1. boot machine
2. open a terminal and a browser window
3. see that xorg CPU usage is low (< 5%) and always below compiz
4. open 3 more terminals and 3 more browser windows
see that xorg CPU usage is HIGH (somewhere between 30-80%) when window content is being updated (scroll down on a web page).
when the window content is not being updated xorg still uses ~10% of the CPU.
ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.10
Package: unity 4.24.0-0ubuntu2b1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.0.0-12.20-generic 3.0.4
Uname: Linux 3.0.0-12-generic 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: 1.23-0ubuntu4
Architecture: i386
CompizPlugins: [core,bailer,detection,composite,opengl,compiztoolbox,decor,grid,vpswitch,gnomecompat,place,blur,imgpng,regex,neg,snap,resize,move,mousepoll,put,obs,session,animation,unitymtgrabhandles,expo,workarounds,wall,fade,group,ezoom,scale,unityshell,scaleaddon]
CompositorRunning: compiz
Date: Fri Nov 4 12:17:37 2011
DistUpgraded: Log time: 2011-10-14 00:08:39.607237
DistroCodename: oneiric
DistroVariant: ubuntu
DkmsStatus:
nvidia-current, 280.13, 3.0.0-12-generic, i686: installed
nvidia-current-updates, 280.13, 3.0.0-12-generic, i686: installed
GraphicsCard:
nVidia Corporation G86 [GeForce 8400M GS] [10de:0427] (rev a1) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
Subsystem: Dell Device [1028:0209]
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 10.04 LTS "Lucid Lynx" - Release i386 (20100429)
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. XPS M1330
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.0.0-12-generic root=UUID=96761261-328d-4418-8fba-6c120eb0e3b9 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
SourcePackage: unity
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to oneiric on 2011-10-14 (21 days ago)
dmi.bios.date: 12/26/2008
dmi.bios.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.bios.version: A15
dmi.board.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.chassis.type: 8
dmi.chassis.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnDellInc.:bvrA15:bd12/26/2008:svnDellInc.:pnXPSM1330:pvr:rvnDellInc.:rn:rvr:cvnDellInc.:ct8:cvr:
dmi.product.name: XPS M1330
dmi.sys.vendor: Dell Inc.
version.compiz: compiz 1:0.9.6+bzr20110929-0ubuntu5
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
If I happen to have a monitor and I go to "NVIDIA X Server Settings" and change the configuration of monitors the problem goes away...
xorg uses very little CPU.
Now, if I open another window or two the problem with come back.