Ubuntu
ubuntu-drivers-common package

Why ubuntu-drivers devices command recommend a OSS version of NVIDIA GPU driver?

Asked by Yuhki Yano

When we install a video card made by NVIDIA, we use ubuntu-drivers devices command. However this command reccomend a oss version driver which does not work correctly. If we would like to use it, we need to set a additional option for Linux Kernel. The way of setting is as follows.
1. Create a conf file in /etc/modprobe.d
2. Write a option NVreg_OpenRmEnableUnsupportedGpus=1 in a above conf.
3. Reboot Ubuntu
This install task is very very very complicated!!
Why this command recommend a oss version?
I would liket to know the reason why this command reccomend a oss version.
Why this command does not reccommend a stable version of GPU driver?
In developers forum of NVIDIA, the open version of drivers are recomended not to use.
Reference
https://forums.developer.nvidia.com/t/nvidia-smi-outputs-no-devices-were-found-on-ubuntu-22-04-driver-520/234829
https://github.com/NVIDIA/open-gpu-kernel-modules/issues/433

Question information

Language:
English Edit question
Status:
Open
For:
Ubuntu ubuntu-drivers-common Edit question
Assignee:
No assignee Edit question
Last query:
Last reply:
Revision history for this message
actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#1

It's one command:

echo "NVreg_OpenRmEnableUnsupportedGpus=1" | sudo tee /etc/modprobe.d/nvreg_fix.conf > /dev/null

Not very complicated at all.....

Revision history for this message
Yuhki Yano (y-vectorfield) said (last edit ): 		#2

Thank you very much for your comment. However, your comment did not solve my question.
I would like to know the reason why this command recommend not stable version but oss version ?

Revision history for this message
actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#3

The OSS driver is stable

Revision history for this message
Yuhki Yano (y-vectorfield) said (last edit ): 		#4

Thank you very much for your comment.
The way I put the question was not clear enough.
Why does this command recommend a driver which nedd to set a additional conf.
Why does this recoomend a non open version driver ??
If we install the non open version, we do not need to set a additional option.
NVIDIA developer's forum reccommended non open version drivers.

Revision history for this message
actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#5

Because sometimes it's needed. Lots of modules have lots of options. This makes them work for specific hardwares. It doesn't mean it isn't stable.

Here are some for the iwlwifi module as an example
https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2483375&p=14128359

Your particular chip needs the option to function. Nothing more comicated than that

Revision history for this message
Johnson (j3soon) said : 		#6

The full command provided by @actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) should be the following instead:

```
echo "options nvidia NVreg_OpenRmEnableUnsupportedGpus=1" | sudo tee /etc/modprobe.d/nvreg_fix.conf > /dev/null
```

Revision history for this message
Yuhki Yano (y-vectorfield) said (last edit ): 		#7

Thank you very much for your comment.
Howerver, your comments did not answer of my question.
It is unnecessary to know how to set a additional conf for open driver efficiently.
Why does this command reccomend a non-open version driver?
How does this command reccomend a driver ? (reccomend a newest one ??)
If we install a non-open version, we do not need to set these settings.

Revision history for this message
Nozo (m-nozo) said : 		#8

I'm sorry to interrupt you. I have also seen this issue.

I think what's confusing is that the nvidia-driver-*-open drivers that the "ubuntu-drivers devices" command suggests as "recommended" don't work by default. Also, it doesn't seem easy for users to find workarounds to add option to nvidia's kernel module. Isn't there an article about this workaround in the official Ubuntu documentation?

Can you help with this problem?

Provide an answer of your own, or ask Yuhki Yano for more information if necessary.

To post a message you must log in.