glxgears performance drops to 1 frame per second, but still reporting 60fps

[Stefan Beller]

So I was running glxgears, a tool to measure performance of the graphics card.
It was showing animations in maximized size quite nice, but when I took the console window I used to start glxgears and moved it over the animation and kept moving the performance rate dropped.
While moving windows the framerate seems to be down, but the reported frame rate in the console was always like 59-60 fps.

Also when using ALT+TAB to switch to other applications I notice performance drops in glxgears, (like only a few frames a second, you could definitly count the frames in a second.)

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.10
Package: nvidia-current 304.51.really.304.43-0ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.5.0-18.29-generic 3.5.7
Uname: Linux 3.5.0-18-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
.proc.driver.nvidia.gpus.0: Error: [Errno 21] Is a directory: '/proc/driver/nvidia/gpus/0'
.proc.driver.nvidia.registry: Binary: ""
.proc.driver.nvidia.version:
 NVRM version: NVIDIA UNIX x86_64 Kernel Module 304.43 Sun Aug 19 20:14:03 PDT 2012
 GCC version: gcc version 4.7.2 (Ubuntu/Linaro 4.7.2-2ubuntu1)
.tmp.unity.support.test.0:

ApportVersion: 2.6.1-0ubuntu4
Architecture: amd64
CompizPlugins: [core,composite,opengl,decor,gnomecompat,resize,snap,compiztoolbox,place,move,vpswitch,regex,imgpng,mousepoll,grid,session,unitymtgrabhandles,animation,wall,workarounds,expo,ezoom,staticswitcher,fade,scale,unityshell]
CompositorRunning: compiz
Date: Mon Oct 22 21:34:08 2012
DistUpgraded: 2012-10-20 23:59:17,769 DEBUG enabling apt cron job
DistroCodename: quantal
DistroVariant: ubuntu
DkmsStatus:
 nvidia-current, 304.43, 3.5.0-18-generic, x86_64: installed
 virtualbox, 4.1.18, 3.2.0-33-generic, x86_64: installed
 virtualbox, 4.1.18, 3.5.0-18-generic, x86_64: installed
EcryptfsInUse: Yes
GraphicsCard:
 NVIDIA Corporation GF119 [Quadro NVS 4200M] [10de:1056] (rev a1) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: Dell Device [1028:0494]
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.04 LTS "Precise Pangolin" - Release amd64 (20120425)
JockeyStatus:
 kmod:nvidia_experimental_304 - Experimental NVIDIA binary Xorg driver, kernel module and VDPAU library (Proprietary, Disabled, Not in use)
 kmod:nvidia_current - nvidia_current (Proprietary, Enabled, Not in use)
 kmod:nvidia_current_updates - NVIDIA binary Xorg driver, kernel module and VDPAU library (Proprietary, Disabled, Not in use)
MachineType: Dell Inc. Latitude E6520
MarkForUpload: True
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.5.0-18-generic root=UUID=24e4a8c8-4206-4be0-9271-4bdaa026ae48 ro quiet splash
SourcePackage: nvidia-graphics-drivers
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to quantal on 2012-10-20 (1 days ago)
XorgConf:
 Section "Device"
  Identifier "Default Device"
  Option "NoLogo" "True"
 EndSection
dmi.bios.date: 07/11/2011
dmi.bios.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.bios.version: A06
dmi.board.name: 0J4TFW
dmi.board.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.board.version: A01
dmi.chassis.type: 9
dmi.chassis.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnDellInc.:bvrA06:bd07/11/2011:svnDellInc.:pnLatitudeE6520:pvr01:rvnDellInc.:rn0J4TFW:rvrA01:cvnDellInc.:ct9:cvr:
dmi.product.name: Latitude E6520
dmi.product.version: 01
dmi.sys.vendor: Dell Inc.
modified.conffile..etc.modprobe.d.nvidia.current.hybrid.conf: [deleted]
version.compiz: compiz 1:0.9.8.4-0ubuntu3
version.ia32-libs: ia32-libs N/A
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.39-0ubuntu1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 9.0-0ubuntu1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental: libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental N/A
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx 9.0-0ubuntu1
version.nvidia-graphics-drivers: nvidia-graphics-drivers N/A
version.xserver-xorg-core: xserver-xorg-core 2:1.13.0-0ubuntu6
version.xserver-xorg-input-evdev: xserver-xorg-input-evdev 1:2.7.3-0ubuntu2
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:6.99.99~git20120913.8637f772-0ubuntu1
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.20.9-0ubuntu2
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:1.0.2-0ubuntu3

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[dino99 (9d9)]

That version is no more supported; please open a new bug report if the actual archive found version also has the same issue.