Dell Precision Workstations Running Ubuntu Do Not Support the NVLink and CUDA Applications

Summary: The following article provides information about why the NVLink and CUDA applications are not supported on Dell Precision Workstations. This is only when the computer is running the Ubuntu Linux Operating System. ...

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Symptoms

NVLink and CUDA applications causes graphics problems for Precisions with Ubuntu installed

 

Owners of Dell Precision workstations with the Ubuntu Linux operating system installed may experience the following issues:

  • The Nvidia NVLink and Compute Unified Device Architecture (CUDA) applications causes the video to become unstable.
  • The Nvidia NVLink and CUDA applications report various errors. (For example: No Video, Graphics not detected, and so on.)

What is Nvidia NVLink and CUDA?

Nvidia advise that NVLink is a high-speed interconnect for both GPU and CPU processors in an accelerated computer. It propelled data and calculations to actionable results. (Accelerated computing is a capability once confined to high-performance computers in government research labs, but they have gone mainstream.)

Nvidia advise that CUDA is a parallel computing platform and programming model. Nvidia developed this to enable general computing on graphical processing units (GPUs). (Installing CUDA dramatically speeds up computing applications by also using the GPUs.)

Precision workstations confirmed as affected by this issue:

  • Precision 5860 Tower Fixed Workstation
  • Precision 5860 XL Tower Fixed Workstation
  • Precision 7960 Tower Fixed Workstation
  • Precision 7960 XL Tower Fixed Workstation

Cause

The Ubuntu Linux Operating System does not support these two Nvidia applications. The Ubuntu team has decided not to support these applications as there are too many issues with them on Ubuntu.

Resolution

We recommend removing both the NVLink and CUDA applications if you are using the Ubuntu Linux operating system on your precision workstation.

Note: In best practice, Dell Technologies recommends using the Ubuntu Linux 22.04 OEM image on your Precision workstation. Only the OEM image has been qualified for use with the Precision 5860 and 7960 Tower workstations.

Affected Products

Precision 5860 Tower, Precision 7960 Tower
Article Properties
Article Number: 000217842
Article Type: Solution
Last Modified: 12 Dec 2024
Version:  2
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