# Need help with CUDA.jl installation

**URL:** <https://discourse.julialang.org/t/need-help-with-cuda-jl-installation/52786>\
**Category:** GPU\
**Tags:** question, cuda\
**Created:** [January 3, 2021, 5:36pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/need-help-with-cuda-jl-installation/52786 "2021-01-03T17:36:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![maxfreu](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/maxfreu/32/17468_2.png) [@maxfreu](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/maxfreu)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2021, 5:36pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/need-help-with-cuda-jl-installation/52786/1 "2021-01-03T17:36:40Z")

</div>

Hi everybody! I had CUDA.jl installed and nicely running past summer, but somehow goofed it up (driver/cuda update?). It is probably not directly related to CUDA.jl. I crawled dmesg for errors, rebooted and nvidia-smi works.

> **The problem**
>
> ```julia
> julia> versioninfo()
> Julia Version 1.7.0-DEV.203
> Commit b00e9f0bac (2020-12-31 06:59 UTC)
> Platform Info:
> OS: Linux (x86_64-pc-linux-gnu)
> CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 1700X Eight-Core Processor
> WORD_SIZE: 64
> LIBM: libopenlibm
> LLVM: libLLVM-11.0.0 (ORCJIT, znver1)
> Environment:
> JULIA_DEBUG = CUDA
> 
> julia> using CUDA
> julia> CUDA.version()
> 
> ┌ Debug: Initializing CUDA driver
> └ @ CUDA ~/.julia/packages/CUDA/qSZa3/src/initialization.jl:88
> ┌ Error: Recursion during initialization of CUDA.jl
> └ @ CUDA ~/.julia/packages/CUDA/qSZa3/src/initialization.jl:38
> ┌ Error: Error during initialization of CUDA.jl
> │ exception =
> │ CUDA error (code 999, CUDA_ERROR_UNKNOWN)
> │ Stacktrace:
> │ [1] throw_api_error(res::CUDA.cudaError_enum)
> │ @ CUDA ~/.julia/packages/CUDA/qSZa3/lib/cudadrv/error.jl:97
> │ [2] __configure__ ()
> │ @ CUDA ~/.julia/packages/CUDA/qSZa3/src/initialization.jl:93
> │ [3] macro expansion
> │ @ ~/.julia/packages/CUDA/qSZa3/src/initialization.jl:30 [inlined]
> │ [4] macro expansion
> │ @ ./lock.jl:209 [inlined]
> │ [5] _functional(show_reason::Bool)
> │ @ CUDA ~/.julia/packages/CUDA/qSZa3/src/initialization.jl:26
> │ [6] functional(show_reason::Bool)
> │ @ CUDA ~/.julia/packages/CUDA/qSZa3/src/initialization.jl:19
> │ [7] libcuda()
> │ @ CUDA ~/.julia/packages/CUDA/qSZa3/src/initialization.jl:47
> │ [8] macro expansion
> │ @ ~/.julia/packages/CUDA/qSZa3/lib/cudadrv/libcuda.jl:23 [inlined]
> │ [9] macro expansion
> │ @ ~/.julia/packages/CUDA/qSZa3/lib/cudadrv/error.jl:102 [inlined]
> │ [10] cuDriverGetVersion
> │ @ ~/.julia/packages/CUDA/qSZa3/lib/utils/call.jl:26 [inlined]
> │ [11] version()
> │ @ CUDA ~/.julia/packages/CUDA/qSZa3/lib/cudadrv/version.jl:10
> │ [12] top-level scope
> │ @ REPL[2]:1
> │ [13] eval(m::Module, e::Any)
> │ @ Core ./boot.jl:369
> │ [14] eval_user_input(ast::Any, backend::REPL.REPLBackend)
> │ @ REPL /buildworker/worker/package_linux64/build/usr/share/julia/stdlib/v1.7/REPL/src/REPL.jl:139
> │ [15] repl_backend_loop(backend::REPL.REPLBackend)
> │ @ REPL /buildworker/worker/package_linux64/build/usr/share/julia/stdlib/v1.7/REPL/src/REPL.jl:200
> │ [16] start_repl_backend(backend::REPL.REPLBackend, consumer::Any)
> │ @ REPL /buildworker/worker/package_linux64/build/usr/share/julia/stdlib/v1.7/REPL/src/REPL.jl:185
> │ [17] run_repl(repl::REPL.AbstractREPL, consumer::Any; backend_on_current_task::Bool)
> │ @ REPL /buildworker/worker/package_linux64/build/usr/share/julia/stdlib/v1.7/REPL/src/REPL.jl:317
> │ [18] run_repl(repl::REPL.AbstractREPL, consumer::Any)
> │ @ REPL /buildworker/worker/package_linux64/build/usr/share/julia/stdlib/v1.7/REPL/src/REPL.jl:305
> │ [19] (::Base.var"#890#892"{Bool, Bool, Bool})(REPL::Module)
> │ @ Base ./client.jl:394
> │ [20] #invokelatest#2
> │ @ ./essentials.jl:710 [inlined]
> │ [21] invokelatest
> │ @ ./essentials.jl:708 [inlined]
> │ [22] run_main_repl(interactive::Bool, quiet::Bool, banner::Bool, history_file::Bool, color_set::Bool)
> │ @ Base ./client.jl:379
> │ [23] exec_options(opts::Base.JLOptions)
> │ @ Base ./client.jl:309
> │ [24] _start()
> │ @ Base ./client.jl:492
> └ @ CUDA ~/.julia/packages/CUDA/qSZa3/src/initialization.jl:34
> ERROR: CUDA.jl did not successfully initialize, and is not usable.
> If you did not see any other error message, try again in a new session
> with the JULIA_DEBUG environment variable set to 'CUDA'.
> Stacktrace:
> [1] error(s::String)
> @ Base ./error.jl:33
> [2] libcuda()
> @ CUDA ~/.julia/packages/CUDA/qSZa3/src/initialization.jl:48
> [3] macro expansion
> @ ~/.julia/packages/CUDA/qSZa3/lib/cudadrv/libcuda.jl:23 [inlined]
> [4] macro expansion
> @ ~/.julia/packages/CUDA/qSZa3/lib/cudadrv/error.jl:102 [inlined]
> [5] cuDriverGetVersion
> @ ~/.julia/packages/CUDA/qSZa3/lib/utils/call.jl:26 [inlined]
> [6] version()
> @ CUDA ~/.julia/packages/CUDA/qSZa3/lib/cudadrv/version.jl:10
> [7] top-level scope
> @ REPL[2]:1
> 
> ```

I’m using:  
debian stretch  
nvidia driver 450.80.02 from backports  
system cuda installation 11.1 from backports  
nvcc is at: /usr/bin/nvcc  
libcuda.so is at: /usr/lib/i386-linux-gnu/nvidia/current/libcuda.so

I assume that CUDA.jl doesn’t download artifacts, because the driver version is unsupported (although cuda 11.1 should be binary-compatible to driver 450) - and it doesn’t find the local installation made with apt. Can you give me a hint what to do?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![maleadt](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/maleadt/32/10097_2.png) [@maleadt](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/maleadt)\
**Post date:** [January 4, 2021, 7:27am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/need-help-with-cuda-jl-installation/52786/2 "2021-01-04T07:27:32Z")

</div>

> [@maxfreu](#):
>
> I assume that CUDA.jl doesn’t download artifacts, because the driver version is unsupported (although cuda 11.1 should be binary-compatible to driver 450) - and it doesn’t find the local installation made with apt. Can you give me a hint what to do?

That’s false. CUDA drivers are backwards compatible, so we will just download an older version of CUDA.

Your issue is that your driver set-up is broken, error 999 gets thrown by the driver when something serious is wrong. CUDA.jl. doesn’t even get to the point of downloading or looking for the CUDA toolkit. So try rebooting, re-installing your driver (making sure your `libcuda`, which is part of the driver, matches the exact version of the NVIDIA driver), etc.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![maxfreu](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/maxfreu/32/17468_2.png) [@maxfreu](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/maxfreu)\
**Post date:** [January 20, 2021, 9:59am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/need-help-with-cuda-jl-installation/52786/3 "2021-01-20T09:59:35Z")

</div>

Thank you. My driver installation was messed up indeed. After an update everything works now.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Phillip\_Sutton](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/phillip_sutton/32/7603_2.png) [@Phillip\_Sutton](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/Phillip_Sutton)\
**Post date:** [May 7, 2021, 10:17pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/need-help-with-cuda-jl-installation/52786/4 "2021-05-07T22:17:32Z")

</div>

@maleadt Could this be the reason I’m running into trouble? Is CUDA.jl supported with CUDA 11.3 drivers?

Running

```julia
] test CUDA 

```

From my console, I run into:

```julia
Precompiling project...
  1 dependency successfully precompiled in 2 seconds (39 already precompiled)
     Testing Running tests...
┌ Debug: Initializing CUDA driver
└ @ CUDA C:\Users\phill\.julia\packages\CUDA\k52QH\src\initialization.jl:100
┌ Debug: Trying to use artifacts...
└ @ CUDA C:\Users\phill\.julia\packages\CUDA\k52QH\deps\bindeps.jl:146
┌ Debug: Selecting artifacts based on driver compatibility 11.3.0
└ @ CUDA C:\Users\phill\.julia\packages\CUDA\k52QH\deps\bindeps.jl:158
┌ Error: Error during initialization of CUDA.jl
│ exception =
│ AssertionError: isfile(__nvdisasm[])
│ Stacktrace:
│ [1] use_artifact_cuda()
│ @ CUDA C:\Users\phill\.julia\packages\CUDA\k52QH\deps\bindeps.jl:184
│ [2] __init_dependencies__ ()
│ @ CUDA C:\Users\phill\.julia\packages\CUDA\k52QH\deps\bindeps.jl:414
│ [3] __runtime_init__ ()
│ @ CUDA C:\Users\phill\.julia\packages\CUDA\k52QH\src\initialization.jl:112
│ [4] macro expansion
│ @ C:\Users\phill\.julia\packages\CUDA\k52QH\src\initialization.jl:31 [inlined]
│ [5] macro expansion
│ @ .\lock.jl:209 [inlined]
│ [6] _functional(show_reason::Bool)
│ @ CUDA C:\Users\phill\.julia\packages\CUDA\k52QH\src\initialization.jl:27
│ [7] functional(show_reason::Bool)
│ @ CUDA C:\Users\phill\.julia\packages\CUDA\k52QH\src\initialization.jl:19
│ [8] macro expansion
│ @ C:\Users\phill\.julia\packages\CUDA\k52QH\src\initialization.jl:51 [inlined]
│ [9] toolkit_release()
│ @ CUDA C:\Users\phill\.julia\packages\CUDA\k52QH\deps\bindeps.jl:33
│ [10] top-level scope
│ @ C:\Users\phill\.julia\packages\CUDA\k52QH\test\runtests.jl:112
│ [11] include(fname::String)
│ @ Base.MainInclude .\client.jl:444
│ [12] top-level scope
│ @ none:6
│ [13] eval
│ @ .\boot.jl:360 [inlined]
│ [14] exec_options(opts::Base.JLOptions)
│ @ Base .\client.jl:261
│ [15] _start()
│ @ Base .\client.jl:485
└ @ CUDA C:\Users\phill\.julia\packages\CUDA\k52QH\src\initialization.jl:34
ERROR: LoadError: CUDA.jl did not successfully initialize, and is not usable.
If you did not see any other error message, try again in a new session
with the JULIA_DEBUG environment variable set to 'CUDA'.
Stacktrace:
 [1] error(s::String)
   @ Base .\error.jl:33
 [2] macro expansion
   @ C:\Users\phill\.julia\packages\CUDA\k52QH\src\initialization.jl:52 [inlined]
 [3] toolkit_release()
   @ CUDA C:\Users\phill\.julia\packages\CUDA\k52QH\deps\bindeps.jl:33
 [4] top-level scope
   @ C:\Users\phill\.julia\packages\CUDA\k52QH\test\runtests.jl:112
 [5] include(fname::String)
   @ Base.MainInclude .\client.jl:444
 [6] top-level scope
   @ none:6
in expression starting at C:\Users\phill\.julia\packages\CUDA\k52QH\test\runtests.jl:112
ERROR: Package CUDA errored during testing

```

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![maleadt](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/maleadt/32/10097_2.png) [@maleadt](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/maleadt)\
**Post date:** [May 10, 2021, 3:52pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/need-help-with-cuda-jl-installation/52786/5 "2021-05-10T15:52:22Z")

</div>

That shouldn’t happen; failed assertions like that are always bugs, so please file an issue (it would be useful if you could add a `@show` around `__nvdisasm[]` there and list the contents of the folder it reports).

CUDA 11.3 is supported, but not selected by default, it’ll have used an artifact for 11.2 here. The just-released CUDA.jl 3.2 does fully support & default to CUDA 11.3 though.