protonscr

GPU usage drops to 0% in some games

steamclosed AMD driversDistro Family: Debian
ValveSoftware/steam-for-linux#4977 · opened 2017-05-18 by TwistedCheshireCat · updated 2019-07-18 · 11 comments · github
TTwistedCheshireCat 2017-05-18 github

Your system information

  • Steam client version (build number or date): 25.04.2017. 22:46:35
  • Distribution (e.g. Ubuntu): Devuan GNU+Linux Ceres branch (unstable)
  • Opted into Steam client beta?: [No]
  • Have you checked for system updates?: [Yes]

CPU: Intel i5 4460
Graphics card: MSI Gaming X RX 470 4GB
Linux kernel: Linux devuan 4.9.0-3-amd64 #1 SMP Debian 4.9.25-1 (2017-05-02) x86_64 GNU/Linux
Display Server: X.Org 1.19.3 driver: amdgpu
GLX Renderer: Gallium 0.4 on AMD POLARIS10 (DRM 3.8.0 / 4.9.0-3-amd64, LLVM 4.0.1)
Mesa version: Mesa 17.1.0

Please describe your issue in as much detail as possible:

Describe what you expected should happen and what did happen. Please link any large code pastes as a Github Gist

When I run some games, my GPU usage drops to 0% when I am moving mouse in the menu or in game. That results in getting 0-1FPS. The games where I noticed it happens: Left 4 Dead 2, Dota 2 and Company of Heroes 2. This happened even when I was using Devuan Ascii (testing branch) which had older 4.9 kernel, LLVM 3.9 and Mesa 13.0.6-1+b2. If you require more info, please let me know.

Steps for reproducing this issue:

  1. Launching Steam
  2. Launching game
  3. Moving mouse
Kkisak-valve maintainer 2017-05-18 github

Hello @TwistedCheshireCat, this should also be brought to the attention of your video driver vendor.

NNotMrFlibble 2017-05-19 github

Bug reports for Mesa go here: https://bugs.freedesktop.org/
Talk to devs here: #radeon on irc.freenode.net

I suggest trying Linux 4.10 or 4.11 first, though.

Kkisak-valve maintainer 2017-05-19 github

It should be noted that initial troubleshooting steps were done on #radeon yesterday.

TTwistedCheshireCat 2017-05-20 github

I tried today the latest kernel available from experimental repo (Linux devuan 4.11.0-trunk-amd64 #1 SMP Debian 4.11-1~exp2 (2017-05-05) x86_64 GNU/Linux) and I have the same results.

Jjkterry1 2017-06-03 github

If you're still experiencing this, I recommend trying the amdgpu pro drivers. I'm using a 480 (which is the same generation as the 470 so will have near identical drivers) in an otherwise near identical setup and don't experience these issues. The open source graphics card drivers on linux still don't work entirely right (unlike cpus and most other components now days), so I was getting all sorts of odd issues before I installed it.

TTwistedCheshireCat 2017-08-01 github

This appears to be gone once I tried different window manager, Enlightenment e17.. It appears to be i3 wm related.

Jjkterry1 2017-08-01 github

That means is definately driver based. If it happens without installing AMDPRO, you cross need to report it to the relevant linux kernel team and to the effected window manager. Tell me if you need help with that.

Jjkterry1 2017-08-01 github

Do you want me to close this since it's not a steam problem?

TTwistedCheshireCat 2017-08-01 github

Sure thing :)

Jjkterry1 2017-08-01 github

Closed

Jjkterry1 2017-08-01 github

Interesting. @kisak-valve please close?

@TwistedCheshireCat did you submit the relevant bug reports?

Nothing extracted yet.