[i965gm] Ubuntu 10.04 occasionally hangs for a couple of seconds

[onyxrev]

Binary package hint: xorg

Every now and then my system sporadically hangs for 2-3 seconds. I haven't determined a pattern or cause for hanging, although it appears to be related to new windows coming up (instantiating gnome-do or a new instant message, for example).

I'm running Ubuntu 10.04 64-bit.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.04
Package: xorg 1:7.5+5ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.32-22.33-generic 2.6.32.11+drm33.2
Uname: Linux 2.6.32-22-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: wl
Architecture: amd64
Date: Thu May 6 14:21:08 2010
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 10.04 LTS "Lucid Lynx" - Release amd64 (20100427.1)
MachineType: Apple Inc. MacBook4,1
ProcCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/vmlinuz-2.6.32-22-generic root=/dev/mapper/sda5_crypt ro quiet splash
ProcEnviron:
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=en_US.utf8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: xorg
Symptom: display
dmi.bios.date: 02/09/08
dmi.bios.vendor: Apple Inc.
dmi.bios.version: MB41.88Z.00C1.B00.0802091535
dmi.board.asset.tag: Base Board Asset Tag
dmi.board.name: Mac-F22788A9
dmi.board.vendor: Apple Inc.
dmi.board.version: PVT
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: Asset Tag#
dmi.chassis.type: 2
dmi.chassis.vendor: Apple Inc.
dmi.chassis.version: Mac-F22788A9
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAppleInc.:bvrMB41.88Z.00C1.B00.0802091535:bd02/09/08:svnAppleInc.:pnMacBook4,1:pvr1.0:rvnAppleInc.:rnMac-F22788A9:rvrPVT:cvnAppleInc.:ct2:cvrMac-F22788A9:
dmi.product.name: MacBook4,1
dmi.product.version: 1.0
dmi.sys.vendor: Apple Inc.
system:
 distro: Ubuntu
 codename: lucid
 architecture: x86_64
 kernel: 2.6.32-22-generic

[onyxrev (entp)]

This may be a duplicate of 574152, but I have created this ticket in case it isn't.

[onyxrev (entp)]

Trying to figure out how to link to #574152

[onyxrev (entp)]

For what it's worth, even though the keyboard and mouse become unresponsive, the system overall continues to plow on just fine. Ongoing scripts running in my terminals keep going.

Another factor to consider is that I run a system with encrypted root, home, storage, and swap partitions, although I don't have any reason to believe the issue is IO related.

[onyxrev (entp)]

Were you able to glean something from my logs that lead you to mark this as confirmed? I'd be happy to run more tests if you point me in the right direction.

[onyxrev (entp)]

Xorg CPU usage does not seem to spike during these unresponsive periods according to 'top' and 'top' continues to run just fine. Keyboard and mouse input are captured but don't respond until the hang period ends.

[Jack Thomas (zipperback)]

Have we been able to determine if this bug is related to the similar posting that I originally initiated by any chance?

Bug #574152

Thanks.

- Jack / zipperback

[onyxrev (entp)]

If your system stops all processing during the hangs then it must be a different issue. Mine only stops acknowledging mouseclicks and keypresses but keeps churning. And I've never had a hang longer than maybe 20-30 seconds max. Your system is has an ATI card whereas mine is Intel and Bryce here has marked this as an Intel issue. *shrug*

[onyxrev (entp)]

I loaded up a backup copy of my Karmic root partition to yoink off the xorg.conf from that config. Dropped it in this Lucid install where there was no xorg.conf at all and things now seem much happier. I will know for sure when I get into the thick of things at work tomorrow but today while working I benchmarked Xorg with an idle CPU usage of around 20%. Now, with this xorg.conf config Xorg is idle around 2%.

[onyxrev (entp)]

Still happening, although the xorg change definitely helped the performance of the system overall. I found another good way to trigger the lag: clicking network manager in the tray causes the lag about 1/3 of the time.

[onyxrev (entp)]

Interactions with the notifications area seem to cause the problem the most, actually. Today I noticed that clicking on the Transmission icon would also cause the responsiveness problem most of the time as well.

[onyxrev (entp)]

Based on Jack's feedback I'd say it's safe to assume this is not a duplicate of Bug #574152

[onyxrev (entp)]

I am increasingly suspicious of gnome-panel or some aspect of the panel being responsible for this. Sometimes even right-clicking on the panel will cause the delays.

[onyxrev (entp)]

Downgraded to Karmic's gnome-panel 1:2.28.0-0ubuntu6 and gnome-panel-data 1:2.28.0-0ubuntu6 and so far I have not experienced the issues.

[onyxrev (entp)]

Scratch that - downgrading panel did not help.

[onyxrev (entp)]

Continuing to try to narrow this bug down... I've been running XFCE all day rather than Gnome and can conclusively say that the bug is not present under XFCE.

[onyxrev (entp)]

I am fairly confident that the actual cause of the bug is emacs and this ticket is probably a duplicate of:

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/emacs22/+bug/287577?comments=all

Which is explains why I mostly saw it at work, when I have emacs open!

Turning off assistive technologies seems good so far. Will test over the rest of the week and file this as a duplicate if the problem is gone.