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[Issue]: Having Docker Desktop running blocks access to /dev/kfd when running none root docker run command #86

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[Issue]: Having Docker Desktop running blocks access to /dev/kfd when running none root docker run command#86
@leuchthelp

Description

@leuchthelp
leuchthelp
opened on Jan 20, 2026

Problem Description

Hope this is a sensible place for such a report, as I'm unsure if AMD has a more specific channel for issue regarding their official rocm docker container images. This was tested for the rocm/pytorch container image from Docker Hub, but I believe this should be an issue affecting all containers to be created and should probably get a mention within the official documentation.
Issue is also described in detail here @Level1Techs-Forum

AMDs rocm guide for the pytorch container calls for the image do be run as potentially none root user via:

docker run -it \
    --cap-add=SYS_PTRACE \
    --security-opt seccomp=unconfined \
    --device=/dev/kfd \
    --device=/dev/dri \
    --group-add video \
    --ipc=host \
    --shm-size 8G \
    rocm/pytorch:latest

This however leads to the following specifically when Docker Desktop is running the background.

❯ docker run -it \
    --cap-add=SYS_PTRACE \
    --security-opt seccomp=unconfined \
    --device=/dev/kfd \
    --device=/dev/dri \
    --group-add video \
    --ipc=host \
    --shm-size 8G \
    rocm/pytorch:latest
docker: Error response from daemon: error gathering device information while adding custom device "/dev/kfd": no such file or directory

Run 'docker run --help' for more information

If Docker Desktop is quit, either by quitting it manually or logging out of the current session and back in, the command works just fine.

❯ docker run -it \
    --cap-add=SYS_PTRACE \
    --security-opt seccomp=unconfined \
    --device=/dev/kfd \
    --device=/dev/dri \
    --group-add video \
    --ipc=host \
    --shm-size 8G \
    rocm/pytorch:latest
root@b16143e5982f:/#

A specific need for this is not mentioned in either the rocm/pytorch section or the Running ROCm Docker containers section of the documentation. (At least not as far, as I could find, might have over-read it entirely.

Operating System

24.04.3 LTS (Noble Numbat)

CPU

AMD Ryzen 9 7900X 12-Core Processor

GPU

Radeon RX 7900 XTX

ROCm Version

rocm-7.1.1

ROCm Component

No response

Steps to Reproduce

  • Install Ubuntu 24.04.3
  • Install rocm via official quick-start-guide
  • Install Docker Engine which specifically recommends installing Docker Engine through Docker Desktop
  • Run the following as none root user with Docker Engine running in the background:
docker run -it \
    --cap-add=SYS_PTRACE \
    --security-opt seccomp=unconfined \
    --device=/dev/kfd \
    --device=/dev/dri \
    --group-add video \
    --ipc=host \
    --shm-size 8G \
    rocm/pytorch:latest

(Optional for Linux users) Output of /opt/rocm/bin/rocminfo --support

ROCk module version 6.16.6 is loaded

HSA System Attributes

Runtime Version: 1.18
Runtime Ext Version: 1.14
System Timestamp Freq.: 1000.000000MHz
Sig. Max Wait Duration: 18446744073709551615 (0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF) (timestamp count)
Machine Model: LARGE
System Endianness: LITTLE
Mwaitx: DISABLED
XNACK enabled: NO
DMAbuf Support: YES
VMM Support: YES

==========
HSA Agents

Agent 1

Name: AMD Ryzen 9 7900X 12-Core Processor
Uuid: CPU-XX
Marketing Name: AMD Ryzen 9 7900X 12-Core Processor
Vendor Name: CPU
Feature: None specified
Profile: FULL_PROFILE
Float Round Mode: NEAR
Max Queue Number: 0(0x0)
Queue Min Size: 0(0x0)
Queue Max Size: 0(0x0)
Queue Type: MULTI
Node: 0
Device Type: CPU
Cache Info:
L1: 32768(0x8000) KB
Chip ID: 0(0x0)
ASIC Revision: 0(0x0)
Cacheline Size: 64(0x40)
Max Clock Freq. (MHz): 5911
BDFID: 0
Internal Node ID: 0
Compute Unit: 24
SIMDs per CU: 0
Shader Engines: 0
Shader Arrs. per Eng.: 0
WatchPts on Addr. Ranges:1
Memory Properties:
Features: None
Pool Info:
Pool 1
Segment: GLOBAL; FLAGS: FINE GRAINED
Size: 32050692(0x1e90e04) KB
Allocatable: TRUE
Alloc Granule: 4KB
Alloc Recommended Granule:4KB
Alloc Alignment: 4KB
Accessible by all: TRUE
Pool 2
Segment: GLOBAL; FLAGS: EXTENDED FINE GRAINED
Size: 32050692(0x1e90e04) KB
Allocatable: TRUE
Alloc Granule: 4KB
Alloc Recommended Granule:4KB
Alloc Alignment: 4KB
Accessible by all: TRUE
Pool 3
Segment: GLOBAL; FLAGS: KERNARG, FINE GRAINED
Size: 32050692(0x1e90e04) KB
Allocatable: TRUE
Alloc Granule: 4KB
Alloc Recommended Granule:4KB
Alloc Alignment: 4KB
Accessible by all: TRUE
Pool 4
Segment: GLOBAL; FLAGS: COARSE GRAINED
Size: 32050692(0x1e90e04) KB
Allocatable: TRUE
Alloc Granule: 4KB
Alloc Recommended Granule:4KB
Alloc Alignment: 4KB
Accessible by all: TRUE
ISA Info:

Agent 2

Name: gfx1100
Uuid: GPU-029a3387f47e439f
Marketing Name: Radeon RX 7900 XTX
Vendor Name: AMD
Feature: KERNEL_DISPATCH
Profile: BASE_PROFILE
Float Round Mode: NEAR
Max Queue Number: 128(0x80)
Queue Min Size: 64(0x40)
Queue Max Size: 131072(0x20000)
Queue Type: MULTI
Node: 1
Device Type: GPU
Cache Info:
L1: 32(0x20) KB
L2: 6144(0x1800) KB
L3: 98304(0x18000) KB
Chip ID: 29772(0x744c)
ASIC Revision: 0(0x0)
Cacheline Size: 128(0x80)
Max Clock Freq. (MHz): 2431
BDFID: 768
Internal Node ID: 1
Compute Unit: 96
SIMDs per CU: 2
Shader Engines: 6
Shader Arrs. per Eng.: 2
WatchPts on Addr. Ranges:4
Coherent Host Access: FALSE
Memory Properties:
Features: KERNEL_DISPATCH
Fast F16 Operation: TRUE
Wavefront Size: 32(0x20)
Workgroup Max Size: 1024(0x400)
Workgroup Max Size per Dimension:
x 1024(0x400)
y 1024(0x400)
z 1024(0x400)
Max Waves Per CU: 32(0x20)
Max Work-item Per CU: 1024(0x400)
Grid Max Size: 4294967295(0xffffffff)
Grid Max Size per Dimension:
x 2147483647(0x7fffffff)
y 65535(0xffff)
z 65535(0xffff)
Max fbarriers/Workgrp: 32
Packet Processor uCode:: 602
SDMA engine uCode:: 27
IOMMU Support:: None
Pool Info:
Pool 1
Segment: GLOBAL; FLAGS: COARSE GRAINED
Size: 25149440(0x17fc000) KB
Allocatable: TRUE
Alloc Granule: 4KB
Alloc Recommended Granule:2048KB
Alloc Alignment: 4KB
Accessible by all: FALSE
Pool 2
Segment: GLOBAL; FLAGS: EXTENDED FINE GRAINED
Size: 25149440(0x17fc000) KB
Allocatable: TRUE
Alloc Granule: 4KB
Alloc Recommended Granule:2048KB
Alloc Alignment: 4KB
Accessible by all: FALSE
Pool 3
Segment: GROUP
Size: 64(0x40) KB
Allocatable: FALSE
Alloc Granule: 0KB
Alloc Recommended Granule:0KB
Alloc Alignment: 0KB
Accessible by all: FALSE
ISA Info:
ISA 1
Name: amdgcn-amd-amdhsa--gfx1100
Machine Models: HSA_MACHINE_MODEL_LARGE
Profiles: HSA_PROFILE_BASE
Default Rounding Mode: NEAR
Default Rounding Mode: NEAR
Fast f16: TRUE
Workgroup Max Size: 1024(0x400)
Workgroup Max Size per Dimension:
x 1024(0x400)
y 1024(0x400)
z 1024(0x400)
Grid Max Size: 4294967295(0xffffffff)
Grid Max Size per Dimension:
x 2147483647(0x7fffffff)
y 65535(0xffff)
z 65535(0xffff)
FBarrier Max Size: 32
ISA 2
Name: amdgcn-amd-amdhsa--gfx11-generic
Machine Models: HSA_MACHINE_MODEL_LARGE
Profiles: HSA_PROFILE_BASE
Default Rounding Mode: NEAR
Default Rounding Mode: NEAR
Fast f16: TRUE
Workgroup Max Size: 1024(0x400)
Workgroup Max Size per Dimension:
x 1024(0x400)
y 1024(0x400)
z 1024(0x400)
Grid Max Size: 4294967295(0xffffffff)
Grid Max Size per Dimension:
x 2147483647(0x7fffffff)
y 65535(0xffff)
z 65535(0xffff)
FBarrier Max Size: 32

Agent 3

Name: gfx1036
Uuid: GPU-XX
Marketing Name: AMD Radeon Graphics
Vendor Name: AMD
Feature: KERNEL_DISPATCH
Profile: BASE_PROFILE
Float Round Mode: NEAR
Max Queue Number: 128(0x80)
Queue Min Size: 64(0x40)
Queue Max Size: 131072(0x20000)
Queue Type: MULTI
Node: 2
Device Type: GPU
Cache Info:
L1: 16(0x10) KB
L2: 256(0x100) KB
Chip ID: 5710(0x164e)
ASIC Revision: 1(0x1)
Cacheline Size: 128(0x80)
Max Clock Freq. (MHz): 2200
BDFID: 4096
Internal Node ID: 2
Compute Unit: 2
SIMDs per CU: 2
Shader Engines: 1
Shader Arrs. per Eng.: 1
WatchPts on Addr. Ranges:4
Coherent Host Access: FALSE
Memory Properties: APU
Features: KERNEL_DISPATCH
Fast F16 Operation: TRUE
Wavefront Size: 32(0x20)
Workgroup Max Size: 1024(0x400)
Workgroup Max Size per Dimension:
x 1024(0x400)
y 1024(0x400)
z 1024(0x400)
Max Waves Per CU: 32(0x20)
Max Work-item Per CU: 1024(0x400)
Grid Max Size: 4294967295(0xffffffff)
Grid Max Size per Dimension:
x 2147483647(0x7fffffff)
y 65535(0xffff)
z 65535(0xffff)
Max fbarriers/Workgrp: 32
Packet Processor uCode:: 121
SDMA engine uCode:: 9
IOMMU Support:: None
Pool Info:
Pool 1
Segment: GLOBAL; FLAGS: COARSE GRAINED
Size: 16025344(0xf48700) KB
Allocatable: TRUE
Alloc Granule: 4KB
Alloc Recommended Granule:2048KB
Alloc Alignment: 4KB
Accessible by all: FALSE
Pool 2
Segment: GLOBAL; FLAGS: EXTENDED FINE GRAINED
Size: 16025344(0xf48700) KB
Allocatable: TRUE
Alloc Granule: 4KB
Alloc Recommended Granule:2048KB
Alloc Alignment: 4KB
Accessible by all: FALSE
Pool 3
Segment: GROUP
Size: 64(0x40) KB
Allocatable: FALSE
Alloc Granule: 0KB
Alloc Recommended Granule:0KB
Alloc Alignment: 0KB
Accessible by all: FALSE
ISA Info:
ISA 1
Name: amdgcn-amd-amdhsa--gfx1036
Machine Models: HSA_MACHINE_MODEL_LARGE
Profiles: HSA_PROFILE_BASE
Default Rounding Mode: NEAR
Default Rounding Mode: NEAR
Fast f16: TRUE
Workgroup Max Size: 1024(0x400)
Workgroup Max Size per Dimension:
x 1024(0x400)
y 1024(0x400)
z 1024(0x400)
Grid Max Size: 4294967295(0xffffffff)
Grid Max Size per Dimension:
x 2147483647(0x7fffffff)
y 65535(0xffff)
z 65535(0xffff)
FBarrier Max Size: 32
ISA 2
Name: amdgcn-amd-amdhsa--gfx10-3-generic
Machine Models: HSA_MACHINE_MODEL_LARGE
Profiles: HSA_PROFILE_BASE
Default Rounding Mode: NEAR
Default Rounding Mode: NEAR
Fast f16: TRUE
Workgroup Max Size: 1024(0x400)
Workgroup Max Size per Dimension:
x 1024(0x400)
y 1024(0x400)
z 1024(0x400)
Grid Max Size: 4294967295(0xffffffff)
Grid Max Size per Dimension:
x 2147483647(0x7fffffff)
y 65535(0xffff)
z 65535(0xffff)
FBarrier Max Size: 32
*** Done ***

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