# Activate NVIDIA GRID Virtual Applications on your Amazon EC2 GPU-based instances
<a name="activate_grid"></a>

To activate the GRID Virtual Applications on GPU-based instances that have NVIDIA GPUs (NVIDIA GRID Virtual Workstation is enabled by default), you must define the product type for the driver. The process that you use depends on the operating system of your instance.

## Linux instances
<a name="activate-nvidia-grid-linux"></a>

**To activate GRID Virtual Applications on your Linux instances**

1. Create the `/etc/nvidia/gridd.conf` file from the provided template file.

   ```
   [ec2-user ~]$ sudo cp /etc/nvidia/gridd.conf.template /etc/nvidia/gridd.conf
   ```

1. Open the `/etc/nvidia/gridd.conf` file in your favorite text editor.

1. Find the `FeatureType` line, and set it equal to `0`. Then add a line with `IgnoreSP=TRUE`.

   ```
   FeatureType=0 IgnoreSP=TRUE
   ```

1. Save the file and exit.

1. Reboot the instance to pick up the new configuration.

   ```
   [ec2-user ~]$ sudo reboot
   ```

## Windows instances
<a name="activate-nvidia-grid-windows"></a>

**To activate GRID Virtual Applications on your Windows instances**

1. Run **regedit.exe** to open the registry editor.

1. Navigate to `HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\NVIDIA Corporation\Global\GridLicensing`.

1. Open the context (right-click) menu on the right pane and choose **New**, **DWORD**.

1. For **Name**, enter **FeatureType** and type `Enter`.

1. Open the context (right-click) menu on **FeatureType** and choose **Modify**.

1. For **Value data**, enter `0` for NVIDIA GRID Virtual Applications and choose **OK**.

1. Open the context (right-click) menu on the right pane and choose **New**, **DWORD**.

1. For **Name**, enter **IgnoreSP** and type `Enter`.

1. Open the context (right-click) menu on **IgnoreSP** and choose **Modify**.

1. For **Value data**, type `1` and choose **OK**.

1. Close the registry editor.