if ume-launcher is active, X uses 100% cpu

[avenzke]

I am running Netbook Remix on HP Mini-Note 2133 with VIA X11 driver *1 and if UME Launcher is active X Server is using 100% CPU for a couple of seconds to redraw the screen. If I use a regular gnome-session I do not experience not this problem. This although applies when switching windows but not that heavy

Versions:
ume-launcher 0.3ubuntu3
xserver-xorg 1:7.3+10ubuntu10
xserver-xorg-core 2:1.4.1~git20080131-1ubuntu9.2

*1: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/LaptopTestingTeam/HP2133?highlight=(mini-note)

[avenzke (alexander-venzke)]

Btw: I am not using compiz ..

[Neil J. Patel (njpatel)]

Can you run the launcher in the terminal and include the output please. Please also attach the output of glxinfo, thanks.

[avenzke (alexander-venzke)]

Hi, if I am running glxinfo the X Server crashes.

Last entries from X.org.log

Backtrace:
0: /usr/bin/X(xf86SigHandler+0x7e) [0x80c780e]
1: [0xb7fe3420]
2: /usr/lib/xorg/modules/extensions//libGLcore.so(XMesaCreateContext+0x80) [0xaf6040a0]
3: /usr/lib/xorg/modules/extensions//libglx.so [0xb7bdf10c]
4: /usr/lib/xorg/modules/extensions//libglx.so(DoCreateContext+0x10f) [0xb7bdc8ff]
5: /usr/lib/xorg/modules/extensions//libglx.so [0xb7bdcaf4]
6: /usr/lib/xorg/modules/extensions//libglx.so [0xb7bde996]
7: /usr/bin/X [0x81506ee]
8: /usr/bin/X(Dispatch+0x2cf) [0x808d8df]
9: /usr/bin/X(main+0x48b) [0x807471b]
10: /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libc.so.6(__libc_start_main+0xe0) [0xb7d79450]
11: /usr/bin/X(FontFileCompleteXLFD+0x201) [0x8073a91]

Fatal server error:
Caught signal 11. Server aborting

(II) VIA(0): VIALeaveVT

Terminal output from the launcher in next comment.

[avenzke (alexander-venzke)]

ume-launcher output is pretty empty ..

/usr/share/themes/Human-Murrine-Netbook/gtk-2.0/panel.rc:36: Background image options specified without filename
/usr/share/themes/Human-Murrine-Netbook/gtk-2.0/panel.rc:46: Background image options specified without filename
/usr/share/themes/Human-Murrine-Netbook/gtk-2.0/panel.rc:56: Background image options specified without filename
/usr/share/themes/Human-Murrine-Netbook/gtk-2.0/panel.rc:84: Background image options specified without filename

there is no obviously switch for pulling up the verbosity ..

Additionally I like ot add it takes ages for switching the categories on the left sidebar in the launcher.

Some info: uname -a gets Linux mininote 2.6.24-18-generic #1 SMP Wed May 28 20:27:26 UTC 2008 i686 GNU/Linux

[Neil J. Patel (njpatel)]

I have a feeling that the launcher is having to fall back to software rendering, and therefore the cpu usage shoots up. What happens when you run any other GL-based programs, such as glchess etc? Oh, and btw, glxinfo segfaulting doesn't sound too promising :-)

[avenzke (alexander-venzke)]

Mmmh.

glchess runs fine, glxdemo draws a yellow square and glxgears produced its turning wheels

glxgears
218 frames in 5.5 seconds = 39.364 FPS
160 frames in 5.4 seconds = 29.384 FPS
180 frames in 5.0 seconds = 35.958 FPS
180 frames in 5.2 seconds = 34.553 FPS
160 frames in 5.1 seconds = 31.192 FPS
160 frames in 5.6 seconds = 28.632 FPS
158 frames in 5.4 seconds = 29.189 FPS

I do not expect full performance (don't want to play doom or such ..) on this machine (which is a netbook where ume is targeting at) but ume-launcher shouldn't have problems like glchess does not have. Or am I wrong? :)

With the old kernel -16 I could even run compiz with some effects.

Any more I could to to help you sort this out?

[Neil J. Patel (njpatel)]

Can you run the launcher with this commandline:

CLUTTER_VBLANK=none ume-launcher

and see if it helps performance.

[Neil J. Patel (njpatel)]

Changing to Incomplete as waiting for some feedback.

[Steve Jackson (aearenda)]

I can make the CPU go flat-out on xorg having started ume-launcher either by 'CLUTTER_VBLANK=none ume-launcher' or by just 'ume-launcher', simply by starting a non-maximised terminal window and dragging it around on the screen.

Glxgears does about 24 FPS when ume-launcher is running, and 1130 without, regardless of how it is started. There is nothing useful in the output from ume-launcher - it just says (matching my 'Appearance' settings):
** (ume-launcher:9617): DEBUG: Font dpi: 76
** (ume-launcher:9617): DEBUG: Font changed: Liberation Sans 11

This is a 4-year-old HP TC1100 Tablet PC: 1GHz Pentium-M with 1GB RAM, Nvidia-glx driver from the repository (GeForce4 420 Go 32M). It runs Netbook Remix just fine otherwise.

Glxinfo attached.

[Rafał Próchniak (burlap)]

I'm trying to run Ibex on the HP 2133. I'm using the openchrome X driver without 3d acceleration, which makes netbook-launcher completely unusable (including CLUTTER_VBLANK=none).

Which makes me wonder: why write a 3d-accelerated app for computers which are slow by design anyway?

Looks pretty nice and useful though, should have got an Intel-based hardware...

Glxgears gives 66-68 FPS, Glchess works decently.

[Neil J. Patel (njpatel)]

> Which makes me wonder: why write a 3d-accelerated app for computers which are slow by design anyway?

The computers we're targetting have more than adequate gl performance (actually, MacSlow has been able to do some amazing things with i945 graphics).

I'm sorry if your netbook lacks the drivers (I think it is more than capable for the gl performance required, it's just the right drivers are not available unfortunately). I'd love to recommend an alternative but all the Gtk-based launchers I know are based on the Hildon-framework :-(.

[Rafał Próchniak (burlap)]

I promised myself that my next notebook would have proper display drivers... Didn't keep the promise, but I'm going to use the Mini-Note casually anyway. And I didn't know about the Hildon-framework (looks really interesting, but it's been years since I thought about buying Nokia Internet Tablet), somehow I had this image of 3d apps being resource-intensive and battery-eating.

So, keep up the good work while I keep my fingers crossed Via will release some 3d enabled drivers. Which is unlikely as the rumors say that the next Mini-Note will go Atom.

And for launcher-like apps I will stick to gnome-do for now.

Or is there any way I can test the netbook-launcher with a non-3d driver to look for performance improvements?

[Scott Hoge (scotthoge)]

I also have an hp tc1100 and am seeing the same behavior. I have noticed that after some time, maybe 20-30 seconds, the utilization will go back down until I move the mouse over the ume-launcher screen. If I'm on another window (like this one), the behavior is not observed.

If I click on one of the ume-launcher "tabs", eventually it will display the icons, it just takes a long time.

I can verify that direct rendering is "Yes" in glxinfo.

Thanks.

[sunatomo (naiyu)]

Didn't your /etc/X11/xorg.conf has "virtual" configuration line at Section "Screen"?
My computer (eeeppc 1000h-x, i945GME graphics) had this line (I'd added it), and I erase it netbook-launcher works confortable.
My Ubuntu version is Intrepid and I use the "http://ppa.launchpad.net/netbook-remix-team/ubuntu" package.

[Christian Fritsch (fritze)]

I had this problem on intrepid, too. After i renamed my xorg.conf in xorg.conf_org and restarted the x-server, everything was fine.

[gdfs gsg dfs (tzetz)]

I've got the same problem on intrepid ... If i connect a second screen and use the screen configurator tool, netbook-launcher use 100% CPU. Even a restart or deleting and reinstalling netbook-launcher doesn't resolve the problem. Last time i had to re-install Ubuntu. This time i don't know if i'll do ...

[Neil J. Patel (njpatel)]

For those who are trying to use the launcher on external screens, you should note that some chipsets don't support accelerated 3d on the VGA port.

To test this out, try and run glxgears on the external screen, and see if the performance drops compared to running on the internal screen.

[gdfs gsg dfs (tzetz)]

Actuallay it apears that it works if i start my computer when the VGA is plugged. But if i plug the VGA when i'm logged in Ubuntu, netbook-launcher lags and my CPU is 100%.

The only way to solve the problem, is to reintall Ubuntu :s (not really a solution :/ )

Perhaps if i kill netbook-launcher before pluging the VGA ... We'll see.

[gdfs gsg dfs (tzetz)]

By the way, since i plugged the external screen on by laptop, netbook-launcher doesn't work on my laptop screen neither.

[Steve Jackson (aearenda)]

Glxgears on my HP TC1100 indicates that the external screen IS accelerated.

It's around 1130FPS on the internal screen (1024x768), and 1070FPS external (1280x1024).
When Netbook-launcher is running, it drops to 24FPS internal.

[Jonathon Hodges (jonblondie)]

Sunatomo's suggestion worked for me. I commented out the Virtual line, restarted X and it was back to normal. The problem began when I tried to run an external monitor yesterday and extend my desktop onto that screen too at a different resolution.

Virtual 2384 768

My normal screen resolution is 1024 x 600.

https://bugs.launchpad.net/netbook-remix-launcher/+bug/239943/comments/14

[Flemming Bjerke (flem)]

I can confirm this bug: Using an external screen with another resolution entails too heavy cpu load when netbook-launcher is running - also when the external screen is not connected! Untill this bug is fixed, It looks like you should uninstall netbook-launcher if you may use an external screen with another resolution. Though netbook-launcher is nice and handy, the programs are still available through the gnome interface.

[Bruno Girin (brunogirin)]

Neil,

Disregarding issues with a second screen, what extra info are you waiting for on this bug? I have a similar problem on an EeePC 701 running Jaunty (see bug 366562) and am happy to provide you with any details that could help move this bug forward.

[Ray (gunblad3)]

https://bugs.launchpad.net/netbook-remix-launcher/+bug/239943/comments/14 Sunatomo's suggestion also worked for me, removed the virtual desktop resolution subsection in xorg.conf file and rebooted.

I'm running Jaunty 9.04 on an Acer Aspire One A150.

[Neil J. Patel (njpatel)]

@Bruno, thanks for the info, but looking at your device, I think your experiencing (as are a lot of Intel video users) this bug: https://bugs.edge.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+bug/366562. This is an updated kernel available there which should fix that issue for you.

[Bruno Girin (brunogirin)]

@Neil, thanks, I will try the kernel update mentioned in bug 349314 (of which 366562 is a duplicate).

[Paul Larson (pwlars)]

Moving to Ubuntu distribution

[Chronon (gopindra)]

I just discovered this bug today while connecting my Eee PC 1000 HEB to an external monitor and "un-mirroring" the displays. Since the fix for the other bug has been released I believe I am seeing this bug. The phenomenology certainly fits. While connected to an external monitor: Classic Gnome interface is snappy. UNR interface lags heavily, though maximized applications continue to work fine.

[MObank (kman3213)]

Chronon, I've had the same problem. I have a HP2140 running jaunty UNR. It was running perfectly until I set up an external display and "un-mirrored" the screens. I then set the external display resolution at higher than my HP2140's resolution, did whatever I needed to do, shut down and moved on.
The next time I booted, the gnome menu (not sure what the official name is) ran super slow, although once apps were loaded they worked fine.
Sunatomo's post (#14) fixed the problem for me.

Once I'd deleted the 'virtual' line from the /etc/X11/xorg.conf my netbook running at normal speed again.
Hope this helps.

[schaze (schaze)]

Hi,

ist there any news regarding this?
I have the same machine as the poster for post #13 (https://bugs.launchpad.net/netbook-remix-launcher/+bug/239943/comments/13)

This poblem still exists in Karmic. I would really love to use UNR on this machine as it would be perfect for the screen.

/schaze