Xscreensaver 'interferometry' preview crashes session with a memory leak

[Andy]

It appears that pressing the 'preview' or 'settings' button on xscreensaver "interferometry" causes a massive spike in memory usage (>1Gb) followed by a massive system slowdown and eventually a complete hang. (I assume because I'm out of memory).

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
Package: compiz 1:0.9.7.6-0ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.2.0-23.36-generic 3.2.14
Uname: Linux 3.2.0-23-generic x86_64
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_64 Kernel Module 295.40 Thu Apr 5 21:37:00 PDT 2012
 GCC version: gcc version 4.6.3 (Ubuntu/Linaro 4.6.3-1ubuntu4)
.tmp.unity.support.test.0:

ApportVersion: 2.0.1-0ubuntu2
Architecture: amd64
CompizPlugins: [core,composite,opengl,compiztoolbox,decor,vpswitch,snap,mousepoll,resize,place,move,wall,grid,regex,imgpng,session,gnomecompat,animation,fade,unitymtgrabhandles,workarounds,scale,expo,ezoom,unityshell]
CompositorRunning: compiz
CurrentDmesg:
 [ 36.358890] ADDRCONF(NETDEV_CHANGE): eth1: link becomes ready
 [ 47.424016] eth1: no IPv6 routers present
Date: Fri Apr 13 16:02:02 2012
DistUpgraded: Fresh install
DistroCodename: precise
DistroVariant: ubuntu
DkmsStatus: nvidia-current-updates, 295.40, 3.2.0-23-generic, x86_64: installed
GraphicsCard:
 NVIDIA Corporation G86 [GeForce 8400 GS] [10de:0422] (rev a1) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: eVga.com. Corp. Device [3842:c735]
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.04 LTS "Precise Pangolin" - Beta amd64 (20120328)
JockeyStatus:
 xorg:nvidia_current - NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver (Proprietary, Disabled, Not in use)
 xorg:nvidia_current_updates - NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver (post-release updates) (Proprietary, Enabled, In use)
Lsusb:
 Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
 Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
 Bus 001 Device 003: ID 058f:6364 Alcor Micro Corp. Hi-Speed 7-in-1 Flash Card Reader/Writer [Sabrent]
 Bus 002 Device 002: ID 03f0:8704 Hewlett-Packard DeskJet 5940
MachineType: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd. M52LT-D3
PackageArchitecture: all
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=en_GB:en
 TERM=xterm
 PATH=(custom, user)
 LANG=en_GB.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-23-generic root=UUID=868441db-71b8-48b0-b9bc-3ce1f39e760d ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
SourcePackage: compiz
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 06/14/2010
dmi.bios.vendor: Award Software International, Inc.
dmi.bios.version: F2
dmi.board.name: M52LT-D3
dmi.board.vendor: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
dmi.board.version: x.x
dmi.chassis.type: 3
dmi.chassis.vendor: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAwardSoftwareInternational,Inc.:bvrF2:bd06/14/2010:svnGigabyteTechnologyCo.,Ltd.:pnM52LT-D3:pvr:rvnGigabyteTechnologyCo.,Ltd.:rnM52LT-D3:rvrx.x:cvnGigabyteTechnologyCo.,Ltd.:ct3:cvr:
dmi.product.name: M52LT-D3
dmi.sys.vendor: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
version.compiz: compiz 1:0.9.7.6-0ubuntu1
version.ia32-libs: ia32-libs N/A
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.32-1ubuntu1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 8.0.2-0ubuntu3
version.libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental: libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental N/A
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx 8.0.2-0ubuntu3
version.nvidia-graphics-drivers: nvidia-graphics-drivers N/A
version.xserver-xorg-core: xserver-xorg-core 2:1.11.4-0ubuntu10
version.xserver-xorg-input-evdev: xserver-xorg-input-evdev 1:2.7.0-0ubuntu1
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:6.14.99~git20111219.aacbd629-0ubuntu2
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.17.0-1ubuntu4
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:0.0.16+git20111201+b5534a1-1build2

[Andy (shadowfirebird)]

Attached is a screenshot showing output of Top and system monitor. It shows the initial memory spike. I then tried the "settings" button and things got worse -- so bad, in fact, that top stopped refreshing, so I don't have evidence of that.

I should also say that this is entirely reproducable for me in Unity 3D but does not happen at all in Unity 2D.

[jhfhlkjlj (fdsuufijjejejejej-deactivatedaccount)]

Hi! Is this still a problem with up-to-date 12.04?

[Geoff Riley (geoffr)]

Yes, it's still happening. I came to see if anyone had a solution for it: apparently not.

I'm seeing exactly the same problem as shadowfirebird when I worked down through the screensavers on 12.04 Precise after upgrading from 11.10 Oneiric.