libva error: vaGetDriverNames() failed with unknown libva error

[s1nceri7y]

Arch Linux 6.6.10-zen1-1-zen, x11. VA-API version: 1.20 (libva 2.20.1), nvidia-vaapi-driver-0.0.11, NVIDIA kernel driver version: 545.29.06

The hardware decoding is not working neither in firefox nor in chromium or vlc. The vainfo is crashing on x11 but works on DRM.

I mentioned my problem in other issue some time ago.

uname -a

Linux a66 6.6.10-zen1-1-zen #1 ZEN SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Fri, 05 Jan 2024 16:20:18 +0000 x86_64 GNU/Linux

NVD_LOG=1 LIBVA_DRIVER_NAME=nvidia vainfo

``` % NVD_LOG=1 LIBVA_DRIVER_NAME=nvidia vainfo Trying display: wayland Trying display: x11 libva error: vaGetDriverNames() failed with unknown libva error 1726.304124993 [8365-8365] ../nvidia-vaapi-driver-0.0.11/src/vabackend.c:2140 __vaDriverInit_1_0 Initialising NVIDIA VA-API Driver: 10 1726.304134250 [8365-8365] ../nvidia-vaapi-driver-0.0.11/src/vabackend.c:2149 __vaDriverInit_1_0 Now have 0 (0 max) instances 1726.304136815 [8365-8365] ../nvidia-vaapi-driver-0.0.11/src/vabackend.c:2175 __vaDriverInit_1_0 Selecting Direct backend 1726.310611388 [8365-8365] ../nvidia-vaapi-driver-0.0.11/src/direct/direct-export-buf.c: 85 direct_initExporter Found NVIDIA GPU 0 at /dev/dri/renderD128 1726.310619653 [8365-8365] ../nvidia-vaapi-driver-0.0.11/src/direct/nv-driver.c: 246 init_nvdriver Initing nvdriver... 1726.310640583 [8365-8365] ../nvidia-vaapi-driver-0.0.11/src/direct/nv-driver.c: 264 init_nvdriver NVIDIA kernel driver version: 545.29.06, major version: 545, minor version: 29 1726.310645362 [8365-8365] ../nvidia-vaapi-driver-0.0.11/src/direct/nv-driver.c: 271 init_nvdriver Got dev info: 900 1 2 6 vainfo: VA-API version: 1.20 (libva 2.20.1) vainfo: Driver version: VA-API NVDEC driver [direct backend] vainfo: Supported profile and entrypoints VAProfileMPEG2Simple : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileMPEG2Main : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileVC1Simple : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileVC1Main : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileVC1Advanced : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileH264Main : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileH264High : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileH264ConstrainedBaseline: VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileHEVCMain : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileVP8Version0_3 : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileVP9Profile0 : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileAV1Profile0 : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileHEVCMain10 : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileHEVCMain12 : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileVP9Profile2 : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileHEVCMain444 : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileHEVCMain444_10 : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileHEVCMain444_12 : VAEntrypointVLD 1726.400928736 [8365-8365] ../nvidia-vaapi-driver-0.0.11/src/vabackend.c:2050 nvTerminate Terminating 0x55d0751d5410 1726.401010310 [8365-8365] ../nvidia-vaapi-driver-0.0.11/src/vabackend.c:2064 nvTerminate Now have 0 (0 max) instances ```

NVD_LOG=1 vainfo --display drm

``` x@a66 ~ % Trying display: drm 2421.729795953 [8525-8525] ../nvidia-vaapi-driver-0.0.11/src/vabackend.c:2140 __vaDriverInit_1_0 Initialising NVIDIA VA-API Driver: 31 2421.729806553 [8525-8525] ../nvidia-vaapi-driver-0.0.11/src/vabackend.c:2149 __vaDriverInit_1_0 Now have 0 (0 max) instances 2421.729810651 [8525-8525] ../nvidia-vaapi-driver-0.0.11/src/vabackend.c:2175 __vaDriverInit_1_0 Selecting Direct backend 2421.736128922 [8525-8525] ../nvidia-vaapi-driver-0.0.11/src/direct/direct-export-buf.c: 85 direct_initExporter Found NVIDIA GPU 0 at /dev/dri/renderD128 2421.736137638 [8525-8525] ../nvidia-vaapi-driver-0.0.11/src/direct/nv-driver.c: 246 init_nvdriver Initing nvdriver... 2421.736161885 [8525-8525] ../nvidia-vaapi-driver-0.0.11/src/direct/nv-driver.c: 264 init_nvdriver NVIDIA kernel driver version: 545.29.06, major version: 545, minor version: 29 2421.736166654 [8525-8525] ../nvidia-vaapi-driver-0.0.11/src/direct/nv-driver.c: 271 init_nvdriver Got dev info: 900 1 2 6 vainfo: VA-API version: 1.20 (libva 2.20.1) vainfo: Driver version: VA-API NVDEC driver [direct backend] vainfo: Supported profile and entrypoints VAProfileMPEG2Simple : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileMPEG2Main : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileVC1Simple : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileVC1Main : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileVC1Advanced : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileH264Main : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileH264High : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileH264ConstrainedBaseline: VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileHEVCMain : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileVP8Version0_3 : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileVP9Profile0 : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileAV1Profile0 : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileHEVCMain10 : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileHEVCMain12 : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileVP9Profile2 : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileHEVCMain444 : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileHEVCMain444_10 : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileHEVCMain444_12 : VAEntrypointVLD 2421.824544742 [8525-8525] ../nvidia-vaapi-driver-0.0.11/src/vabackend.c:2050 nvTerminate Terminating 0x5604ddb28a30 2421.824621860 [8525-8525] ../nvidia-vaapi-driver-0.0.11/src/vabackend.c:2064 nvTerminate Now have 0 (0 max) instances ```

sudo lspci -knn | grep nvidia

Kernel driver in use: nvidia Kernel modules: nouveau, nvidia_drm, nvidia

% nvidia-smi

``` Sun Jan 14 02:05:16 2024 +---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | NVIDIA-SMI 545.29.06 Driver Version: 545.29.06 CUDA Version: 12.3 | |-----------------------------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | GPU Name Persistence-M | Bus-Id Disp.A | Volatile Uncorr. ECC | | Fan Temp Perf Pwr:Usage/Cap | Memory-Usage | GPU-Util Compute M. | | | | MIG M. | |=========================================+======================+======================| | 0 NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Off | 00000000:09:00.0 On | N/A | | 55% 47C P3 40W / 270W | 1085MiB / 8192MiB | 19% Default | | | | N/A | +-----------------------------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ +---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Processes: | | GPU GI CI PID Type Process name GPU Memory | | ID ID Usage | |=======================================================================================| | 0 N/A N/A 580 G /usr/lib/Xorg 549MiB | | 0 N/A N/A 843 G /sbin/budgie-wm 237MiB | | 0 N/A N/A 1142 G /usr/lib/firefox/firefox 220MiB | +---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ ```

lsmod

``` 130 x@a66 ~ % lsmod | grep nouveau 1 x@a66 ~ % lsmod | grep nvidia nvidia_drm 118784 6 nvidia_uvm 3481600 0 nvidia_modeset 1585152 7 nvidia_drm video 77824 1 nvidia_modeset nvidia 62402560 129 nvidia_uvm,nvidia_modeset ```

vlc

``` % vlc VLC media player 3.0.20 Vetinari (revision 3.0.20-0-g6f0d0ab126b) [0000558362d00550] main libvlc: Running vlc with the default interface. Use 'cvlc' to use vlc without interface. [0000558362d8e6b0] main playlist: playlist is empty libva error: vaGetDriverNames() failed with unknown libva error [00007f50c4001f70] glconv_vaapi_x11 gl error: vaDeriveImage: operation failed [00007f50cc000c70] main video output error: video output creation failed [00007f50e000de10] main decoder error: failed to create video output ```

I've attached the vlc --verbose=2, hope it helps. video.log

Video Engine utilization: 0% (in nvidia-settings)

Let me know if I can provide more details. Thanks!

[drhashes]

Check if you have the kernel option: nvidia-drm.modeset=1

Use the shell command: cat /proc/cmdline

[s1nceri7y]

Check if you have the kernel option: nvidia-drm.modeset=1

I do.

 x@a66 ~ % cat /proc/cmdline                                                 
BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-linux-zen root=UUID=... rw nvidia-drm.modeset=1 loglevel=3 quiet
x@a66 ~ % sudo cat /sys/module/nvidia_drm/parameters/modeset
Y

[drhashes]

Just some info regarding the false error:

"libva error: vaGetDriverNames() failed with unknown libva error" i.e. as you are saying: "The vainfo is crashing on x11 but works on DRM."

This is just a pecularity with vainfo in the package libva-utils. It's testing: Trying display: wayland Trying display: x11

and gives up and prints the error. A proper behaved vainfo would just continou with testing drm: Trying display: drm

and it would have found it. This is reported here: https://github.com/intel/libva-utils/issues/356

[drhashes]

(By the way, the above "error" is unrelated to your problems.)

Now in firefox about:config set: media.av1.enabled false

This way we disable av1 and it should fallback to vp9 8bit on youtube. Then play:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFVpSwgCkCo

Make sure you run at 4k 60fps and also right click mouse and choose "stats for nerds". Here you can see Codecs: it should be vp09.

Check in nvidia-settings if "video engine utilization" now works.

[s1nceri7y]

Thank you for the answer The Video engine utilization still 0%. The GPU utilization however jumps from 10% up to 40-50% and CPU from 1% up to 20%. Codecs: vp09.00.51.08.01.01.01.01.00 (315) / opus (251)

[s1nceri7y]

Let me know if it's makes sense to rename the issue to something like glconv_vaapi_x11 gl error: vaDeriveImage: operation failed. It's the error I saw in VLC console.

[drhashes]

Check that your local ffmpeg supports vaapi: ffmpeg -hwaccels

Should say something like: Hardware acceleration methods: vaapi

[drhashes]

Also, perhaps there is a problem with your local firefox installation?

You could sudo apt-get install mpv

and assuming you got some local movie.mkv

mpv --vo=gpu --hwdec=vaapi-copy movie.mkv

Then again check Video Engine Utilization.. That works here.

[s1nceri7y]

% ffmpeg -hwaccels

``` ffmpeg version n6.1.1 Copyright (c) 2000-2023 the FFmpeg developers built with gcc 13.2.1 (GCC) 20230801 configuration: --prefix=/usr --disable-debug --disable-static --disable-stripping --enable-amf --enable-avisynth --enable-cuda-llvm --enable-lto --enable-fontconfig --enable-frei0r --enable-gmp --enable-gnutls --enable-gpl --enable-ladspa --enable-libaom --enable-libass --enable-libbluray --enable-libbs2b --enable-libdav1d --enable-libdrm --enable-libfreetype --enable-libfribidi --enable-libgsm --enable-libharfbuzz --enable-libiec61883 --enable-libjack --enable-libjxl --enable-libmodplug --enable-libmp3lame --enable-libopencore_amrnb --enable-libopencore_amrwb --enable-libopenjpeg --enable-libopenmpt --enable-libopus --enable-libplacebo --enable-libpulse --enable-librav1e --enable-librsvg --enable-librubberband --enable-libsnappy --enable-libsoxr --enable-libspeex --enable-libsrt --enable-libssh --enable-libsvtav1 --enable-libtheora --enable-libv4l2 --enable-libvidstab --enable-libvmaf --enable-libvorbis --enable-libvpl --enable-libvpx --enable-libwebp --enable-libx264 --enable-libx265 --enable-libxcb --enable-libxml2 --enable-libxvid --enable-libzimg --enable-nvdec --enable-nvenc --enable-opencl --enable-opengl --enable-shared --enable-version3 --enable-vulkan libavutil 58. 29.100 / 58. 29.100 libavcodec 60. 31.102 / 60. 31.102 libavformat 60. 16.100 / 60. 16.100 libavdevice 60. 3.100 / 60. 3.100 libavfilter 9. 12.100 / 9. 12.100 libswscale 7. 5.100 / 7. 5.100 libswresample 4. 12.100 / 4. 12.100 libpostproc 57. 3.100 / 57. 3.100 Hardware acceleration methods: vdpau cuda vaapi qsv drm opencl vulkan ```

The mpv command worked for me! Video Engine utilization: 16-19% (vp9 3840x2160 59.940fps 10 bit) The overall GPU utilization still high(46% vs 7% on pause), but the cpu usage is ~0%. I think its a good sign.

The question is: what's wrong with my fresh firefox installation, chromium and vlc? I've created a new profile in about:profiles, but it still doesn't using the HW acceleration.

With media.ffmpeg.vaapi.enabled=true, Firefox reports the HW acceleration codecs but doesn't use them.

[drhashes]

chromium and vlc you can forget. This library does not support those apps.

If your mpv is 0.35 or newer mpv --version

then --hwdec=vaapi instead of --hwdec=vaapi-copy

should work which is more efficient.

Regarding firefox, I should go through https://github.com/elFarto/nvidia-vaapi-driver

very carefully so nothing important was missed setting things up. Otherwise you need to figure out what has happened in arch's firefox. The version and so on asking others if they experienced something similar.

[drhashes]

1. start firefox like this: NVD_BACKEND=direct firefox

2. start firefox like this: MOZ_DRM_DEVICE=/dev/dri/renderD128 firefox

3. Make sure firefox is not installed using flatpak or snap.

Some more Arch info here: https://github.com/elFarto/nvidia-vaapi-driver/issues/23

Wayland: https://github.com/elFarto/nvidia-vaapi-driver/issues/258

[mirh]

I regret taking shortcuts for fixes, rather than actually getting down to the precise causes.. But just for the records, the specific error mentioned in the title (which isn't the problem here, but at the same time I don't think it's entirely unrelated) can be fixed by compiling libva with the -Dwith_legacy=nvctrl arch-meson build option.

[s1nceri7y]

Following this advice https://github.com/elFarto/nvidia-vaapi-driver/issues/258#issuecomment-1820748049 I've removed previously hardcoded MOZ_DRM_DEVICE from /etc/environment and installed libva-git with -Dwith_legacy=nvctrl.

/etc/environment

``` % cat /etc/environment # # This file is parsed by pam_env module # # Syntax: simple "KEY=VAL" pairs on separate lines # LIBVA_DRIVER_NAME=nvidia VDPAU_DRIVER=nvidia NVD_BACKEND=direct ```

Now I don't have any errors in vainfo:

% NVD_LOG=1 vainfo

``` % NVD_LOG=1 vainfo Trying display: wayland Trying display: x11 520.236233291 [3256-3256] ../nvidia-vaapi-driver-0.0.11/src/vabackend.c:2140 __vaDriverInit_1_0 Initialising NVIDIA VA-API Driver: 10 520.236242739 [3256-3256] ../nvidia-vaapi-driver-0.0.11/src/vabackend.c:2149 __vaDriverInit_1_0 Now have 0 (0 max) instances 520.236245504 [3256-3256] ../nvidia-vaapi-driver-0.0.11/src/vabackend.c:2175 __vaDriverInit_1_0 Selecting Direct backend 520.242476106 [3256-3256] ../nvidia-vaapi-driver-0.0.11/src/direct/direct-export-buf.c: 85 direct_initExporter Found NVIDIA GPU 0 at /dev/dri/renderD128 520.242484070 [3256-3256] ../nvidia-vaapi-driver-0.0.11/src/direct/nv-driver.c: 246 init_nvdriver Initing nvdriver... 520.242506542 [3256-3256] ../nvidia-vaapi-driver-0.0.11/src/direct/nv-driver.c: 264 init_nvdriver NVIDIA kernel driver version: 545.29.06, major version: 545, minor version: 29 520.242511621 [3256-3256] ../nvidia-vaapi-driver-0.0.11/src/direct/nv-driver.c: 271 init_nvdriver Got dev info: 900 1 2 6 vainfo: VA-API version: 1.21 (libva 2.20.1) vainfo: Driver version: VA-API NVDEC driver [direct backend] vainfo: Supported profile and entrypoints VAProfileMPEG2Simple : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileMPEG2Main : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileVC1Simple : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileVC1Main : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileVC1Advanced : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileH264Main : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileH264High : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileH264ConstrainedBaseline: VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileHEVCMain : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileVP8Version0_3 : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileVP9Profile0 : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileAV1Profile0 : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileHEVCMain10 : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileHEVCMain12 : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileVP9Profile2 : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileHEVCMain444 : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileHEVCMain444_10 : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileHEVCMain444_12 : VAEntrypointVLD 520.344225598 [3256-3256] ../nvidia-vaapi-driver-0.0.11/src/vabackend.c:2050 nvTerminate Terminating 0x56dd3802a410 520.344301118 [3256-3256] ../nvidia-vaapi-driver-0.0.11/src/vabackend.c:2064 nvTerminate Now have 0 (0 max) instances ```

The firefox still doesn't used the HW acceleration.

I've tried MOZ_DISABLE_RDD_SANDBOX=1 firefox and now it's worked. I'm not sure how safe is MOZ_DISABLE_RDD_SANDBOX. I also remember that it's worked before without this flag. It seemed to me like it's something redundant, but it's not. https://www.reddit.com/r/firefox/comments/v0esaq/linux_users_good_news_seems_like_the_bug_that/

Thank you everyone for the help. The issue is fixed for me. Let me know if I should close it.

[mirh]

That's coming and explained in https://github.com/elFarto/nvidia-vaapi-driver/issues/6#issuecomment-1007673789

[drhashes]

Congrats!

Looks to me that the only real problem was that MOZ_DISABLE_RDD_SANDBOX=1 was needed.

Sometimes one might think it's something really complicated only to find out..no.

I think you can close this now.