Questions of CUDA versions in Driver and Toolkit, and muti-version installation.

Question1

I have installed cuda 12.2 and its corresponding driver. Now I want to install cuda 11.8 and download cuda_11.8.0_520.61.05_linux.run. Seems if I install cuda 11.8 I will change the driver version. Do I need to change?

Answer1

When installing an older version of the CUDA Toolkit alongside a newer one, you typically do not need to downgrade or change the NVIDIA driver, provided the driver already installed is compatible with both CUDA versions. NVIDIA drivers are generally backward compatible with older CUDA versions. This means that the driver version that supports CUDA 12.2 will also support CUDA 11.8.

Steps to Install CUDA 11.8 Without Changing the Driver

1. Download the Installer:

You've already downloaded the cuda_11.8.0_520.61.05_linux.run file.

2. Run the Installer:

When you run the installer, you must ensure that you do not install the NVIDIA driver that comes with it, as this might downgrade your current driver or cause conflicts.

Run the installer in a mode where you can deselect the driver installation. This is typically done using command-line options that allow you to exclude the driver.

sudo sh cuda_11.8.0_520.61.05_linux.run --silent --toolkit

The --toolkit flag here ensures only the CUDA Toolkit is installed, and not the driver.

3. Set Up the Environment:

As with any CUDA installation, you will need to add the new CUDA version's paths to your PATH and LD_LIBRARY_PATH environment variables. You can do this in your shell profile file (like .bashrc or .zshrc). For example:

export PATH=/usr/local/cuda-11.8/bin:$PATH
export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/usr/local/cuda-11.8/lib64:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH

Alternatively, manage these settings on a per-project basis or script them before running particular applications.

Checking Installation

After installation, you can check the installation of CUDA 11.8 without affecting the existing setup for CUDA 12.2:

    Use nvcc --version or nvcc -V from a terminal where you've set the PATH to point to the CUDA 11.8 directory to confirm that the correct version of nvcc is active.
    nvidia-smi will not change and will continue to show the driver version, which remains compatible with both CUDA versions.

General Advice

    Compatibility: Always check the compatibility of your NVIDIA driver with the CUDA Toolkit versions you plan to use. The NVIDIA website provides detailed matrices for driver and CUDA compatibility.
    Documentation: Refer to the official NVIDIA documentation and installation guides for specific instructions and options available for your operating system and hardware configuration.

By following these steps, you can maintain multiple CUDA environments on the same machine without needing to change the NVIDIA driver unless absolutely necessary for compatibility reasons.

Question2

In nvidia-smi, is the Diver Version is bundled with CUDA Version?

Answer2

No, in nvidia-smi, the Driver Version is not bundled with the CUDA Version. It's important to understand the distinction between these components:

NVIDIA Driver

    Driver Version: This is the version of the NVIDIA GPU driver installed on your system. The driver is responsible for the operation of the GPU hardware and is independent of the CUDA Toolkit version. It provides the necessary support for all GPU operations and is what nvidia-smi reports.

CUDA Toolkit

    CUDA Version: This refers to the version of the CUDA Toolkit you have installed. The CUDA Toolkit includes development tools, libraries, and a runtime for developing CUDA-based applications. nvcc (the CUDA compiler) is part of this toolkit.

Relationship and Compatibility

    Compatibility: Each version of the CUDA Toolkit requires a minimum driver version that supports it. However, a single driver version can support multiple versions of the CUDA Toolkit. For example, a newer driver can support CUDA Toolkit versions 11.x, 12.x, etc., as long as it meets or exceeds the minimum driver version requirement for each of those CUDA Toolkit versions.
    nvidia-smi Reporting: When you run nvidia-smi, it shows the currently installed NVIDIA driver version and some basic information about the GPU. It does not show which versions of the CUDA Toolkit are installed. This is because the driver is not specific to any single CUDA version and can support multiple CUDA versions simultaneously, assuming compatibility.

Practical Example

If you install CUDA Toolkit 11.8 and 12.2 on a system, you need a driver that supports both versions. The nvidia-smi tool will only show the driver version, which needs to be compatible with the highest version of CUDA you intend to use. The CUDA Toolkit versions themselves do not appear in the nvidia-smi output and are managed independently of the driver.

How to Check

To see the CUDA version, you generally need to check the version of nvcc or look at the directories or environment variables where CUDA is installed:

nvcc --version

This command will show you the version of CUDA that nvcc belongs to, which depends on your PATH environment variable pointing to the appropriate CUDA Toolkit bin directory.

In summary, while the NVIDIA driver needs to be compatible with the CUDA Toolkit versions used, it is not bundled with any specific CUDA version, and nvidia-smi does not report the CUDA version(s) installed on the system.

Question3

Is it required that the CUDA Version in nvidia-smi is the same to the nvcc --version?

Answer3

No, it is not required that the CUDA version displayed in nvidia-smi matches the version reported by nvcc --version. In fact, the CUDA version reported by nvidia-smi and the version shown by nvcc --version often refer to different aspects and can indeed be different. Here's a detailed explanation:

CUDA Version in nvidia-smi

    Driver's CUDA Version: When nvidia-smi lists a CUDA version, it is indicating the highest CUDA version that the currently installed NVIDIA driver supports. This does not necessarily reflect the specific versions of the CUDA Toolkit that are installed on your system. Essentially, it's showing the maximum CUDA version compatibility based on the driver.

CUDA Version with nvcc

    Toolkit's CUDA Version: Running nvcc --version shows the version of the CUDA Toolkit that nvcc belongs to. This version is specific to the toolkit installed and configured in your system's path. If you have multiple CUDA Toolkits installed (e.g., CUDA 11.8 and 12.2), nvcc --version will show the version of the toolkit that is currently active based on your environment settings (like PATH).

Why Differences Might Occur

    Multiple Installations: If you have multiple versions of the CUDA Toolkit installed, the active nvcc version depends on your environment configuration. For example, if your PATH includes /usr/local/cuda-11.8/bin before /usr/local/cuda-12.2/bin, nvcc --version will show CUDA 11.8.
    Driver Updates: The driver might be updated independently of the CUDA Toolkits. For example, you could install a new driver that supports CUDA 12.2, but you might still be using CUDA 11.8 for development, as indicated by nvcc --version.

Practical Implications

    Compatibility Check: Always ensure that the driver version is compatible with the CUDA Toolkit version used in your projects. The driver should support the highest CUDA version used by any of your toolkits.
    Environment Management: Manage your environment carefully when working with multiple CUDA versions. Adjust the PATH and possibly LD_LIBRARY_PATH to switch between different versions for different projects.

Conclusion

There is no requirement for the CUDA version in nvidia-smi to match the one reported by nvcc --version. The former refers to driver compatibility, while the latter reflects the actual toolkit version configured and used in your development environment.