How to Fix the VMware Nvlddmkm.sys Error When Using NVidia GRID vGPU on VMware ESX
If you are trying to use a NVIDIA GRID vGPU virtual graphic card on a Linux guest operating system in a VMware Horizon virtual desktop pool, you might get an error that reads nvlddmkm.sys.
This is caused by a driver that is not installed correctly in the ESXi hypervisor. Specifically, the NVIDIA vGPU Manager needs to be installed on the ESXi host.
How to Fix
If you are experiencing vmware nvlddmkm.sys error, it may be because of a device driver that is out of date or is incompatible with the operating system. You can update the driver or uninstall it to fix this issue. After that, restart your computer to see if the problem is resolved. It is also a good idea to check whether there are any malware or virus in your system, as they may cause this error. You can disable anti-virus software and run a chkdsk check to ensure that there is no damage to your hard drive. This should solve the nvlddmkm.sys issue for you.
If you are using NVidia GPUs on a VMware server, you can modify the VM.vmx file to configure it correctly for pass-through mode. This is a great way to fix this error as it will take care of the hardware issues.
Causes
Nvidia vGPU Pass-Thru is a very cool technology which allows users to deploy a GPU into a VMware ESXi host without requiring additional hardware. This allows for better utilization of the available hardware and enables users to run more virtual machines on an existing VMware ESXi host. However, there are a few things to keep in mind when using Nvidia vGPUs on a VMware ESXi host. This includes understanding the nvlddmkm.sys and the other big gizmos associated with it.
Symptoms
A number of users have reported the vmware nvlddmkm.sys display driver as the apex of all things graphical on their system. The display driver is responsible for generating graphics on your screen, and as such, it’s a big deal.
Besides the aforementioned display driver, other components that may be causing this particular problem include software and hardware alike. While some of these culprits are obvious, others may be more subtle and require you to dig a little deeper for the nvlddmkm.sys aficionado in you.
Luckily, there are plenty of hints and tips to help you narrow down the cause and save your system from this one-of-a-kind affliction. For starters, try a few hardware tests to see if you’ve got any of the vmware nvlddmkm.sys trifecta. It might just be time to upgrade your BIOS, which mingles your video card with Windows’ other important hardware to ensure everything runs smoothly. You can usually update it from within your PC’s operating system, or you can visit the website of the manufacturer to download a utility from the outside world.
Solution
GPU Passthrough is a technology that allows the Linux kernel to present an internal PCI GPU directly to the virtual machine. This is useful for accelerated virtual machine (VM) workloads such as AI, ML, and VDI.
Some VMs that have been cloned from a master image configured with a different vGPU type fail to start. When they are booted, they alternately display Getting devices ready: 50% and Preparation in progress.
NVIDIA vGPU software graphics drivers do not install in guest VMs when they are installed on Microsoft Windows 10 releases that do not support NVIDIA vGPU migration. During installation, a blue screen crash occurs.
NVIDIA vGPU software graphics driver installations fail in environments that use Security Enhanced Linux (SELinux). The SELinux iptables command fails to allow the Linux vGPU service to run when SELinux is not set to permissive mode.