nvidia-patch/win/README.md

Nvidia drivers patch for Windows

This patch removes restriction on maximum number of simultaneous NVENC video encoding sessions imposed by Nvidia to consumer-grade GPUs.

Requirements:

• Any of following 64bit operating systems:
  • Windows 7
  • Windows 8
  • Windows 8.1
  • Windows 10
  • Windows Server 2008 R2
  • Windows Server 2012
  • Windows Server 2012 R2
  • Windows Server 2016
  • Windows Server 2019
• NVENC-compatible GPU (https://developer.nvidia.com/video-encode-decode-gpu-support-matrix#Encoder)
• Nvidia driver. Patch available for versions in table below.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Download and install latest Nvidia driver supported by this patch.
2. Download latest Win_1337_Apply_Patch tool.
3. Save appropriate patch(es) from Version Table using direct link to the patch (Right Click -> Save as...). Alternatively you may checkout repo using git or download it as ZIP archive and then locate corresponding .1337 patch file in win directory.
4. Apply x64 library patch to corresponding file in %WINDIR%\system32\ with the Win_1337_Apply_Patch tool. File name of patched object is specified in first line of .1337 patch. If x86 (32 bit) library patch is also available, apply it to same file in %WINDIR%\SysWOW64\.

E.g, for 64bit Windows 10 running driver version 440.97 use win10_x64/440.97/nvcuvid64.1337 against C:\WINDOWS\system32\nvcuvid.dll and win10_x64/440.97/nvcuvid32.1337 against C:\WINDOWS\SysWOW64\nvcuvid.dll.

There are additional steps may be required for Plex and 32bit apps users. See corresponding section below. We hope this is obsoleted by new additional x86 (32bit) library patch.

A video tutorial is also available. Credits to designator2009. (Covers pre-x86 patches. Now we probably don't need to autorun executable if x86 library patch applied)

Version Table

Windows 10 drivers

Product series	Version	x64 library patch	x86 library patch	Driver link
GeForce	417.35	Direct link		Direct link
GeForce	417.58	Direct link		Direct link
GeForce	417.71	Direct link		Direct link
GeForce	418.81	Direct link		Direct link
GeForce	418.91	Direct link		Direct link
GeForce	419.17	Direct link		Direct link
GeForce	419.35	Direct link		Direct link
GeForce	419.67	Direct link		Direct link
GeForce	419.67 CRD	Direct link		Direct link
GeForce	425.31	Direct link		Direct link
GeForce	430.39	Direct link		Direct link
GeForce	430.64	Direct link		Direct link
GeForce	430.86	Direct link		Direct link
GeForce	430.86 Studio Driver	Direct link		Direct link
GeForce	431.36	Direct link		Direct link
GeForce	431.60	Direct link		Direct link
GeForce	431.70 Studio Driver	Direct link		Direct link
GeForce	431.86 Studio Driver	Direct link		Direct link
GeForce	435.27	Direct link		Direct link (non-official)
GeForce	436.02	Direct link		Direct link
GeForce	436.15	Direct link		Direct link
GeForce	436.30	Direct link		Direct link
GeForce	436.48	Direct link		Direct link
GeForce	440.97	Direct link	Direct link	Direct link

Product series	Version	x64 library patch	x86 library patch	Driver link
Quadro	412.16	Direct link		Direct link
Quadro	412.29	Direct link		Direct link
Quadro	416.78	Direct link		Direct link
Quadro	418.81	Direct link		Direct link
Quadro	419.17	Direct link		Direct link
Quadro	419.67	Direct link		Direct link
Quadro	425.31	Direct link		Direct link
Quadro	430.39	Direct link		Direct link
Quadro	430.64	Direct link		Direct link
Quadro	430.86	Direct link		Direct link
Quadro	431.02	Direct link		Direct link
Quadro	431.70	Direct link		Direct link
Quadro	431.86	Direct link		Direct link
Quadro	431.94	Direct link		Direct link
Quadro	436.02	Direct link		Direct link
Quadro	436.30	Direct link		Direct link
Quadro	440.97	Direct link	Direct link	Direct link

Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1 drivers

Product series	Version	x64 library patch	x86 library patch	Driver link
GeForce	431.60	Direct link		Direct link
GeForce	436.02	Direct link		Direct link
GeForce	436.15	Direct link		Direct link
GeForce	436.30	Direct link		Direct link
GeForce	436.48	Direct link		Direct link
GeForce	440.97	Direct link	Direct link	Direct link

Product series	Version	x64 library patch	x86 library patch	Driver link
Quadro	431.02	Direct link		Direct link
Quadro	431.70	Direct link		Direct link
Quadro	431.86	Direct link		Direct link
Quadro	431.94	Direct link		Direct link
Quadro	436.02	Direct link		Direct link
Quadro	436.30	Direct link		Direct link
Quadro	440.97	Direct link	Direct link	Direct link

Windows Server 2008R2, 2012, 2012R2 drivers

Product series	Version	x64 library patch	x86 library patch	Driver link
Quadro	430.64	Direct link		Direct link
Quadro	430.86	Direct link		Direct link
Quadro	431.02	Direct link		Direct link
Quadro	431.70	Direct link		Direct link
Quadro	431.86	Direct link		Direct link
Quadro	431.94	Direct link		Direct link
Quadro	440.97	Direct link	Direct link	Direct link

Windows Server 2016, 2019 drivers

Product series	Version	x64 library patch	x86 library patch	Driver link
Quadro	430.86	Direct link		Direct link
Quadro	431.02	Direct link		Direct link
Quadro	431.70	Direct link		Direct link
Quadro	431.86	Direct link		Direct link
Quadro	431.94	Direct link		Direct link
Quadro	440.97	Direct link	Direct link	Direct link

Benchmarks

• Plex Media Server: nVidia Hardware Transcoding Calculator for Plex Estimates - useful benchmark of achieved simultaneous transcodes with various stream quality and hardware with patched drivers.

See also

• Genesis in related issue

D3D11 and 32-bit apps encoding sessions

This section is actual only for D3D11 encoders and earlier driver versions (before 440.97).

This patch for earlier driver versions (those which do not have additional 32bit library patch) wasn't covering 32bit driver libraries and for this reason 32bit applications were limited unless limit is not raised by some 64bit applications. But once usage limit was exceeded, it persists for all kinds of apps until system reboot. So, for example, you may once open 10 sessions with 64bit version of ffmpeg and limit will get raised to 10 for all rest types of apps until reboot. You may follow these steps to achieve this automatically and have all limits raised (assuming patch above already applied):

Method 1 (recommended)

1. Download and run latest release of NvencSessionLimitBump.
2. (Optional) Add it to autostart programs.

By default this application raises limit to 32 encoding sessions. Credits to @jantenhove.

Method 2 (alternative)

1. Download 64bit FFmpeg for Windows: https://ffmpeg.zeranoe.com/builds/
2. Unpack it somewhere.
3. Get ffmpeg_null_10streams.cmd from this repo.
4. Edit ffmpeg_null_10streams.cmd and set executable path to real location of your unpacked ffmpeg.
5. (Optional) Add ffmpeg_null_10streams.cmd to autostart programs.

Bonus: you may use this AutoIt script from @wazerstar for silent startup of console applications bumping sessions.

Also you may use these methods to check if patch applied correctly and limit was raised. Use them when nothing works and you are in doubt.