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A crashing Linux GPU monitor does not by itself prove that the NVIDIA driver or GPU is failing. Start by recording the failure, then compare the monitor with NVIDIA’s command-line tool, nvidia-smi, and check kernel logs for NVRM: Xid messages. Those checks help separate an application-specific problem from a broader driver or GPU issue without changing device settings prematurely.
Capture the failure before changing anything
Record the details that will help connect the crash to system and kernel events:
- Linux distribution and release, running kernel version, NVIDIA driver version, and GPU model.
- The monitoring application’s name and version, the exact action that triggers the crash, and the complete error text.
- Whether the problem began after a kernel, driver, desktop, or monitoring-app update.
Keep timestamps and full log passages, not just a screenshot. NVIDIA’s Xid reporting guidance asks for the OS and driver configuration, a clear issue description, debugging steps, and relevant logs when reporting GPU issues.
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Compare the monitor with nvidia-smi
nvidia-smi is NVIDIA’s command-line interface for monitoring and managing GPUs; it is built on NVML. Run it from a terminal as a baseline:
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nvidia-smiIf it returns GPU information, you can collect a fuller read-only snapshot with:
nvidia-smi -qNVIDIA documents nvidia-smi queries and monitoring options in its command reference. For a multi-GPU system, record a device’s UUID or PCI bus ID when selecting it; enumeration order can change across reboots.
| What happens | What it suggests | Next check |
|---|---|---|
nvidia-smi works, but the graphical monitor crashes |
The difference is a useful clue that the problem may be in the application or its environment, but it does not establish the root cause. | Save the monitor’s error and investigate its display, permissions, environment, and NVML interaction. |
nvidia-smi also fails or hangs |
The issue may extend beyond the graphical monitor to driver communication or GPU health. | Check whether the NVIDIA kernel module is loaded and inspect kernel logs. |
| Only one GPU fails | The issue may be limited to a particular device. | Record its UUID or PCI bus ID and, if available, query another GPU separately. NVIDIA notes that nvidia-smi -i may still query a healthy GPU when another has a problem. |
Avoid changing persistence mode, ECC, clocks, or other GPU settings as an initial diagnostic step. These are management operations that can alter device state; NVIDIA notes that some require root privileges.
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Search kernel logs for Xid messages
NVIDIA Xid messages appear in the kernel log buffer. Depending on the distribution, they may also be available in the system journal or files such as /var/log/messages and /var/log/syslog. Search for NVRM: Xid and retain the surrounding lines and timestamps. The first message for a GPU may identify its GUID and device IDs; subsequent Xid lines include a PCI location and code.
For a system using systemd, this command searches recent kernel messages:
sudo journalctl -k --since "30 minutes ago" | grep -iE 'NVRM: Xid|NVIDIA|nvidia'Adjust the time window and log source for your distribution. Save the unfiltered kernel-journal output as well: nearby messages that do not match the search terms may help explain the event. NVIDIA’s instructions for working with Xid errors describe where to find these messages and what information to retain.
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Use an Xid code as a clue, not a diagnosis
An Xid is an error report from the NVIDIA driver, printed to the operating system’s kernel or event log. It can reflect a user application, NVIDIA software, or a hardware problem. NVIDIA cautions that one Xid value can have multiple possible causes, so a code lookup alone may not identify the fault. See NVIDIA’s introduction to Xid errors and follow the action described for the specific code and system context.
Interpret examples within their documented environment. For instance, NVIDIA’s data-center triage material describes Xid 45 as informational in its context and Xid 31 as suspected hardware trouble; those labels should not be applied indiscriminately to every GPU and software configuration. If no relevant Xid appears, that does not prove the driver or GPU is healthy—it only means this log check did not provide an Xid clue.
NVIDIA’s GPU Operational Events documentation describes structured events through NVML on Linux for Turing-and-later GPUs, but identifies the interface as a preview and says legacy Xid output remains the stable production contract during that preview. For troubleshooting, do not make a preview event format your only source of evidence.
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Check the NVIDIA module after kernel or driver updates
If nvidia-smi reports that it cannot communicate with the NVIDIA driver, check whether the NVIDIA kernel module is loaded and whether its build matches the running kernel. After an update, distribution package and DKMS build logs, Secure Boot policy, kernel changes, and mixed driver installation methods are all reasonable areas to investigate; none is a universal cause or fix on the evidence available here.
NVIDIA’s Linux README explains that unresolved module symbols can indicate that the module was built using headers from a different kernel revision. Its instructions refer to older XFree86-era log paths and tools, so use the underlying compatibility check with your distribution’s current logging and package workflows rather than copying legacy commands or paths. Preserve the installed driver and kernel versions and relevant logs before considering a reinstall.
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NVIDIA provides nvidia-bug-report.sh to collect system command output, kernel logs, and NVIDIA driver logs into nvidia-bug-report.log.gz. Run it when the failure warrants escalation:
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sudo nvidia-bug-report.shThe script usually runs quickly but can occasionally take longer. If it hangs, NVIDIA documents a safe-mode invocation with additional system data in its Xid troubleshooting guidance. Include the resulting bundle with the distribution and kernel versions, driver and GPU details, monitoring application and relevant framework versions, exact reproduction steps, full error text, and pertinent logs.
If the evidence points toward a user application, focus the next investigation on that application and how it interacts with the display environment or NVML. If the evidence suggests hardware trouble, NVIDIA’s triage guidance recommends contacting the hardware vendor for diagnostics.
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