# Debugging radeon driver stuttering issues

## jasn

I'm trying to sort out what may be causing the video stuttering issues I'm having on my Clevo P150HM/ATI 6970M laptop with the latest radeon driver set. The behavior is that the video display noticeably stutters all the time. It's easily seen when playing any video file, but it is also exhibited when editing a file, using the command line, and right now as I type in this post. There is a noticeable lag, and then the display catches up. My configuration is;

```
Gentoo Linux 3.6.2 x86_64

Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-2820QM CPU @ 2.30GHz

VGA compatible controller: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] nee ATI Blackcomb [Radeon HD 6900M series]

running at the middle power profile (echo mid > /sys/class/drm/card0/device/power_profile)

sys-kernel/gentoo-sources-3.6.2  - radeon drivers configured as modules

x11-base/xorg-server-1.13.0  USE="ipv6 kdrive nptl udev xorg xvfb -dmx -doc -minimal (-selinux) -static-libs -tslib -xnest"

x11-base/xorg-drivers-1.13  INPUT_DEVICES="evdev keyboard mouse synaptics wacom -acecad -aiptek -elographics -fpit -hyperpen -joystick -mutouch -penmount -tslib -vmmouse -void" VIDEO_CARDS="radeon -apm -ark -ast -chips -cirrus -dummy -epson -fbdev -fglrx (-geode) -glint -i128 (-i740) -intel -mach64 -mga -modesetting -neomagic (-newport) -nouveau -nv -nvidia (-omap) (-omapfb) -qxl -r128 -rendition -s3 -s3virge -savage -siliconmotion -sis -sisusb (-sunbw2) (-suncg14) (-suncg3) (-suncg6) (-sunffb) (-sunleo) (-suntcx) -tdfx -tga -trident -tseng -v4l -vesa -via -virtualbox -vmware (-voodoo)"

Live Ebuilds from the x11 overlay, emerged 10/15/12

x11-drivers/xf86-video-ati-9999::x11

x11-libs/libdrm-9999::x11  USE="libkms -static-libs" VIDEO_CARDS="radeon (-exynos) -intel -nouveau (-omap) -vmware"

media-libs/mesa-9999::x11  USE="egl g3dvl gallium gbm gles2 llvm nptl openvg shared-glapi vdpau xa xorg xvmc -bindist -classic -debug -gles1 -osmesa -pax_kernel -pic -r600-llvm-compiler (-selinux) -wayland" VIDEO_CARDS="r600 -i915 -i965 -intel -nouveau -r100 -r200 -r300 -radeon -radeonsi -vmware"
```

I also have the following additional configuration files;

```
File: /etc/default/grub

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash radeon.pcie_gen2=1"

File: /etc/env.d/99radeon

R600_ENABLE_S3TC=1

R600_STREAMOUT=1

R600_HYPERZ=1

R600_TILING=1

R600_SURF=1

R600_GLSL130=1

File: /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/20radeon.conf

Section "Device"

        Identifier "6970M"

        Driver  "radeon"

        #Option "AGPMode"               "8"   #not used when KMS is on

        #Option "AGPFastWrite"          "off" #could cause instabilities enable it at your own risk

        Option  "SWcursor"              "off" #software cursor might be necessary on some rare occasions, hence set off by default

        Option  "EnablePageFlip"        "on"  #supported on all R/RV/RS4xx and older hardware and set off by default

        Option  "AccelMethod"           "EXA" #valid options are XAA and EXA. EXA is the newest acceleration method and it is the d$

        Option  "RenderAccel"           "on"  #enabled by default on all radeon hardware

        Option  "ColorTiling"           "on"  #enabled by default on RV300 and later radeon cards.

        Option  "EXAVSync"              "off" #default is off, otherwise on

        Option  "EXAPixmaps"            "on"  #when on icreases 2D performance, but may also cause artifacts on some old cards

        Option  "AccelDFS"              "on"  #default is off, read the radeon manpage for more information

EndSection
```

And;

```
eselect mesa list

64bit i915 (Intel 915, 945)

64bit i965 (Intel 965, G/Q3x, G/Q4x)

64bit r300 (Radeon R300-R500)

64bit r600 (Radeon R600-R700, Evergreen, Northern Islands)

  [1]   gallium *

64bit sw (Software renderer)

  [1]   gallium *

32bit i915 (Intel 915, 945)

  [1]   classic

  [2]   gallium *

32bit i965 (Intel 965, G/Q3x, G/Q4x)

  [1]   classic *

32bit r300 (Radeon R300-R500)

  [1]   classic

  [2]   gallium *

32bit r600 (Radeon R600-R700, Evergreen, Northern Islands)

  [1]   classic

  [2]   gallium *

32bit sw (Software renderer)

  [1]   classic

  [2]   gallium *
```

I've tried removing the /etc/env.d/99radeon and /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/20radeon.conf configuration files and installing only the default drivers from the portage tree;

```
x11-drivers/xf86-video-ati-6.14.6-r1 USE="(-glamor%) (-udev%*)"

x11-libs/libdrm-2.4.39 USE="libkms -static-libs" VIDEO_CARDS="radeon (-exynos) -intel -nouveau (-omap) -vmware"

media-libs/mesa-9.0 USE="egl g3dvl gallium gbm gles2 llvm nptl openvg shared-glapi vdpau xa xorg xvmc -bindist -classic -debug -gles1 -osmesa -pax_kernel -pic -r600-llvm-compiler (-selinux) -wayland" VIDEO_CARDS="r600 -i915 -i965 -intel -nouveau -r100 -r200 -r300 -radeon -radeonsi -vmware"
```

But it doesn't seem to change the behavior. Anybody who has seen this issue, any hints would be appreciated.

Thanks..Last edited by jasn on Fri Oct 26, 2012 11:39 pm; edited 2 times in total

----------

## DaggyStyle

try without

```
radeon.pcie_gen2=1
```

, maybe it will help

----------

## jasn

Thanks..

I tried removing the radeon.pcie_gen2=1 line from my system, and rebooting and it didn't help. I then continued by removing the 99radeon and 20radeon.conf config files, and the x11 overlay, and then downgraded libdrm, mesa, and xf86-video-ati. Basically a completely stock install. Still didn't help. Still experiencing stutter in the display. If it is something in the display driver, I suppose I can just try emerging the live ebuilds from time to time to see if it's been addressed.

<sigh>

----------

## jasn

Hmmm..

I just put my system back to the config I had in my OP, which meant re-emerging today's (10/17/12), live ebuilds of libdrm, mesa, and xf86-video-ati, and when I rebooted, the stutter seems to be gone. (I can't think of anything else it could be except updates to the drivers..)

Weird..

----------

## jasn

I changed the thread title (again), in the hopes that this thread can be used to provide debugging tips for folks using the open source radeon driver and experiencing display stutter. This appears to be a problem that appears from time to time.

Anyway, I've got my system configured as the OP, using the 10/26/12 live ebuilds of libdrm, mesa and xf86-video-ati, , and I noticed that there is noticeable stuttering in the 3.6.1 kernel, which is almost completely removed in the 3.6.2 kernel.

Thanks..Last edited by jasn on Sat Oct 27, 2012 3:02 pm; edited 1 time in total

----------

## schorsch_76

Do you have linux-firmware installed?

Try

```
dmesg | grep firmware
```

It should be empty. If it shows you some lines it will tell you that some firmware files could not be loaded.

schorsch

----------

## jasn

 *schorsch_76 wrote:*   

> Do you have linux-firmware installed?

 

I do.

 *schorsch_76 wrote:*   

> Try
> 
> ```
> dmesg | grep firmware
> ```
> ...

 

I don't have any problems loading the microcode for my 6970M, and haven't since I switched from the proprietary driver, fglrx, to the open source radeon driver, when kernel 2.6.35 was released. So I believe that's not an issue with my system display stuttering. BTW, for a more complete output of radeon firmware microcode boot messages folks can try;

```
dmesg |grep -e firmware -e Microcode
```

or

```
dmesg |egrep '(firmware|Microcode)'
```

which should printout any radeon microcode messages from the system boot. Or

```
dmesg |grep -e drm -e firmware -e Microcode
```

or

```
dmesg |egrep '(drm|firmware|Microcode)'
```

which will provide a more complete output for most of the radeon system boot messages, one of which should include a successful microcode load. If you do see a message like;

```
ni_cp: Failed to load firmware "radeon/BTC_rlc.bin"
```

then there is a problem with loading the correct microcode as schorsch mentioned. Also you may want to read this post, which describes one microcode loading problem, and provides a possible solution.

Good Luck..

----------

