How to set Nvidia GPU Power Limit (nvidia-smi)?

Operating Systems & Open Source Linux
1

I am using Ubuntu and have a Gigabyte GTX 1070 G1 Gaming. In Win10 I have the power limit set +11. How can I set +11 on the power limit using nvidia-smi or something else in Ubuntu?

2

You’ll want to make /usr/bin/nvidia-persistenced and /usr/bin/nvidia-smi able to be run as sudo without a password.

Then to query your power limit:

sudo nvidia-smi -q -d POWER

And to set it

sudo nvidia-smi -pl (base power limit+11)

And add that to a shell script that runs at startup. (This is why we made those able to run sudo without a password)

If you have multiple GPUs:

sudo nvidia-smi -i 0 -pl (Power Limit) GPU1
sudo nvidia-smi -i 1 -pl (Power Limit) GPU2

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3

to set a power limit of 140W use (-i 0 apples to only the 1st gpu)
sudo nvidia-smi -i 0 -pl 140
to see what your card is using run this command
nvidia-smi -q -d power
you can use anything between “Default Power Limit” and “Max Power Limit”

nvidia-smi also has a -pm option to enable persist mode

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4

I can’t get it to open without having to open in terminal and put in the password. Also, it is part of the root.

5

sudo visudo

then at the very bottom, manually type in with tab spaces:

(your username)    ALL=(ALL)    NOPASSWD: /usr/bin/nvidia-persistenced
(your username)    ALL=(ALL)    NOPASSWD: /usr/bin/nvidia-smi

and save the file.

6

I logged to this forgotten account just to say thank you, that saved my P40 from overheating :slight_smile:

7

Well on Windows you can also use MSI Afterburner and set the power lmits with a GUI.
I came here to learn that you can do it also with nvidia-smi.exe. =)

8

Does anyone have a H200NVL pcie and a rtx6000 pro server version that they can tell me the nvidia smi power limit range (Min Power Limit) on please? Command to run is:
sudo nvidia-smi -q -d POWER

9

The PNY rtx 6000 pro’s should be 150-600 I believe:

GPU 00000000:60:00.0
    GPU Power Readings
        Average Power Draw                : 10.58 W
        Instantaneous Power Draw          : 10.58 W
        Current Power Limit               : 500.00 W
        Requested Power Limit             : 500.00 W
        Default Power Limit               : 600.00 W
        Min Power Limit                   : 150.00 W
        Max Power Limit                   : 600.00 W
    Power Samples
        Duration                          : 118.00 sec
        Number of Samples                 : 119
        Max                               : 12.24 W
        Min                               : 9.70 W
        Avg                               : 10.78 W
    GPU Memory Power Readings 
        Average Power Draw                : N/A
        Instantaneous Power Draw          : N/A
    Module Power Readings
        Average Power Draw                : N/A
        Instantaneous Power Draw          : N/A
        Current Power Limit               : N/A
        Requested Power Limit             : N/A
        Default Power Limit               : N/A
        Min Power Limit                   : N/A
        Max Power Limit                   : N/A
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