Dear Ones, This is reported downstream Ubuntu, where the usual files are attached. I can attach any file here if necessary. Here's the URL: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux-meta/+bug/927918 When frequency scaling is activated (more details below) the system has short freezes, short lags, short "time-outs". They vary in length and can be as long as about 1 second. Here's a video(1). I've received help from the fantastic folks at the xorg-driver-ati mailing list. Here's the thread(2). Windows 7 runs smooth, without the stuttering / framedrop problem. Here's some testing with different governors: performance: smoothness goodness ondemand: the stuttering as demonstrated in the video conservative: stuttering reduced to seemingly about 10% compared to ondemand powersave: stuttering increase seemingly to about five times more than with ondemand When using ondemand, raising minimum frequencies results in less stuttering. Raising the minimum frequency of all four cores to the second step, 1.7GHz, helps a lot and and raising it to 2.5GHz results no stuttering. This is under the limited strain of dragging windows around in 1280x1024 in compiz. It didn't happen when my CPU was an AMD Sempron 140. As soon as I switched to the AMD FX-4100 CPU this started. As per Gigabyte's instructions(3), in order to have support for this CPU, I upgraded the BIOS from the "F2" version to the "F3" version before replacing the CPU. If it is necessary, I can still put in the old Sempron 140 CPU for testing. More stuff I tried since replacing the CPU: I have played with BIOS settings - trying different configurations. I also replaced to a new, more adequate PSU. I also tried different RAM sticks and different amounts of them (1, 2 and 4 sticks). Thanks and blessings, Shahar Links: 1. http://bit.ly/xDOZF3 (on Google Docs) 2. http://lists.x.org/archives/xorg-driver-ati/2012-February/022223.html 3. http://www.gigabyte.com/support-downloads/cpu-support-popup.aspx?pid=3817 Here is the usual dump from Ubuntu: ProblemType: BugDistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.10 Package: xorg 1:7.6+7ubuntu7.1 ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.0.0-15.26-generic 3.0.13 Uname: Linux 3.0.0-15-generic x86_64 .tmp.unity.support.test.0: ApportVersion: 1.23-0ubuntu4 Architecture: amd64 CompizPlugins: [core,bailer,detection,composite,opengl,decor,mousepoll,vpswitch,regex,animation,snap,expo,move,compiztoolbox,place,grid,imgpng,gnomecompat,wall,ezoom,workarounds,resize,fade,unitymtgrabhandles,scale,session,unityshell] CompositorRunning: None Date: Mon Feb 6 23:38:39 2012 DistUpgraded: Log time: 2011-10-16 02:49:10.693391 DistroCodename: oneiric DistroVariant: ubuntu EcryptfsInUse: Yes ExtraDebuggingInterest: Yes, whatever it takes to get this fixed in Ubuntu GraphicsCard: ATI Technologies Inc RS880 [Radeon HD 4250] [1002:9715] (prog-if 00 [VGA controller]) Subsystem: Giga-byte Technology Device [1458:d000]InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 10.10 "Maverick Meerkat" - Release amd64 (20101007) MachineType: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd. GA-880GMA-USB3 ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.0.0-15-generic root=UUID=57641e34-8b71-4e2e-9324-ff40ca1bc82a ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7SourcePackage: xorg UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to oneiric on 2011-10-16 (113 days ago) dmi.bios.date: 10/20/2011 dmi.bios.vendor: Award Software International, Inc. dmi.bios.version: F3 dmi.board.name: GA-880GMA-USB3 dmi.board.vendor: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd. dmi.chassis.type: 3 dmi.chassis.vendor: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd. dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAwardSoftwareInternational,Inc.:bvrF3:bd10/20/2011:svnGigabyteTechnologyCo.,Ltd.:pnGA-880GMA-USB3:pvr:rvnGigabyteTechnologyCo.,Ltd.:rnGA-880GMA-USB3:rvr:cvnGigabyteTechnologyCo.,Ltd.:ct3:cvr: dmi.product.name: GA-880GMA-USB3 dmi.sys.vendor: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd. version.compiz: compiz 1:0.9.6+bzr20110929-0ubuntu6 version.ia32-libs: ia32-libs 20090808ubuntu26 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.xserver-xorg: xserver-xorg 1:7.6+7ubuntu7.1 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 2:2.15.901-1ubuntu2.1 version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:0.0.16+git20110411+8378443-1
Dear Ones, This can be solved by flashing the vendor's new BIOS version, "F4c". Works flawlessly now! The BIOS can be obtained here: http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=3817&dl=1#bios Thanks to Gigabyte for a timely response! Thanks and Blessings, Shahar