average load is higher than 2 and cpu is at 100% when running unity

[pools]

Binary package hint: unity

When I use the new ubuntu default desktop, it takes almost all of the system resources. Everythink goes fine after replacing unity decorator with metacity (via metacity --replace)...

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.04
Package: unity 3.6.4-0ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.38-6.34-generic 2.6.38-rc7
Uname: Linux 2.6.38-6-generic i686
Architecture: i386
CompizPlugins: [core,bailer,detection,composite,opengl,decor,mousepoll,vpswitch,regex,animation,snap,expo,move,compiztoolbox,place,grid,imgpng,gnomecompat,wall,ezoom,workarounds,staticswitcher,resize,fade,unitymtgrabhandles,scale,session,unityshell]
CompositorRunning: compiz
DRM.card0.LVDS.1:
 status: connected
 enabled: enabled
 dpms: On
 modes: 1024x768
 edid-base64: AP///////wAGr1EXAAAAAAEOAQKAHhd4ChLlkVJSiSckUFQAAAABAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBZBkAQEEAJjAYiDYAMOQQAAAYAAAADwAGdwj/AQ8FLi3/BT8BAAAA/gBBVU8KICAgICAgICAgAAAA/gBCMTUwWEcwMVY3CiAgAIU=
DRM.card0.VGA.1:
 status: disconnected
 enabled: disabled
 dpms: Off
 modes:
 edid-base64:
Date: Tue Mar 15 14:55:42 2011
DistUpgraded: Log time: 2011-03-14 13:55:02.539723
DistroCodename: natty
DistroVariant: ubuntu
DkmsStatus:
 virtualbox-ose, 4.0.4, 2.6.35-28-generic, i686: installed
 virtualbox-ose, 4.0.4, 2.6.38-6-generic, i686: installed
GraphicsCard:
 Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/GMS, 943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:27a2] (rev 03) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device [1043:1252]
   Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device [1043:1252]
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 10.04 LTS "Lucid Lynx" - Release i386 (20100429)
InstallationMedia_: Ubuntu 10.04 LTS "Lucid Lynx" - Release i386 (20100429)
InstallationMedia__: Ubuntu 10.04 LTS "Lucid Lynx" - Release i386 (20100429)
MachineType: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. A3F
PccardctlIdent:
 Socket 0:
   no product info available
PccardctlStatus:
 Socket 0:
   no card
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=cs_CZ:en
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=cs_CZ.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-6-generic root=UUID=a3f4dfdf-ede2-4525-bf9d-4730ab611a93 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
ProcVersionSignature_: Ubuntu 2.6.38-6.34-generic 2.6.38-rc7
ProcVersionSignature__: Ubuntu 2.6.38-6.34-generic 2.6.38-rc7
Renderer: Unknown
SourcePackage: unity
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to natty on 2011-03-14 (0 days ago)
dmi.bios.date: 03/06/2006
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: A3FAS.203
dmi.board.asset.tag: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.board.name: A3F
dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer Inc.
dmi.board.version: 1.0
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer Inc.
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvrA3FAS.203:bd03/06/2006:svnASUSTeKComputerInc.:pnA3F:pvr1.0:rvnASUSTeKComputerInc.:rnA3F:rvr1.0:cvnASUSTeKComputerInc.:ct10:cvr:
dmi.product.name: A3F
dmi.product.version: 1.0
dmi.sys.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer Inc.
version.compiz: compiz 1:0.9.4-0ubuntu4
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.23-1ubuntu3
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx 7.10.1-0ubuntu2
version.xserver-xorg: xserver-xorg 1:7.6~3ubuntu11
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:6.14.0-0ubuntu2
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.14.0-4ubuntu1
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:0.0.16+git20110107+b795ca6e-0ubuntu5

[Alex Launi (alexlauni)]

So if I understand correctly, this only happens when you start up after boot, and not after you've restarted unity once?

[pools (pavel-klimunda)]

It's every time I run the Ubuntu Desktop from gdm in ubuntu 11.04. Sollution for me is to run No effects.

[sarton85 (sarton85)]

The bug also affects me. I did just upgrade 10.10 to 11.04 beta 1. I am using ubuntu since 6.06, and all the previous versions have been using around 300MB RAM on my machine, with no applications open. Right now Ubuntu 11.04 is using 896MB RAM with only Firefox 4 and the terminal open (when I am using more applications it is going up to 1.3GB) Also it is using 410 MB SWAP space. Before my computer never needed the SWAP partition.

This is of course with nvidia drivers installed and compiz turned on.

[sarton85 (sarton85)]

Just forgot to say that also my CPU is going up to 100% more often than before.

I have also attached some information collected by Apport about my Unity package.

[sarton85 (sarton85)]

(Why can't I just attach more attachments with the same message :$

[Mikkel Kamstrup Erlandsen (kamstrup)]

I need some help understanding the problems you guys are facing -

@pools: What does "almost all of the system resources" mean? Is it sucking disk IO, memory, or CPU cycles [or all of the above? :-)]. Or if the fix is to turn off effects it could indicate that you have issues with your video card driver. Maybe try running Unity2D instead? (https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Unity2D). If U2D works it's almost certainly a video driver issue.

@dreamsare4living: Your screenshot shows a truckload of firefox processes, and since firefox is not exactly a fly weight boxer I don't find the mem usage particularly surprising. To detect the memory usage of the actual Unity process you need to look for the compiz process in your system monitor.

[sarton85 (sarton85)]

I have just made screenshots of my system monitor after a fresh reboot. I didn't open any other program. It shows my system using 793,6 MB RAM, while it used to be under 300 MB in 10.10.

I did also attach a screenshot of all the running processes. Compiz is running quite normal, around 70 MB. But it seems to be running a lot of small processes, also some processes tied into unity which are adding up to the total memory usage.

But it shows that unity might not be the only cause (though I don't know exactly which processes belong to unity), it is the total amount of processes in 11.04 that add up to the around 250% increased memory usage on start up.

Now the question is, should I file another bug report about high memory usage of Ubuntu 11.04 in general? Or is it Canonicals deliberate choice to sacrifice a once lightweight system for a possibly better user experience? I think in type of resource usage 11.04 is now on par with windows 7.

[sarton85 (sarton85)]

Running processes...

[pools (pavel-klimunda)]

Unity2D runs ok, so the problem is really in graphic card drivers in my case.

[Omer Akram (om26er)]

Last weekend I installed Natty on a friend's system and the system was using 750mb+ ram just after starting that could be related to this issue.

(That system had nvidia 8400GS with proprietary driver installed)

[sarton85 (sarton85)]

I have found my issue in another bug report; https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/natty/+source/cairo/+bug/725434

The proprietary Nvidia drivers seem to be the problem indeed.

[macstevejb (macstevejb)]

Yes I have posted on bug #725434....my system runs an nvidia GeForce 6100 graphics card. Ubuntu 11.04 runs fine on classic gnome with open graphics driver but as soon as I install the nvidia proprietary driver, RAM usage increases by over 100%, whether it be in Unity, Unity 2D or Classic gnome environments.

Clearly there is a problem with Ubuntu 11.04 running the latest nvidia proprietary drivers.

Hope this will be fixed before final release because there must be an awful lot of users out there with nvidia cards who will think twice about 11.04 if it continues to pose such huge memory problems.