high cpu usage of unity-panel-service when indicator-sound is opened

[Jean-Baptiste Lallement]

TEST CASE:
1. Open a system monitor (top, htop) and sort by CPU usage
2. Click on the sound indicator to open the sound menu

Result:
unity-panel-service jumps to the top of the list. It uses even more CPU when a music player is on.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.10
Package: unity-services 4.16.0-0ubuntu2
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.0.0-11.18-generic 3.0.4
Uname: Linux 3.0.0-11-generic i686
.tmp.unity.support.test.0:

ApportVersion: 1.23-0ubuntu1
Architecture: i386
CompizPlugins: [core,bailer,detection,composite,opengl,decor,mousepoll,vpswitch,regex,animation,snap,expo,move,compiztoolbox,place,grid,imgpng,gnomecompat,wall,ezoom,workarounds,resize,fade,unitymtgrabhandles,scale,session,unityshell]
CompositorRunning: None
Date: Mon Sep 26 08:39:52 2011
DistUpgraded: Log time: 2009-11-14 16:29:16.249784
DistroCodename: oneiric
DistroVariant: ubuntu
DkmsStatus:
 virtualbox, 4.1.2, 3.0.0-10-generic, i686: installed
 virtualbox, 4.1.2, 3.0.0-11-generic, i686: installed
 virtualbox, 4.1.2, 3.0.0-9-generic, i686: installed
EcryptfsInUse: Yes
GraphicsCard:
 Intel Corporation Mobile GM965/GL960 Integrated Graphics Controller (primary) [8086:2a02] (rev 03) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device [1043:14e2]
   Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device [1043:14e2]
MachineType: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. U3SG
ProcEnviron:
 PATH=(custom, user)
 LANG=en_US.utf8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.0.0-11-generic root=UUID=75f23f17-3ace-4485-af57-a7318eb6c2ff ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
SourcePackage: unity
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to oneiric on 2011-07-12 (75 days ago)
dmi.bios.date: 01/28/2008
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: 305
dmi.board.asset.tag: ATN12345678901234567
dmi.board.name: U3SG
dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer Inc.
dmi.board.version: 1.0
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: ATN12345678901234567
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer Inc.
dmi.chassis.version: 1.0
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvr305:bd01/28/2008:svnASUSTeKComputerInc.:pnU3SG:pvr1.0:rvnASUSTeKComputerInc.:rnU3SG:rvr1.0:cvnASUSTeKComputerInc.:ct10:cvr1.0:
dmi.product.name: U3SG
dmi.product.version: 1.0
dmi.sys.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer Inc.
version.compiz: compiz 1:0.9.5.94+bzr20110919-0ubuntu1
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.26-1ubuntu1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 7.11-0ubuntu3
version.libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental: libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental N/A
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx 7.11-0ubuntu3
version.xserver-xorg: xserver-xorg 1:7.6+7ubuntu7
version.xserver-xorg-input-evdev: xserver-xorg-input-evdev 1:2.6.0-1ubuntu13
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:6.14.99~git20110811.g93fc084-0ubuntu1
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.15.901-1ubuntu2
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:0.0.16+git20110411+8378443-1

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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

[Justyn Butler (justyn)]

I see the same thing with the same version of unity-services, 4.16.0-0ubuntu2.

As long as the sound menu in dropped-down, unity-panel-service CPU use goes up to max and my processor temperature reaches levels I've never seen it reach before.

I don't know if it could possibly be related to the apps I have listed in the sound menu: Banshee, Rhythmbox and Spotify.

[Justyn Butler (justyn)]

I have some more information. The problem only occurs when one of the music players (Banshee or Rhythmbox) is currently displaying song information in the sound menu (track name and album art). When they are not (ie are closed or have just been opened) the sound menu can be accessed without the 100% CPU use.

The bug occurs regardless of whether or not the application is playing or paused.