Microsoft Windows Server :: NVIDIA Virtual GPU Software Documentation

Virtual GPU Software R410 for Microsoft Windows Server Release Notes

Release information for all users of NVIDIA virtual GPU software and hardware on Microsoft Windows Server.

1. Release Notes

These Release Notes summarize current status, information on validated platforms, and known issues with NVIDIA vGPU software and associated hardware on Microsoft Windows Server.

Note: Release 7.5 of NVIDIA vGPU software is the last release in the NVIDIA vGPU software 7 release branch.

The releases in this release family of NVIDIA vGPU software include the software listed in the following table:

Software	7.0	7.1	7.2	7.3	7.4	7.5
NVIDIA Windows driver	411.81	412.16	412.31	412.38	412.45	412.47
NVIDIA Linux driver	410.71	410.92	410.107	410.122	410.137	410.141

All releases of NVIDIA vGPU software are compatible with all releases of the license server.

New Features in Release 7.0

Support for NVIDIA GPU Cloud (NGC) containers with NVIDIA vGPU software
Miscellaneous bug fixes

Hardware and Software Support Introduced in Release 7.0

Support for Microsoft Windows Server 2016 1803 with Hyper-V role
Support for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.6 as a guest OS
Support for CentOS 7.6 as a guest OS
Support for Windows 10 Spring Creators Update (1803) as a guest OS

Feature Support Withdrawn in Release 7.0

32-bit Windows guest operating systems are no longer supported.

New Features in Release 7.1

Miscellaneous bug fixes

Hardware and Software Support Introduced in Release 7.1

Support for the Tesla T4 GPU

New Features in Release 7.2

Miscellaneous bug fixes
Security updates - see Security Updates

New Features in Release 7.3

Security updates
Miscellaneous bug fixes

New Features in Release 7.4

Security updates
Miscellaneous bug fixes

New Features in Release 7.5

Fix for bug 2708778: In GPU pass-through mode, the NVIDIA graphics drivers fail to load with error code 43.

This release family of NVIDIA vGPU software provides support for several NVIDIA GPUs on validated server hardware platforms, Microsoft Windows Server hypervisor software versions, and guest operating systems.

2.1. Supported NVIDIA GPUs and Validated Server Platforms

This release of NVIDIA vGPU software provides support for the following NVIDIA GPUs on Microsoft Windows Server, running on validated server hardware platforms:

GPUs based on the NVIDIA Maxwell™ graphic architecture:
- Tesla M6
- Tesla M10
- Tesla M60
GPUs based on the NVIDIA Pascal™ architecture:
- Tesla P4
- Tesla P6
- Tesla P40
- Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB
- Tesla P100 SXM2 16 GB
- Tesla P100 PCIe 12GB
GPUs based on the NVIDIA Volta architecture:
- Tesla V100 SXM2
- Tesla V100 SXM2 32GB
- Tesla V100 PCIe
- Tesla V100 PCIe 32GB
- Tesla V100 FHHL
GPUs based on the NVIDIA Turing architecture:
- Since 7.1: Tesla T4

Note: These GPUs are supported as a secondary device in a bare-metal deployment. Tesla M6 is also supported as the primary display device in a bare-metal deployment.

For a list of validated server platforms, refer to NVIDIA GRID Certified Servers.

2.2. Hypervisor Software Releases

This release supports only the hypervisor software versions listed in the table.

Note: If a specific release, even an update release, is not listed, it’s not supported.

Software	Version Supported
Microsoft Windows Server	Windows Server 2016 1803 with Hyper-V role Windows Server 2016 1709 with Hyper-V role Windows Server 2016 1607 with Hyper-V role

Software

Version Supported

Microsoft Windows Server

Windows Server 2016 1803 with Hyper-V role

Windows Server 2016 1709 with Hyper-V role

Windows Server 2016 1607 with Hyper-V role

2.3. Guest OS Support

NVIDIA vGPU software supports several Windows releases and Linux distributions as a guest OS using GPU pass-through.

Microsoft Windows Server with Hyper-V role supports GPU pass-through over Microsoft Virtual PCI bus. This bus is supported through paravirtualized drivers.

Note:

Use only a guest OS release that is listed as supported by NVIDIA vGPU software with your virtualization software. To be listed as supported, a guest OS release must be supported not only by NVIDIA vGPU software, but also by your virtualization software. NVIDIA cannot support guest OS releases that your virtualization software does not support.

NVIDIA vGPU software supports only 64-bit guest operating systems. No 32-bit guest operating systems are supported.

Windows Guest OS Support

NVIDIA vGPU software supports only the 64-bit Windows releases listed as a guest OS on Microsoft Windows Server.

Note:

If a specific release, even an update release, is not listed, it’s not supported.

Windows Server 2016 1607, 1709
Windows Server 2012 R2 with patch Windows8.1-KB3133690-x64.msu
Windows 10 RTM (1507), November Update (1511), Anniversary Update (1607), Creators Update (1703), Fall Creators Update (1709), Spring Creators Update (1803) (64-bit)

2.3.2. Linux Guest OS Support

NVIDIA vGPU software supports only the 64-bit Linux distributions listed as a guest OS on Microsoft Windows Server.

Note:

If a specific release, even an update release, is not listed, it’s not supported.

Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.0-7.6
CentOS 7.0-7.6
Ubuntu 16.04 LTS
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP2

3. Security Updates

3.1. Since 7.2: Restricting Access to GPU Performance Counters

The NVIDIA graphics driver contains a vulnerability (CVE-2018-6260) that may allow access to application data processed on the GPU through a side channel exposed by the GPU performance counters. To address this vulnerability, update the driver and restrict access to GPU performance counters to allow access only by administrator users and users who need to use CUDA profiling tools.

The GPU performance counters that are affected by this vulnerability are the hardware performance monitors used by the CUDA profiling tools such as CUPTI, Nsight Graphics, and Nsight Compute. These performance counters are exposed on the hypervisor host and in guest VMs only as follows:

On the hypervisor host, they are always exposed. However, the Virtual GPU Manager does not access these performance counters and, therefore, is not affected.
In Windows and Linux guest VMs, they are exposed only in VMs configured for GPU pass through. They are not exposed in VMs configured for NVIDIA vGPU.

3.1.1. Windows: Restricting Access to GPU Performance Counters for One User by Using NVIDIA Control Panel

Perform this task from the guest VM to which the GPU is passed through.

Ensure that you are running NVIDIA Control Panel version 8.1.950.

Open NVIDIA Control Panel:
- Right-click on the Windows desktop and select NVIDIA Control Panel from the menu.
- Open Windows Control Panel and double-click the NVIDIA Control Panel icon.
In NVIDIA Control Panel, select the Manage GPU Performance Counters task in the Developer section of the navigation pane.
Complete the task by following the instructions in the Manage GPU Performance Counters > Developer topic in the NVIDIA Control Panel help.

3.1.2. Windows: Restricting Access to GPU Performance Counters Across an Enterprise by Using a Registry Key

You can use a registry key to restrict access to GPU Performance Counters for all users who log in to a Windows guest VM. By incorporating the registry key information into a script, you can automate the setting of this registry for all Windows guest VMs across your enterprise.

Perform this task from the guest VM to which the GPU is passed through.

CAUTION:

Only enterprise administrators should perform this task. Changes to the Windows registry must be made with care and system instability can result if registry keys are incorrectly set.

Set the RmProfilingAdminOnly Windows registry key to 1.
```
[HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\nvlddmkm\Global\NVTweak]
Value: "RmProfilingAdminOnly"
Type: DWORD
Data: 00000001
```
The data value 1 restricts access, and the data value 0 allows access, to application data processed on the GPU through a side channel exposed by the GPU performance counters.
Restart the VM.

3.1.3. Linux Guest VMs: Restricting Access to GPU Performance Counters

On systems where unprivileged users don't need to use GPU performance counters, restrict access to these counters to system administrators, namely users with the CAP_SYS_ADMIN capability set. By default, the GPU performance counters are not restricted to users with the CAP_SYS_ADMIN capability.

Perform this task from the guest VM to which the GPU is passed through.

This task requires sudo privileges.

Log in to the guest VM.
Set the kernel module parameter NVreg_RestrictProfilingToAdminUsers to 1 by adding this parameter to the /etc/modprobe.d/nvidia.conf file.
- If you are setting only this parameter, add an entry for it to the /etc/modprobe.d/nvidia.conf file as follows:
```
options nvidia NVreg_RegistryDwords="NVreg_RestrictProfilingToAdminUsers=1"
```
- If you are setting multiple parameters, set them in a single entry as in the following example:
```
options nvidia NVreg_RegistryDwords="RmPVMRL=0x0" "NVreg_RestrictProfilingToAdminUsers=1"
```
If the /etc/modprobe.d/nvidia.conf file does not already exist, create it.
Restart the VM.

4. Known Issues

4.1. 7.4 Only: In GPU pass-through mode, the NVIDIA graphics drivers fail to load

Description

In GPU pass-through mode with some hardware configurations, the NVIDIA graphics drivers fail to load with error code 43 and multiple assertion failures.

Status

Resolved in NVIDIA vGPU software 7.5

Ref. #

2708778

4.2. 7.0 Only: After a long stress test, a blue screen crash (BSOD) occurs

Description

After a long stress test, the GPU hangs, causing severe performance issues or a blue screen crash in the VM.

This issue affects only supported GPUs based on the NVIDIA Pascal architecture or the NVIDIA Volta architecture.

The nvidia-smi -q command returns the following information, in which power readings and clocks data are shown as Unknown Error.

Power Readings
        Power Management            : Supported
        Power Draw                  : Unknown Error
        Power Limit                 : 250.00 W
        Default Power Limit         : 250.00 W
        Enforced Power Limit        : 250.00 W
        Min Power Limit             : 125.00 W
        Max Power Limit             : 250.00 W
    Clocks
        Graphics                    : Unknown Error
        SM                          : Unknown Error
        Memory                      : 3615 MHz
        Video                       : Unknown Error

Status

Resolved in release 7.1

Ref. #

2425350
200492702

4.3. Frame capture while the interactive logon message is displayed returns blank screen

Description

Because of a known limitation with NvFBC, a frame capture while the interactive logon message is displayed returns a blank screen.

An NvFBC session can capture screen updates that occur after the session is created. Before the logon message appears, there is no screen update after the message is shown and, therefore, a black screen is returned instead. If the NvFBC session is created after this update has occurred, NvFBC cannot get a frame to capture.

Workaround

Press Enter or wait for the screen to update for NvFBC to capture the frame.

Status

Not a bug

Ref. #

2115733

4.4. RDS sessions do not use the GPU with some Microsoft Windows Server releases

Description

When some releases of Windows Server are used as a guest OS, Remote Desktop Services (RDS) sessions do not use the GPU. With these releases, the RDS sessions by default use the Microsoft Basic Render Driver instead of the GPU. This default setting enables 2D DirectX applications such as Microsoft Office to use software rendering, which can be more efficient than using the GPU for rendering. However, as a result, 3D applications that use DirectX are prevented from using the GPU.

Version

Windows Server 2016
Windows Server 2012

Solution

Change the local computer policy to use the hardware graphics adapter for all RDS sessions.

Choose Local Computer Policy > Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Remote Desktop Services > Remote Desktop Session Host > Remote Session Environment.
Set the Use the hardware default graphics adapter for all Remote Desktop Services sessions option.

4.5. 7.0 Only: Blue Screen crash during guest driver installation

Description

During installation of the NVIDIA vGPU software graphics driver in guest VMs running some Microsoft Windows 10 releases, a blue screen crash occurs with the error VIDEO_TDR_FAILURE 116.

Version

This issue affects the following Microsoft Windows 10 releases:

RTM (1507)
November Update (1511)

Workaround

Identify the NVIDIA GPU for which the Hardware Ids property contains values that start with PCI\VEN_10DE.
1. Open Device Manager and expand Display adapters.
2. For each NVIDIA GPU listed under Display adapters, double-click the GPU and in the Properties window that opens, click the Details tab and select Hardware Ids in the Property list.
For the device that you identified in the previous step, display the value of the Class Guid property.

The value of this property is a string, for example, 4d36e968-e325-11ce-bfc1-08002be10318.
Open the Registry Editor and navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\class-guid\, where class-guid is the value of the Class Guid property that you displayed in the previous step.

Under class-guid, multiple adapters numbered as four-digit numbers starting from 0000 are listed, for example, 0000 and 0001.
For each adapter listed, create the EnableVGXFlipQueue Windows registry key with type REG_DWORD and a value of 0.
Install the NVIDIA vGPU software graphics driver.

Status

Resolved in NVIDIA vGPU software release 7.1.

Ref. #

200461544

4.6. Resolution is not updated after a VM acquires a license and is restarted

Description

In a Red Enterprise Linux 7.3 guest VM, an increase in resolution from 1024×768 to 2560×1600 is not applied after a license is acquired and the gridd service is restarted. This issue occurs if the multimonitor parameter is added to the xorg.conf file.

Version

Red Enterprise Linux 7.3

Status

Open

Ref. #

200275925

4.7. A segmentation fault in DBus code causes `nvidia-gridd` to exit on Red Hat Enterprise Linux and CentOS

Description

On Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.8 and 6.9, and CentOS 6.8 and 6.9, a segmentation fault in DBus code causes the nvidia-gridd service to exit.

The nvidia-gridd service uses DBus for communication with NVIDIA X Server Settings to display licensing information through the Manage License page. Disabling the GUI for licensing resolves this issue.

To prevent this issue, the GUI for licensing is disabled by default. You might encounter this issue if you have enabled the GUI for licensing and are using Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.8 or 6.9, or CentOS 6.8 and 6.9.

Version

Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.8 and 6.9

CentOS 6.8 and 6.9

Status

Open

Ref. #

200358191
200319854
1895945

4.8. No Manage License option available in NVIDIA X Server Settings by default

Description

By default, the Manage License option is not available in NVIDIA X Server Settings. This option is missing because the GUI for licensing on Linux is disabled by default to work around the issue that is described in A segmentation fault in DBus code causes nvidia-gridd to exit on Red Hat Enterprise Linux and CentOS.

Workaround

This workaround requires sudo privileges.

Note: Do not use this workaround with Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.8 and 6.9 or CentOS 6.8 and 6.9. To prevent a segmentation fault in DBus code from causing the nvidia-gridd service from exiting, the GUI for licensing must be disabled with these OS versions.

If NVIDIA X Server Settings is running, shut it down.
If the /etc/nvidia/gridd.conf file does not already exist, create it by copying the supplied template file /etc/nvidia/gridd.conf.template.
As root, edit the /etc/nvidia/gridd.conf file to set the EnableUI option to TRUE.
Start the nvidia-gridd service.
```
# sudo service nvidia-gridd start
```

When NVIDIA X Server Settings is restarted, the Manage License option is now available.

Status

Open

4.9. Licenses remain checked out when VMs are forcibly powered off

Description

NVIDIA vGPU software licenses remain checked out on the license server when non-persistent VMs are forcibly powered off.

The NVIDIA service running in a VM returns checked out licenses when the VM is shut down. In environments where non-persistent licensed VMs are not cleanly shut down, licenses on the license server can become exhausted. For example, this issue can occur in automated test environments where VMs are frequently changing and are not guaranteed to be cleanly shut down. The licenses from such VMs remain checked out against their MAC address for seven days before they time out and become available to other VMs.

Resolution

If VMs are routinely being powered off without clean shutdown in your environment, you can avoid this issue by shortening the license borrow period. To shorten the license borrow period, set the LicenseInterval configuration setting in your VM image. For details, refer to Virtual GPU Client Licensing User Guide.

Status

Closed

Ref. #

1694975

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