: Gives the container a friendly name instead of a random ID, making it easier to manage
• --restart=unless-stopped: Restarts the container automatically unless you manually stop it (safer than always if you need to take it down later)
• -v /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock: Lets Portainer access your Docker daemon to manage containers
• -v portainer_data:/data: Creates a dedicated volume to save Portainer's settings (so you won't lose your config if the container is deleted)

After running this, wait 30 seconds, then visit http://127.0.0.1:9000—you'll be able to set a new admin password without issues.

内容的提问来源于stack exchange，提问作者monti