xorg high CPU usage with compiz and nvidia proprietary drivers

[Juno Woods]

Probable duplicate of: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/compiz/+bug/737454

I experienced this problem in earlier versions of Ubuntu primarily when my console windows were really large. If I made them smaller, the CPU usage would drop dramatically, to much more reasonable levels.

That does not seem to be the case in my current version of Ubuntu (11.10). Compiz is taking up 80-90% of one CPU consistently, and resizing console windows only helps to an extent. I do not have transparency enabled.

I do note a similarity with the bug linked above -- I have a dual-head setup.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.10
Package: xorg 1:7.6+7ubuntu7
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.0.0-12.20-generic-pae 3.0.4
Uname: Linux 3.0.0-12-generic-pae i686
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 Kernel Module 280.13 Wed Jul 27 16:55:43 PDT 2011
 GCC version: gcc version 4.6.1 (Ubuntu/Linaro 4.6.1-9ubuntu3)
.tmp.unity.support.test.0:

ApportVersion: 1.23-0ubuntu3
Architecture: i386
CompizPlugins: [core,bailer,detection,composite,opengl,compiztoolbox,decor,text,imgsvg,place,gnomecompat,imgjpeg,imgpng,resize,vpswitch,session,mousepoll,regex,unitymtgrabhandles,animation,grid,move,workarounds,expo,wall,fade,ezoom,scale,unityshell]
CompositorRunning: compiz
CurrentDmesg: Error: command ['sh', '-c', 'dmesg | comm -13 --nocheck-order /var/log/dmesg -'] failed with exit code 1: comm: /var/log/dmesg: Permission denied
Date: Tue Nov 15 11:06:49 2011
DistUpgraded: Log time: 2011-10-13 14:50:21.212886
DistroCodename: oneiric
DistroVariant: ubuntu
DkmsStatus: nvidia-current, 280.13, 3.0.0-12-generic-pae, i686: installed
DpkgLog:

ExtraDebuggingInterest: Yes, whatever it takes to get this fixed in Ubuntu
GraphicsCard:
 nVidia Corporation G96 [Quadro FX 380] [10de:0658] (rev a1) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: nVidia Corporation Device [10de:063b]
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 9.10 "Karmic Koala" - Release i386 (20091028.5)
JockeyStatus:
 xorg:nvidia_173 - NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver (Proprietary, Disabled, Not in use)
 xorg:nvidia_173_updates - NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver (post-release updates) (Proprietary, Disabled, Not in use)
 xorg:nvidia_current - NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver (Proprietary, Enabled, In use)
 xorg:nvidia_current_updates - NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver (post-release updates) (Proprietary, Disabled, Not in use)
MachineType: Dell Inc. Precision T1500
ProcEnviron:
 PATH=(custom, user)
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.0.0-12-generic-pae root=UUID=78c954a2-813e-4928-8615-189708be64ce ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
SourcePackage: xorg
Symptom: display
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to oneiric on 2011-10-13 (32 days ago)
dmi.bios.date: 12/25/2009
dmi.bios.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.bios.version: 2.0.2
dmi.board.name: 0XC7MM
dmi.board.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.board.version: A00
dmi.chassis.type: 3
dmi.chassis.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnDellInc.:bvr2.0.2:bd12/25/2009:svnDellInc.:pnPrecisionT1500:pvr00:rvnDellInc.:rn0XC7MM:rvrA00:cvnDellInc.:ct3:cvr:
dmi.product.name: Precision T1500
dmi.product.version: 00
dmi.sys.vendor: Dell Inc.
version.compiz: compiz 1:0.9.6+bzr20110929-0ubuntu3
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.nvidia-graphics-drivers: nvidia-graphics-drivers N/A
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.

[Oliver (euro-cent)]

This bug shouldn't be discussed as a duplicate of Bug #877438.

Bug #877438 is talking about dual-head two monitor setups and a running unity plugin.
But this is not the reason for this bug here.

The conclusion for this bug is:

1) It happens with nvidia hardware (my video card GTX 550 Ti)

2) If unity and its plugins is deinstalled or deactived doesn't change the problem, this bug is not related to unity.

3) It also happens on one monitor setups.

4) nautilus is the process, that consumes 50 % of the cpu resources.
Deactivating nautilus (for example by switching to XFCE) solves the problem.

5) As of ubuntu 10.04 this high cpu usage also happens when deactivating compiz and using metacity as window manager without any effects. Before ubuntu 10.04 i had this problem only when compiz was running.

In my opinion, nautilus and the nvidia drivers seams to be the problem, see 4).