[R350] Transient screen tearing/corruption/waviness in lucid when using KMS

[Scott Howard]

Binary package hint: xserver-xorg-video-ati

[see attached photo]

I see extensive screen tearing and constant waviness. The amount of tearing increases with increased video action (i.e. running glxgears, editing a photo in GIMP).

The screen tearing intensity increases and decreases during use. I've found that it only occurs when KMS is turned on. When nomodeset is a boot option, there is no tearing and waviness.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.04
Package: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:6.12.192-2ubuntu2
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.32-19.28-generic 2.6.32.10+drm33.1
Uname: Linux 2.6.32-19-generic x86_64
Architecture: amd64
Date: Thu Apr 8 00:07:00 2010
ProcCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-19-generic root=UUID=032c8e40-ebd3-496d-b7d2-18cd31daf8ec ro quiet splash
ProcEnviron:
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: xserver-xorg-video-ati
dmi.bios.date: 08/26/2005
dmi.bios.vendor: Phoenix Technologies, LTD
dmi.bios.version: 6.00 PG
dmi.board.name: nForce
dmi.chassis.type: 3
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnPhoenixTechnologies,LTD:bvr6.00PG:bd08/26/2005:svn:pn:pvr:rvn:rnnForce:rvr:cvn:ct3:cvr:
system:
 distro: Ubuntu
 codename: lucid
 architecture: x86_64
 kernel: 2.6.32-19-generic

---
AlsaVersion: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.21.
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: showard 1774 F.... pulseaudio
CRDA: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
Card0.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:0 'CA0106'/'Live! 7.1 24bit [SB0410] at 0xb000 irq 16'
   Mixer name : 'CA0106'
   Components : ''
   Controls : 30
   Simple ctrls : 18
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.04
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=7b5e1a47-19c9-4d29-b6dd-79060e23d511
IwConfig:
 lo no wireless extensions.

 eth0 no wireless extensions.

 vboxnet0 no wireless extensions.
Package: linux (not installed)
ProcCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-21-generic root=UUID=032c8e40-ebd3-496d-b7d2-18cd31daf8ec ro quiet splash
ProcEnviron:
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.32-21.32-generic 2.6.32.11+drm33.2
Regression: Yes
RelatedPackageVersions: linux-firmware 1.34
Reproducible: Yes
RfKill:

Tags: lucid graphics regression-release needs-upstream-testing
Uname: Linux 2.6.32-21-generic x86_64
UserGroups: adm admin cdrom dialout lpadmin plugdev sambashare
WpaSupplicantLog:

dmi.bios.date: 08/26/2005
dmi.bios.vendor: Phoenix Technologies, LTD
dmi.bios.version: 6.00 PG
dmi.board.name: nForce
dmi.chassis.type: 3
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnPhoenixTechnologies,LTD:bvr6.00PG:bd08/26/2005:svn:pn:pvr:rvn:rnnForce:rvr:cvn:ct3:cvr:

[Scott Howard (showard314)]

I loaded as far back as:
Linux 2.6.32-15-generic #22-Ubuntu SMP x86_64 GNU/Linux

and the tearing is still present, although there was no tearing back
when -15 was the newest kernel.

[Scott Howard (showard314)]

The bug went away with updates, can't tell exactly what - but I think it had something to do with plymouth (I was have lots of crashes with plymouth that also stopped the same time)

[Scott Howard (showard314)]

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[Scott Howard (showard314)]

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[Scott Howard (showard314)]

It didn't go away with updates, but I refrained from adding more comments until I debugged it. I have tested it with KMS off, and the screen is perfect. I've been toggling the setting over the course of the past week to ensure that is the problem. I've tried the xorg-edgers ppa and the newest mainline kernel, but the bug still persists.

Setting back to "triaged" and adding the linux package.

[Jeremy Foshee (jeremyfoshee)]

Hi Scott,

If you could also please test the latest upstream kernel available that would be great. It will allow additional upstream developers to examine the issue. Refer to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds . Once you've tested the upstream kernel, please remove the 'needs-upstream-testing' tag. This can be done by clicking on the yellow pencil icon next to the tag located at the bottom of the bug description and deleting the 'needs-upstream-testing' text. Please let us know your results.

Thanks in advance.

    [This is an automated message. Apologies if it has reached you inappropriately; please just reply to this message indicating so.]

[Scott Howard (showard314)]

tested with linux 2.6.34-999-generic, the bug still exists
showard@s-desktop:~$ uname -a
Linux s-desktop 2.6.34-999-generic #201005041005 SMP Tue May 4 09:08:58 UTC 2010 x86_64 GNU/Linux

[Scott Howard (showard314)]

also tested with the xorg-edgers ppa:
xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:6.13.99~git20100422.1ad41054-0ubuntu0tormod

[Scott Howard (showard314)]

while the symptoms are identical to bug 541501, the upgraded kernel does not fix my bug. I also have a desktop, not a thinkpad.

Loading without KMS is working as a work around for now.

uname -r
2.6.35-020635rc1-generic

[Scott Howard (showard314)]

Here's a you-tube video of the symptoms, taken from a different bug report:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ky9Yk3pNuI
bug 541501

[Scott Howard (showard314)]

unknown fix in the last week of maverick testing. It works again in maverick, just doesn't work in lucid