When the image cannot be fetched.
WHAT THE COMMON CAUSES ARE
A wrong image name or tag Missing registry credentials A private registry with no configured secret Rate limits on public registries Network restrictions from the node An architecture mismatch
WHAT TO CHECK FIRST
The exact name in the manifest, character by character.
WHY
Typos are the commonest cause, and the error is unhelpfully generic.
WHAT TO CHECK NEXT
Whether the tag exists in the registry.
WHAT AUTHENTICATION FAILURE LOOKS LIKE
An unauthorised error during pull.
WHAT TO DO
Configure a pull secret, and reference it in the pod specification.
WHAT PEOPLE FORGET
Referencing it, having created it.
WHAT RATE LIMITING LOOKS LIKE
A too-many-requests error from a public registry.
WHAT CAUSES IT
Many nodes pulling anonymously.
WHAT TO DO
Authenticate, even for public images Or mirror them locally
WHAT AN ARCHITECTURE MISMATCH LOOKS LIKE
An exec format error once it runs.
WHAT TO CHECK
That the image supports the node's architecture.
WHAT TO TEST FROM THE NODE
Pulling manually, which isolates network and credentials.
WHAT TO CONSIDER
Whether the node can reach the registry at all.