Fixing NVIDIA Driver Version Mismatch

Fixing NVIDIA Driver Version Mismatch | Generated by AI

Home 2025.10

Understanding the Error

The nvidia-smi command is failing because of a version mismatch between your NVIDIA kernel driver (loaded in the OS kernel) and the user-space NVML (NVIDIA Management Library) components. This often occurs after a kernel update, partial driver installation, or system upgrade without a full driver reinstall. The reported NVML version (535.274) suggests you’re using a relatively recent NVIDIA driver branch (likely from the 535 series), but the kernel module isn’t aligned.

Don’t worry—this is fixable without losing data. Below are step-by-step troubleshooting and resolution steps, starting with the simplest.

Quick Fixes (Try These First)

Reboot Your System
The most common cause is a stale kernel module. Rebooting reloads everything cleanly.
```
sudo reboot
```
After reboot, run nvidia-smi again. If it works, you’re done!
Check Current Driver and Kernel Versions
Verify what’s installed:
```
# Check kernel driver version
cat /proc/driver/nvidia/version

# Check loaded kernel modules
lsmod | grep nvidia

# Check your current kernel version
uname -r
```
Compare the driver version here with 535.274. If they don’t match (e.g., kernel shows 535.x but x ≠ 274), proceed to reinstall.

Full Resolution: Reinstall NVIDIA Drivers

If rebooting doesn’t help, reinstall the drivers to sync everything. This assumes you’re on Ubuntu/Debian (common for nanoGPT setups; adjust for other distros like Fedora).

Option 1: Via Package Manager (Recommended for Stability)

Purge Existing Drivers (removes mismatches):

sudo apt update
sudo apt purge 'nvidia*'
sudo apt autoremove
sudo rm -rf /usr/lib/nvidia*  # Optional: Clean leftovers

Reboot to Clear Modules:
```
sudo reboot
```
Install Matching Drivers:
Since your NVML is 535.274, install the 535 series (or newer if available). Check NVIDIA’s site for your GPU, but for 535:
```
sudo apt install nvidia-driver-535 nvidia-utils-535
```
(Replace with your distro’s package name if needed, e.g., dnf on Fedora.)

Reboot and Verify:

sudo reboot
nvidia-smi  # Should now work

Option 2: Direct from NVIDIA (For Latest/Custom Versions)

Download the 535.274 runfile from NVIDIA’s archive (search for your GPU and 535.274).

wget https://us.download.nvidia.com/XFree86/Linux-x86_64/535.274.05/NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-535.274.05.run
chmod +x NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-535.274.05.run

Stop Display Manager (switch to console):

sudo systemctl stop gdm  # Or lightdm/sddm
sudo telinit 3  # Or Ctrl+Alt+F3 to switch TTY

Install:
```
sudo ./NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-535.274.05.run --no-questions
```
Follow prompts; it may warn about mismatches—proceed.
Reboot:
```
sudo reboot
```

If Issues Persist

Secure Boot Enabled? Disable it in BIOS/UEFI, as it blocks unsigned kernel modules.
Kernel Mismatch? If you updated your kernel recently, boot into the old one via GRUB (hold Shift at boot) and reinstall drivers.
Logs for Clues: Check dmesg | grep nvidia or /var/log/Xorg.0.log for errors.
GPU-Specific? Run lspci | grep -i nvidia to confirm your GPU is detected.

After fixing, you should see output like GPU usage, memory, etc., in nvidia-smi. If you’re training models in nanoGPT, this will unblock CUDA. If you share more details (e.g., distro, GPU model, or output from the version checks), I can refine this!

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