CUDA error 46 in NBMiner: a driver troubleshooting account

This is a historical troubleshooting account involving NBMiner v42.3 and NVIDIA graphics hardware. The author encountered the following messages:

CUDA Error: all CUDA-capable devices are busy or unavailable (err_no=46)
Device 1 exception, exit ...

The reported setup

• Operating system: Windows 10 Pro 22H2.
• Motherboard: ASRock X570 Stell Legend WiFi ax, as written in the original record; the model spelling has not been independently verified.
• Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 3500X 6-Core, 3600 MHz, six physical cores and six logical processors.
• RAM: 16.0 GB.
• Graphics hardware: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti.

What the author tried

The error appeared without a deliberate hardware or software change. After checking Windows logs, the author found that an automatic update had installed an NVIDIA driver and suspected a connection. Uninstalling it and trying an earlier version completed without installation errors, but did not initially resolve the NBMiner error.

A previously downloaded installer was then found in the Downloads folder:

527.37-desktop-win10-win11-64bit-international-dch-whql

The author reported that reinstalling that version restored mining, and that later automatic driver updates brought the problem back. This preserves the reported sequence, not a newly reproduced test or proof that every occurrence has the same cause.

Why error 46 needs diagnosis

NVIDIA's archived CUDA Runtime reference associates error 46 with unavailable or busy devices. Its examples include restricted compute modes, existing GPU work and memory constraints. The message alone therefore does not identify a particular faulty driver.

Record the exact error, application version, GPU, driver version and recent changes before troubleshooting. Check compatibility against the application's requirements and NVIDIA's CUDA compatibility guidance. Change one factor at a time so the result can be evaluated.

The old 527.37 installer is a historical reference, not a download recommendation. This page does not advise disabling security updates, installing arbitrary archived drivers or using an unsupported Windows configuration. Use official sources and assess support and security before any rollback. No driver or mining software was downloaded or executed for this translation.

If sharing your experience in the comments, include the versions and tests performed without posting private credentials or wallet recovery information.