NVIDIA / NVIDIA/open-gpu-kernel-modules
Driver with open kernel module uses more VRAM than with closed module for same task
Nobody has claimed this yet.
- Dominant language
- C
- Stars
- 17.4k
- Forks
- 1.9k
- PR merge metrics
- No merged PRs in 30d
Description
NVIDIA Open GPU Kernel Modules Version
580.82.09
Please confirm this issue does not happen with the proprietary driver (of the same version). This issue tracker is only for bugs specific to the open kernel driver.
- I confirm that this does not happen with the proprietary driver package.
Operating System and Version
Manjaro /Arch Linux
Kernel Release
6.16.8
Please confirm you are running a stable release kernel (e.g. not a -rc). We do not accept bug reports for unreleased kernels.
- I am running on a stable kernel release.
Hardware: GPU
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060
Describe the bug
More video memory is used when using the open kernel module than when using the closed kernel module.
The difference is ~ 300-400 Mib when compared through nvtop or 100+ Mib when compared through nvidia-smi.
This can also be tested by comparing how much video memory is available, for example when using closed kernel modules I can additionally to the work task start the hardware decoding video and everything will work, whereas when using open kernel modules video memory remaining during the work task not enough to run hardware video decoding.
I compared both kernel modules in the same scenarios: llama-server + 2 firefox browser. Computation task and firefox open tabs are completely the same. In the first case I have enough video memory to decode the video, in the second case I do not.
To Reproduce
1)Run a task that requires a lot of video memory
2) Compare VRAM consumption between open and close modules
Bug Incidence
Always
nvidia-bug-report.log.gz
More Info
No response
Contributor guide
First steps
- Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
- Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
- Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
- Open a pull request that references the issue number.
Research direction
Reproduce the comparison on the stated RTX 3060, Manjaro/Arch Linux, kernel 6.16.8, and driver version 580.82.09 using llama-server and Firefox. Start by reviewing nvidia-bug-report.log and compare VRAM measurements from nvtop and nvidia-smi for the open and proprietary modules. Done means identifying the cause of the additional allocation or documenting a verified correction that brings usage into line.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- c, linux
- Domain
- computer-graphics, operating-systems
- Issue type
- Bug
- Difficulty
- 4/5
- Estimated time
- 3-5 days
- Activity status
- Quiet
- Clarity
- Mostly clear
- Newbie friendliness
- 45/100