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docs: add cuda-version note to conda install instructions#102

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evasnow1992 merged 4 commits intoNVIDIA-Digital-Bio:mainfrom
evasnow1992:evax/readme_cuda_version
Mar 16, 2026
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docs: add cuda-version note to conda install instructions#102
evasnow1992 merged 4 commits intoNVIDIA-Digital-Bio:mainfrom
evasnow1992:evax/readme_cuda_version

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@evasnow1992 evasnow1992 commented Mar 6, 2026

The default conda install nvmolkit may select cuda-version=13, causing PyTorch to fall back to CPU-only on systems with CUDA 12.x drivers. Add a note instructing users to specify cuda-version to match their system.

For addressing #101

The default `conda install nvmolkit` may select cuda-version=13, causing
PyTorch to fall back to CPU-only on systems with CUDA 12.x drivers.
Add a note instructing users to specify cuda-version to match their system.
@evasnow1992 evasnow1992 requested a review from scal444 March 6, 2026 20:13
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greptile-apps Bot commented Mar 6, 2026

Greptile Summary

This PR adds a helpful note to the conda installation instructions in README.md, explaining that the default conda install nvmolkit may resolve cuda-version=13 on systems with CUDA 12.x drivers, causing PyTorch to run in CPU-only mode. It introduces a workaround command pinning cuda-version=12.6 and links out to available PyTorch conda-forge builds.

  • The CUDA version guidance and use of nvidia-smi to check the driver version are well-placed.
  • The URL https://anaconda.org/channels/conda-forge/packages/pytorch/files?file_q=cuda uses a non-standard Anaconda path structure; the conventional package-files URL is https://anaconda.org/conda-forge/pytorch/files, and the file_q=cuda query parameter may not be supported.
  • A blank line is missing between the closing code fence (line 29) and the "Choose a cuda-version…" paragraph (line 30), which is a minor but inconsistent style compared to the rest of the README.

Confidence Score: 4/5

  • Documentation-only change; safe to merge with minor link verification recommended.
  • The PR is a pure documentation update with no code changes. The core guidance is sound. The only meaningful concern is whether the linked Anaconda URL resolves to the intended page — if broken, it leaves users without an easy way to discover supported CUDA versions. Everything else is minor style.
  • README.md — verify the linked PyTorch builds URL resolves correctly before merging.

Important Files Changed

Filename Overview
README.md Adds a note warning users about potential CPU-only PyTorch installs when the default conda solve picks cuda-version=13, with a workaround command and a link to available PyTorch builds. The link URL uses a non-standard Anaconda path that may not work as intended, and a blank line is missing between the closing code fence and the following paragraph.

Last reviewed commit: 6581e8e

Comment thread README.md Outdated
Comment thread README.md
Comment thread README.md Outdated
The default `conda install nvmolkit` may select cuda-version=13, causing
PyTorch to fall back to CPU-only on systems with CUDA 12.x drivers.
Add a note instructing users to specify cuda-version to match their system.
@evasnow1992 evasnow1992 force-pushed the evax/readme_cuda_version branch from 89721d8 to 63fb66a Compare March 6, 2026 20:34
Comment thread README.md Outdated
conda install -c conda-forge nvmolkit
```

**Note**: If you are not running CUDA 13, the default install may select `cuda-version=13` and
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I don't think this is exactly right. cuda-version should

  1. Be eq or less than your nvidia-smi
  2. Have a supported pytorch version in conda-forge

Suggest linking the torch page here and having the instructions say pick a cuda-version <= nvidia-smi driver version that has a matching torch major version that they want + the right cuda version.

Alternatively. Suggest they install torch first. Check that it's GPU enabled. Then install nvmolkit

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Added two install options: (A) specify cuda-version explicitly — must be ≤ nvidia-smi version with a matching PyTorch build on conda-forge (linked the builds page), and (B) install PyTorch with GPU support first, verify with torch.cuda.is_available(), then install nvmolkit.

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Isn't pytorch-cuda dead? It's from the pytorch channel which they no longer use. 12.4 was the last one they support. Current support is only through conda-forge

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Removed it and consolidated the two options into one since without pytorch-cuda, the "install torch first" approach will require specifying cuda-version explicitly, making it essentially the same flow as option A split into steps.

Add two options for ensuring GPU-accelerated PyTorch: specifying
cuda-version explicitly with link to conda-forge PyTorch builds,
or installing PyTorch first and verifying GPU support.
pytorch-cuda is from the old PyTorch channel (last at CUDA 12.4)
and not available on conda-forge. Consolidate to a single option
using explicit cuda-version.
@evasnow1992 evasnow1992 merged commit 5f71cc8 into NVIDIA-Digital-Bio:main Mar 16, 2026
@evasnow1992 evasnow1992 deleted the evax/readme_cuda_version branch March 16, 2026 20:15
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