[Samsung NP900X3D-A03IT] Powertop shows 100% Device Usage for audio codecs

[Gioele Barabucci]

On my Samsung Series 9 NP900X3D-A03IT despite setting the PowerTOP -> Tunables setting for:
Bad Enable Audio codec power management

to:
Good Enable Audio codec power management

PowerTOP reports that the two audio codecs are both up 100% of the time, even when no sound is playing:
100,0% Audio codec hwC0D0: Realtek
100,0% Audio codec hwC0D3: Intel

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
Package: linux-image-3.5.0-37-generic 3.5.0-37.58~precise1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.5.0-37.58~precise1-generic 3.5.7.16
Uname: Linux 3.5.0-37-generic x86_64
AlsaVersion: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.25.
ApportVersion: 2.0.1-0ubuntu17.4
Architecture: amd64
ArecordDevices:
 **** List of CAPTURE Hardware Devices ****
 card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 0: ALC269VC Analog [ALC269VC Analog]
   Subdevices: 1/1
   Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: gioele 1759 F.... pulseaudio
Card0.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:0 'PCH'/'HDA Intel PCH at 0xf0700000 irq 50'
   Mixer name : 'Intel PantherPoint HDMI'
   Components : 'HDA:10ec0269,144dc0d3,00100202 HDA:80862806,80860101,00100000'
   Controls : 25
   Simple ctrls : 11
Date: Sun Aug 18 22:42:34 2013
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=7e63a512-9a2c-4503-9bd9-ec2f74a7f029
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.04.2 LTS "Precise Pangolin" - Release amd64 (20130504)
MachineType: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD. 900X3C/900X3D/900X3E/900X4C/900X4D
MarkForUpload: True
ProcFB: 0 inteldrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.5.0-37-generic root=UUID=9d6c757c-fda7-49cb-9e7c-e382ebdc4d53 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-3.5.0-37-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-3.5.0-37-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.79.6
SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 04/09/2013
dmi.bios.vendor: Phoenix Technologies Ltd.
dmi.bios.version: P07ABK
dmi.board.asset.tag: Base Board Asset Tag
dmi.board.name: NP900X3D-A03IT
dmi.board.vendor: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
dmi.board.version: FAB1
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: No Asset Tag
dmi.chassis.type: 9
dmi.chassis.vendor: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
dmi.chassis.version: 0.1
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnPhoenixTechnologiesLtd.:bvrP07ABK:bd04/09/2013:svnSAMSUNGELECTRONICSCO.,LTD.:pn900X3C/900X3D/900X3E/900X4C/900X4D:pvr0.1:rvnSAMSUNGELECTRONICSCO.,LTD.:rnNP900X3D-A03IT:rvrFAB1:cvnSAMSUNGELECTRONICSCO.,LTD.:ct9:cvr0.1:
dmi.product.name: 900X3C/900X3D/900X3E/900X4C/900X4D
dmi.product.version: 0.1
dmi.sys.vendor: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.

[Gioele Barabucci (gioele)]

This problem is similar to the one describe in <https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/877560>.

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

This change was made by a bot.

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

Would it be possible for you to test the latest upstream kernel? Refer to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds . Please test the latest v3.11 kernel[0].

If this bug is fixed in the mainline kernel, please add the following tag 'kernel-fixed-upstream'.

If the mainline kernel does not fix this bug, please add the tag: 'kernel-bug-exists-upstream'.

If you are unable to test the mainline kernel, for example it will not boot, please add the tag: 'kernel-unable-to-test-upstream'.
Once testing of the upstream kernel is complete, please mark this bug as "Confirmed".

Thanks in advance.

[0] http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.11-rc6-saucy/

[Gioele Barabucci (gioele)]

The problem is still present on a daily-live saucy distro from 2013-08-19 with the kernel

Linux ubuntu 3.11.0-2-generic #5-Ubuntu SMP Mon Aug 12 16:09:51 UTC 2013 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

[Gioele Barabucci (gioele)]

I cannot boot my 12.04 installation using the mainline 3.11-rcX kernel. Is there a live distro I can use to test it?

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Gioele Barabucci, did this problem not occur in a release prior to Precise?

[Gioele Barabucci (gioele)]

I do not know. As this computer model did not exist before Precise, I did even try to install anything older than Precise.

Please note that the A03IT part of the model means "with an Italian keyboard". I think it is useless to have it in the title, as it reduces the chances of finding this bug for other people with a similar model.

As the other bugs demonstrate, this bug is common to almost all the Sandy Bridge computers with a Realtek audio chipset.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Gioele Barabucci, I checked Powertop for my own computer, same thing. At this point, it would be considered innocuous, as no performance impact exists due to this.

[Gioele Barabucci (gioele)]

In that state the two codecs drain about 2W to 3W of power. About the 15% of the whole power consumption of this laptop. This constant usage has an impact on the temperature of the computer, so that the process must run slower in order not to exceed its temperature envelope.

[rmcd (rmcd1024)]

I have a Lenovo x220s, running 12. 10, which shows only hwc0D3 running at 100% and using about 1w. I agree with ?@gioele that this doesn't seem on the surface to be innocuous.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

rmcd, if you have a bug in Ubuntu, the Ubuntu Kernel team, Ubuntu Bug Control team, and Ubuntu Bug Squad would like you to please file a new report by executing the following in a terminal while booted into a Ubuntu repository kernel (not a mainline one) via:
ubuntu-bug linux

For more on this, please read the official Ubuntu documentation:
Ubuntu Bug Control and Ubuntu Bug Squad: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Bugs/BestPractices
Ubuntu Kernel Team: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelTeam/KernelTeamBugPolicies
Ubuntu Community: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ReportingBugs

When opening up the new report, please feel free to subscribe me to it.

Please note, not filing a new report would delay your problem being addressed as quickly as possible.

No need exists to comment here at this time. If you have further questions, you are welcome to redirect them to the appropriate mailing list or forum via http://www.ubuntu.com/support/community/mailinglists , or you may contact me directly.

Thank you for your understanding.

[Gioele Barabucci (gioele)]

penalvch, why are you suggesting rmcd to file a new bug? What is the point of having dozens of identical bugs files for the same problem? Can't just rmcd add its system information to this bug?

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Gioele Barabucci, as already documented in https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/1213719/comments/13 , this is as per the Ubuntu Kernel Team policy.

[Gioele Barabucci (gioele)]

So, per the Ubuntu Kernel Team policy, should'n new reporters of existing bugs (like rmcd) do

    apport-collect -p linux 1213719
    apport-collect -p alsa-base 1213719

instead of opening new bug reports?

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

Given the number of bugs that the Kernel Team receives during any development cycle it is impossible for us to review them all. Therefore, we occasionally resort to using automated bots to request further testing. This is such a request.

We are approaching release and would like to confirm if this bug is still present. Please test again with the latest development kernel and indicate in the bug if this issue still exists or not.

You can update to the latest development kernel by simply running the following commands in a terminal window:

    sudo apt-get update
    sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

If the bug still exists, change the bug status from Incomplete to Confirmed. If the bug no longer exists, change the bug status from Incomplete to Fix Released.

Thank you for your help, we really do appreciate it.

[luojie-dune (luojie-dune)]

How about the user of Precise release? Will we receive update/bug-fix?

[penalvch (penalvch)]

luojie-dune, if you have a bug in Ubuntu, the Ubuntu Kernel team, Ubuntu Bug Control team, and Ubuntu Bug Squad would like you to please file a new report by executing the following in a terminal while booted into a Ubuntu repository kernel (not a mainline one) via:
ubuntu-bug linux

For more on this, please read the official Ubuntu documentation:
Ubuntu Bug Control and Ubuntu Bug Squad: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Bugs/BestPractices#X.2BAC8-Reporting.Focus_on_One_Issue
Ubuntu Kernel Team: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelTeam/KernelTeamBugPolicies#Filing_Kernel_Bug_reports
Ubuntu Community: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ReportingBugs#Bug_reporting_etiquette

When opening up the new report, please feel free to subscribe me to it.

Please note, not filing a new report would delay your problem being addressed as quickly as possible.

No need exists to comment here at this time. After reading the above documentation in it's entirety, if you have further questions, you are welcome to redirect them to the appropriate mailing list or forum via http://www.ubuntu.com/support/community/mailinglists , or you may contact me directly.

Thank you for your understanding.

[Gioele Barabucci (gioele)]

This bug is still present in the kernel released with Ubuntu 13.10:

    linux 3.11.0-12-generic

from package

    linux-image-3.11.0-12-generic

[Gioele Barabucci (gioele)]

Confirmed also with kernel

    3.12.0-999-generic

from mainline package

    linux-image-3.12.0-999-generic_3.12.0-999.201310190453_i386.deb

and powertop version 2.4

[Gioele Barabucci (gioele)]

It is not possible: the powertop version available in Lucid does not have the code to report the usage power of devices. And newer versions of powertop require new kernels, so I would end up testing it against the kernel available in Precise.

[Gioele Barabucci (gioele)]

Please note that this bug is well know since early 2012.

http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.linux.power-management.lesswatts.general/650
https://lkml.org/lkml/2012/4/15/164

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Gioele Barabucci, speaking only for my own hardware, in PowerTOP -> Tunables the following was noticed:
Bad Enable Audio codec power management

I toggled this to:
Good Enable Audio codec power management

and noticed in Device Stats:
0.0% Audio codec hwC0D3: Intel
0.0% Audio codec hwC0D3: Realtek

and the 100% audio components disappeared from Overview. No audio impact was noticed, although I only played 30 seconds of one song from YouTube.

Despite that, would you have this in Tunables, or similar option?

If so, if you toggle it to Good, would this help address the issue you raised in this report?

[Gioele Barabucci (gioele)]

I have a similar tunable setting and all the results I reported are with that setting set to Good (from the default Bad).

That setting _should_ be on by default and _should_ resolve the 100% usage problem. This bug report is about the fact that setting it on does not resolve the issue.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Gioele Barabucci, could you please test the latest mainline kernel (not the daily) via http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.12-rc6-saucy/ and advise to the results?

As well, because Samsung does not easily reveal what the latest BIOS is for this model, could you please download the latest firmware software as per http://www.samsung.com/uk/support/model/NP900X3D-A03IT-downloads, and advise if a BIOS update is available? If so, when you update to this, does it change anything? If not, could you please both specify what happened, and provide the output of the following terminal command:
sudo dmidecode -s bios-version && sudo dmidecode -s bios-release-date

Please note your current BIOS is already in the Bug Description, so posting this on the old BIOS would not be helpful.

Thank you for your understanding.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for linux (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]

[Thomas Mayer (thomas303)]

I hit this bug on a Dell Latitude E5510, up-to-date BIOS version installed.

I'm running up-to-date ubuntu 12.04.4 with last hardware-enablement stack installed (uname -a:
Linux i306l 3.11.0-17-generic #31~precise1-Ubuntu SMP Tue Feb 4 21:25:43 UTC 2014 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux).

For me, the problem occurs, when I watch some video using adobe flash for some time (e.g. 10 minutes). Then, my laptop slows down extremely, even after killing the browser (firefox or chromium). top shows 95% idle, but the system still performs very bad.

However, the reason for all the problems seems to be the audio codec problem.

after setting everything to "good", powertop shows:
Auslastung Gerätename
              6,6% CPU use
            100,0% Audiocodec hwC0D0:IDT (pulseaudio )

Note that I currently don't play any audio, but still get 100% audio codec usage.

It takes about 30-40 minutes until the system is getting faster again. Could be a temperature issue. The reason for the temperature problems seems to be the audio codec bug.

As my system is very different to the samsung system, I guess it's not a BIOS issue.

As the problems exists for 1-2 years now, it's an old one. I don't expect it's solved in Kernel 3.12.

Over the years, I was installing every hardware enablement stack for precise and every kernel I installed had similar problems.

Please reopen this bug report. I guess many people will not find it because the don't have powertop installed. I mean the "heat" of this bug would be much higher if people would find this bug report.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Thomas Mayer, thank you for your comment. So your hardware and problem may be tracked, could you please file a new report with Ubuntu by executing the following in a terminal while booted into a Ubuntu repository kernel (not a mainline one) via:
ubuntu-bug linux

For more on this, please read the official Ubuntu documentation:
Ubuntu Bug Control and Ubuntu Bug Squad: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Bugs/BestPractices#X.2BAC8-Reporting.Focus_on_One_Issue
Ubuntu Kernel Team: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelTeam/KernelTeamBugPolicies#Filing_Kernel_Bug_reports
Ubuntu Community: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ReportingBugs#Bug_reporting_etiquette

When opening up the new report, please feel free to subscribe me to it.

Thank you for your understanding.

Helpful bug reporting tips:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ReportingBugs