Slow 2D rendering after latest kernel update.

English Hardware
1

I have installed today the latest kernel update:

strzol@teras:~> uname -a
Linux teras 2.6.27.23-0.1-default #1 SMP 2009-05-26 17:02:05 -0400 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

After rebooting i’m experiencing extremely slow 2D rendering (slow scrolling on applications, slow windows moving etc).

I’m using the radeonhd driver as detected and configured by sax2.

I have tried to reconfigure the graphics card by “sax2 -r” but the problem persists. I’m not using any desktop effects at all.

My xorg.conf (automatically generated by sax2) is:

strzol@teras:~> cat /etc/X11/xorg.conf

/…/

SaX generated X11 config file

Created on: 2009-06-09T14:09:36+0300.

Version: 8.1

Contact: Marcus Schaefer <sax@suse.de>, 2005

Contact: SaX-User list <https://lists.berlios.de/mailman/listinfo/sax-users&gt;

Automatically generated by [SaX2] (8.1)

PLEASE DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE!

Section “Files”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/misc:unscaled”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/local”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/75dpi:unscaled”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/100dpi:unscaled”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/Type1”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/URW”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/Speedo”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/PEX”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/cyrillic”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/latin2/misc:unscaled”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/latin2/75dpi:unscaled”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/latin2/100dpi:unscaled”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/latin2/Type1”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/latin7/75dpi:unscaled”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/baekmuk:unscaled”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/japanese:unscaled”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/kwintv”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/truetype”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/uni:unscaled”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/CID”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/ucs/misc:unscaled”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/ucs/75dpi:unscaled”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/ucs/100dpi:unscaled”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/hellas/misc:unscaled”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/hellas/75dpi:unscaled”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/hellas/100dpi:unscaled”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/hellas/Type1”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/misc/sgi:unscaled”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/xtest”
FontPath “/opt/kde3/share/fonts”
InputDevices “/dev/gpmdata”
InputDevices “/dev/input/mice”
EndSection

Section “Module”
Load “dri”
Load “dbe”
Load “freetype”
Load “extmod”
Load “glx”
EndSection

Section “ServerFlags”
Option “AllowMouseOpenFail” “on”
Option “ZapWarning” “on”
EndSection

Section “InputDevice”
Driver “kbd”
Identifier “Keyboard[0]”
Option “Protocol” “Standard”
Option “XkbLayout” “us,gr”
Option “XkbModel” “microsoftpro”
Option “XkbOptions” “grp:alt_shift_toggle,grp_led:scroll”
Option “XkbRules” “xfree86”
Option “XkbVariant” “,extended”
EndSection

Section “InputDevice”
Driver “mouse”
Identifier “Mouse[1]”
Option “Buttons” “5”
Option “Device” “/dev/input/mice”
Option “Name” “ImPS/2 Generic Wheel Mouse”
Option “Protocol” “explorerps/2”
Option “Vendor” “Sysp”
Option “ZAxisMapping” “4 5”
EndSection

Section “Monitor”
DisplaySize 338 270
HorizSync 30-83
Identifier “Monitor[0]”
ModelName “LG ELECTRONICS L1710S”
Option “DPMS”
Option “PreferredMode” “1280x1024”
VendorName “GSM”
VertRefresh 43-75
UseModes “Modes[0]”
EndSection

Section “Modes”
Identifier “Modes[0]”
Modeline “1280x1024” 106.97 1280 1360 1496 1712 1024 1025 1028 1059
Modeline “1280x1024” 87.75 1280 1328 1360 1440 1024 1027 1034 1053 +HSync -Vsync
Modeline “1024x768” 81.80 1024 1080 1192 1360 768 769 772 802
Modeline “1024x768” 76.16 1024 1080 1192 1360 768 769 772 800
Modeline “1024x768” 69.71 1024 1080 1184 1344 768 769 772 798
Modeline “1024x768” 69.50 1024 1072 1104 1184 768 771 775 796 +HSync -Vsync
Modeline “1024x768” 64.11 1024 1080 1184 1344 768 769 772 795
Modeline “800x600” 48.91 800 840 920 1040 600 601 604 627
Modeline “800x600” 45.50 800 840 920 1040 600 601 604 625
Modeline “800x600” 44.00 800 848 880 960 600 603 607 622 +HSync -Vsync
Modeline “800x600” 42.11 800 840 920 1040 600 601 604 623
Modeline “800x600” 38.22 800 832 912 1024 600 601 604 622
EndSection

Section “Device”
BoardName “ATI Radeon HD 3200 Graphics”
Driver “radeonhd”
Identifier “Device[0]”
Option “monitor-VGA_1” “Monitor[0]”
VendorName “ATI”
EndSection

Section “Screen”
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection “Display”
Depth 15
Modes “1280x1024” “1024x768” “800x600”
Virtual 3840 1200
EndSubSection
SubSection “Display”
Depth 16
Modes “1280x1024” “1024x768” “800x600”
Virtual 3840 1200
EndSubSection
SubSection “Display”
Depth 24
Modes “1280x1024” “1024x768” “800x600”
Virtual 3840 1200
EndSubSection
SubSection “Display”
Depth 8
Modes “1280x1024” “1024x768” “800x600”
Virtual 3840 1200
EndSubSection
Device “Device[0]”
Identifier “Screen[0]”
Monitor “Monitor[0]”
EndSection

Section “ServerLayout”
Identifier “Layout[all]”
InputDevice “Keyboard[0]” “CoreKeyboard”
InputDevice “Mouse[1]” “CorePointer”
Screen “Screen[0]”
EndSection

Section “DRI”
Group “video”
Mode 0660
EndSection

Any hints?

2

Do you have the desktop effects enabled? If so, your xorg.conf is missing a few lines:
Section “Extensions”
Option “Composite” “on”
EndSection

Have to admit I’m an Nvidia user. But this is what I see at first glance.

You could also try to disable the desktop effects and see what happens

3

Usually reinstalling the ATI driver, after each kernel update,
will fix the display glitch in my lenovo laptop (opensuse 11.1).

But I haven’t updated my kernel this time, will let you know if i have any problem later.

4

I have switched to “radeon” driver and is ok.

The problem has nothing to do with reinstalling drivers, because i’m not using the binary blobs from ATI ot Nvidia. I’m talking about the open source drivers.

Conclusion, something is wrong with the new kernel and radeonhd driver and everything is normal with radeon driver.

5

After latest xorg updates from factory, the problem has returned with both drivers (radeonhd and radeon).

Should i try something?

6

To clarify some thing about the problem.

I’m running latest xorg and drivers from factory repo with the lastest kernel from update repo.

So it is a mixed system with stable versions on base system and kernel from opensuse 11.1 updates and factory packages for xorg and graphics drivers.

The problem appeared after the latest kernel update for opensuse 11.1.

Should I try any xorg.conf parameters?

I’m asking because the system is very slow on desktop use (3D doesn’t matter now and i think is not supported for my GPU by the open source drivers).

Should i fill a bug report and for which component?

7

Filing bugreports on things that might be, as you indicate yourself, caused by a mixture of packages, should not be done. You yourself already feel, that it might not even be a bug.

What you can do:
Logout
Hit Ctrl-Alt-F1
login with your username and password
type: su -c ‘init 3’
type: su -c ‘sax2 -r -m0=radeonhd’
Save and exit
This will create a new, clean xorg.conf for you, with the use of the radeonhd driver. If you want the system to completely find out, just leave the -m0=radeonhd’ out.
But, as said, it might just be caused by the mixture of factory and 11.1 packages.

8

I also have the HD3200 and I had the same problem. The only thing I found that fixed it at the moment was to downgrade the kernel back to 2.6.27.21-0.1.

9

Although i hate the binary blobs and i’m waiting for a feature rich and stable open source driver, i installed the latest (9.5) fglrx with manual installation.

It seems that is working pretty well with the HD3200 and the mixed system of mine.

I had to reinstall it after a xorg update from factory but is working.

On another system where i have a HD4650 and using the radeon (and alson test with radeonhd) driver, the problem does not exists and although there is no 3D, 2D is working flawlessly.