Major OpenGL performance degradation over time

[MathieuO]

I have a fully updated Ubuntu 12.04 x64 installation with Nvidia driver 302.17 enabled. The system contains an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 video card.

The problem I notice is that hardware acceleration stops some while after log in. Immediately after reboot, GLXgears reports up to 3000 FPS. After a few minutes to hours, hardware acceleration stops, which is e.g. noticable by a sluggish response from the user interface. E.g. typing an e-mail becomes impossible, since the letters appear too slow on the screen. Re-running GLXgears in that case reports about 23 FPS.

I noticed that the problem does not occur if I keep GLXgears running on the background. I can't find any unusual things in /var/log/xorg.0.log that give hints about what is happening during the occurance of the error.
---
.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 302.17 Tue Jun 12 16:03:22 PDT 2012
 GCC version: gcc version 4.6.3 (Ubuntu/Linaro 4.6.3-1ubuntu5)
.proc.driver.nvidia.warnings.fbdev:
 Your system is not currently configured to drive a VGA console
 on the primary VGA device. The NVIDIA Linux graphics driver
 requires the use of a text-mode VGA console. Use of other console
 drivers including, but not limited to, vesafb, may result in
 corruption and stability problems, and is not supported.
.tmp.unity.support.test.0:

ApportVersion: 2.0.1-0ubuntu11
Architecture: amd64
CompizPlugins: No value set for `/apps/compiz-1/general/screen0/options/active_plugins'
CompositorRunning: None
DistUpgraded: 2012-05-02 09:32:18,284 DEBUG enabling apt cron job
DistroCodename: precise
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
DistroVariant: ubuntu
GraphicsCard:
 NVIDIA Corporation GF104 [GeForce GTX 460] [10de:0e22] (rev a1) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device [1043:835e]
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 11.04 "Natty Narwhal" - Beta amd64 (20110330)
JockeyStatus:
 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: System manufacturer System Product Name
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
Package: nvidia-graphics-drivers (not installed)
ProcEnviron:
 TERM=xterm
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-27-generic root=UUID=e1c2ab31-a577-44ac-a6e0-a29562c3716f ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.2.0-27.43-generic 3.2.21
Tags: precise ubuntu
Uname: Linux 3.2.0-27-generic x86_64
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to precise on 2012-05-02 (96 days ago)
UserGroups:

dmi.bios.date: 02/22/2011
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: 1401
dmi.board.asset.tag: To be filled by O.E.M.
dmi.board.name: P8P67
dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer INC.
dmi.board.version: Rev 1.xx
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: Asset-1234567890
dmi.chassis.type: 3
dmi.chassis.vendor: Chassis Manufacture
dmi.chassis.version: Chassis Version
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvr1401:bd02/22/2011:svnSystemmanufacturer:pnSystemProductName:pvrSystemVersion:rvnASUSTeKComputerINC.:rnP8P67:rvrRev1.xx:cvnChassisManufacture:ct3:cvrChassisVersion:
dmi.product.name: System Product Name
dmi.product.version: System Version
dmi.sys.vendor: System manufacturer
version.compiz: compiz 1:0.9.7.8-0ubuntu1.2
version.ia32-libs: ia32-libs 20090808ubuntu36
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.32-1ubuntu1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 8.0.2-0ubuntu3.1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental: libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental N/A
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx 8.0.2-0ubuntu3.1
version.nvidia-graphics-drivers: nvidia-graphics-drivers N/A
version.xserver-xorg-core: xserver-xorg-core 2:1.11.4-0ubuntu10.6
version.xserver-xorg-input-evdev: xserver-xorg-input-evdev 1:2.7.0-0ubuntu1.2
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 2:2.19.0-0ubuntu1~xup1
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:0.0.16+git20111201+b5534a1-1build2

[Ubuntu Foundations Team Bug Bot (crichton)]

Thank you for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. It seems that your bug report is not filed about a specific source package though, rather it is just filed against Ubuntu in general. It is important that bug reports be filed about source packages so that people interested in the package can find the bugs about it. You can find some hints about determining what package your bug might be about at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Bugs/FindRightPackage. You might also ask for help in the #ubuntu-bugs irc channel on Freenode.

To change the source package that this bug is filed about visit https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+bug/1032187/+editstatus and add the package name in the text box next to the word Package.

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

[MathieuO (m-odijk)]

A small update on my reported issues. With "Force full screen redraws" switched on in ccsm, glxgears renders about 1050 FPS if hardware acceleration works. Once the bug appears, performance drops down to 160 FPS.

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

Thanks, yes for many systems "full screen redraws" will be slower.

Are you using Unity/Unity2D? Do you get the same problems logging in to Gnome Classic or Gnome sessions?

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

Also, does the CPU or memory usage of any processes (especially compiz or Xorg) increase when the system becomes slow?

[MathieuO (m-odijk)]

I am using Unity at the moment, but I have experienced similar issues in the past in gnome. I will try unity2D and the gnome sessions (again) to see if I can reproduce the bug there as well.

Looking at the sytem monitor no process is taking much CPU (Intel I7-2600) at the moment. Compiz is using 0% most of the time and sometimes peaks at around 8%. gnome-system-monitor is the biggest user with 0 to 16%. In terms of memory, Compiz is the biggest user with 201 MiB. Typing however is awfully slow at the moment, since the bug has hit me again.

Thanks for looking into this!

[MathieuO (m-odijk)]

After some testing, I can confirm that this bug also occurs in Gnome and Unity 2D. Benchmarking using glxgears gives me:
Session - before bug - during bug
--------------------------------------------
Gnome - 17700 FPS - 11 FPS
Unity - 17000 FPS - 24 FPS
Unity 2D - 11500 FPS - 23 FPS

I haven't tested gnome classic yet, but I expect similar results. BTW, the 3000 FPS I reported earlier in my first post for Unity with acceleration were wrong.

Is there anything else I can check to investigate this issue?

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

Thanks. That confirms the problem is not Compiz or Unity. Most likely an NVIDIA driver or generic Xorg bug.

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

Could you please try both:

  (a) An older version of the nvidia driver that is supported in Ubuntu 12.04:
    https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/nvidia-graphics-drivers
    https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/nvidia-graphics-drivers-updates

  (b) Removing NVIDIA drivers completely (assuming the default fallback "nouveau" driver works for you)

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

Please also run this command to ensure relevant system info gets uploaded and attached to the bug:
    apport-collect 1032187

[MathieuO (m-odijk)]

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[MathieuO (m-odijk)]

I can confirm that the bug is also present in an older version of the nvidia-graphics-drivers, since I have used an older version in the past. I am pretty sure it was 295.40. I was hoping that the 302 drivers would have fixed it, but obviously they don't. I will try the nouveau drivers at a later moment.

I also noticed something when I was testing all these different sessions. Usually the bug has appeared after some time of NOT using my pc. Can it be related to my monitor being switched off? It does not happen every time the monitor goes into standby (I can't reproduce it that easily), but it seems to be correlated. In the xorg.0.log I also see some lines like indicated below, that appear after monitor standby (repeats several times with different code):

[251458.928] (II) NVIDIA(GPU-0): Display (Samsung SyncMaster (DFP-0)) does not support NVIDIA
[251458.928] (II) NVIDIA(GPU-0): 3D Vision stereo.
[251458.928] (**) NVIDIA(0): Using HorizSync/VertRefresh ranges from the EDID for display
[251458.928] (**) NVIDIA(0): device Samsung SyncMaster (DFP-0) (Using EDID frequencies
[251458.928] (**) NVIDIA(0): has been enabled on all display devices.)

[MathieuO (m-odijk)]

Interestingly, I notice the following behavior in gnome classic without effects (gnome-fallback):
Glxgears always gives me around 26000 to 29000 FPS. However, response of the GUI is sluggish some while after login. E.g. while typing this message, letters lag behind, appearing on screen in bursts approximately after half a second after I have typed them.

[MathieuO (m-odijk)]

I finally found some time to test some other drivers. With NVIDIA 295.49 drivers the same "drop in performance" issues appear.

When running Nouveau, the issues are gone. Glxgears reports around 650 FPS with Nouveau.

With nouveau the desktop looks streched, but I have not looked into that further yet.

[MathieuO (m-odijk)]

With the new 304.43 drivers, the issues are still there. Glxgears now reports that it runs in sync with the monitor refresh rate (60FPS).

This issue is driving me nuts! Nouveau is also not a proper option for me, since the whole desktop experience looks seriously stretched. The only work around I found so far is letting glxgears run in the background.

Please guys, let me know what you will do with this bug! As far as I can see I did all the requested things to provide additional information.

[MathieuO (m-odijk)]

I experience the same issue in a fresh Linux Mint 13 install!

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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

[Pushkin (kovshovik-alexandr)]

I see very similar issue, but with Core i7 Sandy Bridge, Intel HD Graphics 3000 built in, which makes me think - this is nothing to do with NVidia, but rather with Compiz. The desktop effects like moving between virtual desktops is buttery smooth and the suddenly it goes very jerky and slow. It stays this way, until I go into CCSM and disable unity plugin, then re-enable it back - it is buttery smooth again.

I think, this is related - https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/unity/+bug/888039

Some details about my setup: I'm using 2 displays of different sizes and resolutions: 1920x1200 + 1600x900.

[Pushkin (kovshovik-alexandr)]

Here's the followup for the comment #41. I was able to reproduce the problem and the temporary fix: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cOiSYYFOi4&feature=youtu.be