Docker fails pulling repository with error: Too Many Requests (HAP429) - docker

Question

I was trying to install gitlab using docker containers and was able to bring up gitlab successfully using docker compose file from sameersbn.
However after few uninstalls and (docker rm ) reinstalls (docker-compose up) as part of CI testing, I started getting this weird error while running docker-compose up or docker run
[root#server.com ~]# docker run java
Unable to find image 'java:latest' locally
Pulling repository docker.io/library/java
docker: Error while pulling image: Get https://index.docker.io/v1/repositories/library/java/images: malformed MIME header line: Too Many Requests (HAP429)..
See 'docker run --help'.
I can't seem to be able to pull any of the docker containers using docker run or docker-compose.
Couldn't find much help online reg this issue.
As per the docker hub forum the issue https://forums.docker.com/t/429-too-many-requests-how-to-fix-this-isssue/3971/7 should disappear after an hour but I waited half a day without much luck!
Here are the details of my installation:
[root#server build]# docker version
Client:
Version: 1.12.1
API version: 1.24
Go version: go1.6.3
Git commit: 23cf638
Built:
OS/Arch: linux/amd64
Server:
Version: 1.12.1
API version: 1.24
Go version: go1.6.3
Git commit: 23cf638
Built:
OS/Arch: linux/amd64
[root#server build]# docker info
Containers: 0
Running: 0
Paused: 0
Stopped: 0
Images: 15
Server Version: 1.12.1
Storage Driver: devicemapper
Pool Name: docker-thinpool
Pool Blocksize: 524.3 kB
Base Device Size: 10.74 GB
Backing Filesystem: xfs
Data file:
Metadata file:
Data Space Used: 3.077 GB
Data Space Total: 61.2 GB
Data Space Available: 58.12 GB
Metadata Space Used: 1.204 MB
Metadata Space Total: 641.7 MB
Metadata Space Available: 640.5 MB
Thin Pool Minimum Free Space: 6.119 GB
Udev Sync Supported: true
Deferred Removal Enabled: true
Deferred Deletion Enabled: false
Deferred Deleted Device Count: 0
Library Version: 1.02.107-RHEL7 (2015-10-14)
Logging Driver: json-file
Cgroup Driver: cgroupfs
Plugins:
Volume: local
Network: bridge null host overlay
Swarm: inactive
Runtimes: runc
Default Runtime: runc
Security Options: seccomp
Kernel Version: 3.10.0-327.el7.x86_64
Operating System: CentOS Linux 7 (Core)
OSType: linux
Architecture: x86_64
CPUs: 4
Total Memory: 7.64 GiB
Name: server.com
ID: SDFS:SDEF:GKY5:UKGK:QHWR:H4EC:wEFw:YVAS:JE2V:A5YB:FDSW
Docker Root Dir: /var/lib/docker
Debug Mode (client): false
Debug Mode (server): true
File Descriptors: 17
Goroutines: 23
System Time: 2016-10-09T18:34:43.969512367-05:00
EventsListeners: 0
Registry: https://index.docker.io/v1/
WARNING: bridge-nf-call-ip6tables is disabled
Insecure Registries:
127.0.0.0/8
Any help would be much appreciated. I'm stuck with this error and can't proceed any further with my gitlab.
Thanks.

Answer 1

This may or may not be relevant to your situation, but I can report that I had the same error (didn't go away within an hour) and it was related to the fact that I was on a VPN to my office. I don't know if the VPN was the issue, or the NAT of my workplace, but when I turned off the VPN, the issue went away.
Note, I was running Docker for Windows (W7), so my circumstances are quite different from yours. But perhaps this answer will be useful to you or to anyone else looking for an answer.
Bottom line: If you are using a VPN, switch it off and try again. If you are inside a corporate filewall, try from outside.