Troubleshooting NVSM Alert NV-CPU-XX – Unrecoverable CPU Internal Error

KB 134833 - Troubleshooting NVSM Alert NV-CPU-XX – Unrecoverable CPU Internal Error


Purpose

This document provides a general troubleshooting procedure for the NVIDIA System Management (NVSM) alert NV-CPU-XX, which indicates that a CPU has reported an internal error. The article outlines how to verify whether the alert represents an active hardware issue or a historical/stale alert and describes the recommended remediation steps.


Alert Information

ItemDescription
Alert IDNV-CPU-XX
ComponentProcessor (CPU)
SeverityCritical
Typical MessageSystem entered degraded mode, CPU is reporting an error.


Example Alert:
message_details = An unrecoverable CPU Internal error has occurred. message = System entered degraded mode, CPU is reporting an error. alert_id = NV-CPU-XX severity = Critical type = Processors

Possible Causes

The alert may be generated due to one or more of the following:

  • CPU Machine Check Exception (MCE)
  • Processor cache or core errors
  • CPU internal controller errors
  • Memory controller errors within the CPU
  • Motherboard or CPU socket issues
  • BIOS or CPU microcode issues
  • Transient hardware events
  • Historical (stale) alert retained in the NVSM database

Initial Investigation

Step 1 – Verify Current System Health

Run: sudo nvsm show health

Confirm whether the system reports any unhealthy components.

Step 2 – Generate an NVSM Health Bundle

Collect diagnostic information:

sudo nvsm dump health

The generated archive is typically located under:

/tmp/nvsm-health-<hostname>-<timestamp>.tar.xz

This bundle should be attached when opening a support case with NVIDIA.

Step 3 – Review Active NVSM Alerts

Display active alerts

sudo nvsm show alerts

Verify whether the NV-CPU-XX alert is still active.

Step 4 – Review the BMC System Event Log (SEL)

Check for hardware events recorded by the Baseboard Management Controller (BMC):

sudo ipmitool sel list

Look for entries related to:

  • CPU
  • Processor
  • Machine Check
  • ECC
  • Memory
  • Thermal events

The presence of CPU-related SEL entries may indicate an actual hardware issue.

Step 5 – Review Operating System Logs

Search for Machine Check Exceptions (MCE) and hardware errors:

journalctl -k | grep -Ei "mce|machine check|hardware error|edac"

Also review: dmesg | grep -Ei "mce|hardware|cpu|edac"

These logs help determine whether the operating system detected CPU hardware errors.

Analysis

Compare the findings from the previous steps.

Scenario 1 – Active Hardware Issue

Indicators include:

  • NVSM reports unhealthy hardware.
  • CPU-related entries exist in the BMC SEL.
  • Linux kernel reports Machine Check Exceptions.
  • The alert reoccurs after clearing.

In this case:

  • Treat the alert as a hardware issue.
  • Collect diagnostics.
  • Open a support case with NVIDIA.

Scenario 2 – Historical or Stale Alert

Indicators include:

  • System health is healthy.
  • No CPU-related SEL entries.
  • No Machine Check Exceptions in the operating system logs.
  • The alert exists only in the NVSM alert database.

In this case, the alert may be historical and can typically be cleared after verifying that no active hardware fault exists.

Clearing Historical Alerts

If NVIDIA Support confirms that the alert is stale, clear the NVSM database and BMC SEL.

Stop NVSM: sudo systemctl stop nvsm

Remove the NVSM alert database: sudo rm /var/lib/nvsm/sqlite/nvsm.db

Clear the BMC SEL:  sudo ipmitool sel clear

Remove archived SEL logs: sudo rm /var/log/bmc_sel_archive_for_BMC_*.log

Restart NVSM: sudo systemctl start nvsm

Verification

After cleanup, verify:

  1. sudo nvsm show health
  2. sudo nvsm show alerts
  3. sudo ipmitool sel list

Expected results:

  • Overall system health is healthy.
  • No active NV-CPU-XX alert.
  • No CPU-related hardware events in the SEL.

When to Open a Support Case

Contact NVIDIA Enterprise Support if:

  • The alert persists after verification and cleanup.
  • The alert reappears after being cleared.
  • CPU-related SEL entries are present.
  • Machine Check Exceptions are reported.
  • The system repeatedly enters degraded mode.
  • CPU hardware is reported as unhealthy.

When opening a case, include:

  • NVSM health dump (sudo nvsm dump health)
  • BMC SEL output (ipmitool sel list)
  • Kernel logs (journalctl -k)
  • Relevant operating system logs

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