[UPDATE] Severe performance problems with kernel 2.6.10

From: Gabriel Tataranu
Date: Mon Jan 17 2005 - 14:53:46 EST



For those interested:

The performance issues (below) where due to a strange bug in the kernel
VM triggered by the motherboard BIOS. This affects Asus P4P800
motherboards(-MX and -VM tested) with more that 1 GB RAM. The built-in
VGA can use 1-32 MB RAM for display but configured with less than 16 MB
of video RAM the board will behave EXTREMELY poor in linux (2.6.9 also
tested to behave like this).

There are several ways around this problem, I've just configured the
board with 16 MB of video RAM. Disabling support for 4 GB of RAM works
too but more memory is lost this way. Running FreeBSD is also an option
but we don't like that, don't we ? Memtest86 (1.11) doesn't seems
affected either - but it detects the memory as "single channel" while
memory is installed in dual channel configuration (also confirmed by BIOS).

If anybody knows what's going on please let me know. Loosing 15 MB of
RAM is not a big deal but I like linux bug-free, fast and stable.

I'm available to give more details or run some tests if anyone cares.

Regards,

Gabriel


Attached is the filled template describing the problem as in REPORTING-BUGS.
For more details please e-mail directly.

Thank you,

Gabriel


------------------------------------------------------------------------


[1.] One line summary of the problem: Severe performance loss with kernel 2.6.10
[2.] Full description of the problem/report:
It looks like 2.6.10 suffers from severe performance issues at least on Pentium 4 CPU. The system is sluggish and compilation of kernel takes more than 5 times longer than 2.6.9.
[3.] Keywords (i.e., modules, networking, kernel):
kernel, performance
[4.] Kernel version (from /proc/version):
Linux version 2.6.9 (root@stor) (gcc version 3.3.4) #1 Fri Jan 14 14:18:38 EST 2005
[5.] Output of Oops.. message (if applicable) with symbolic information resolved (see Documentation/oops-tracing.txt)
[6.] A small shell script or example program which triggers the
problem (if possible)
cd /usr/src/linx-2.6.10; time make
[7.] Environment
Standard PC; Slackware linux 10.0; 2.6.9 kernel.
[7.1.] Software (add the output of the ver_linux script here)
Linux stor 2.6.9 #1 Fri Jan 14 14:18:38 EST 2005 i686 unknown unknown GNU/Linux

Gnu C 3.3.4
Gnu make 3.80
binutils 2.15.90.0.3
util-linux 2.12a
mount 2.12a
module-init-tools 3.0
e2fsprogs 1.35
jfsutils 1.1.6
reiserfsprogs 3.6.17
reiser4progs line
xfsprogs 2.6.13
Linux C Library 2.3.2
Dynamic linker (ldd) 2.3.2
Linux C++ Library 5.0.6
Procps 3.2.1
Net-tools 1.60
Kbd 81:
Sh-utils 5.2.1
Modules Loaded 8139too
[7.2.] Processor information (from /proc/cpuinfo):
processor : 0
vendor_id : GenuineIntel
cpu family : 15
model : 2
model name : Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.80GHz
stepping : 5
cpu MHz : 2800.867
cache size : 512 KB
fdiv_bug : no
hlt_bug : no
f00f_bug : no
coma_bug : no
fpu : yes
fpu_exception : yes
cpuid level : 2
wp : yes
flags : fpu vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 clflush dts acpi mmx fxsr sse sse2 ss ht tm pbe cid xtpr
bogomips : 5537.79

[7.3.] Module information (from /proc/modules):
8139too 17408 0 - Live 0xf8884000
[7.4.] Loaded driver and hardware information (/proc/ioports, /proc/iomem)
0000-001f : dma1
0020-0021 : pic1
0040-0043 : timer0
0050-0053 : timer1
0060-006f : keyboard
0070-0077 : rtc
0080-008f : dma page reg
00a0-00a1 : pic2
00c0-00df : dma2
00f0-00ff : fpu
0170-0177 : ide1
01f0-01f7 : libata
0376-0376 : ide1
03c0-03df : vga+
03f8-03ff : serial
0400-041f : 0000:00:1f.3
0480-04bf : 0000:00:1f.0
0800-087f : 0000:00:1f.0
0cf8-0cff : PCI conf1
d800-d8ff : 0000:01:0d.0
d800-d8ff : 8139too
df90-df9f : 0000:01:0a.0
dfa8-dfaf : 0000:01:0a.0
dfe0-dfe3 : 0000:01:0a.0
dfe4-dfe7 : 0000:01:0a.0
dff0-dff7 : 0000:01:0a.0
ef00-ef1f : 0000:00:1d.0
ef00-ef1f : uhci_hcd
eff0-eff7 : 0000:00:02.0
fc00-fc0f : 0000:00:1f.2
fc00-fc0f : libata

00000000-0009fbff : System RAM
0009fc00-0009ffff : reserved
000a0000-000bffff : Video RAM area
000c0000-000c7fff : Video ROM
000f0000-000fffff : System ROM
00100000-3fe2ffff : System RAM
00100000-0029400d : Kernel code
0029400e-0031537f : Kernel data
3fe30000-3fe3ffff : ACPI Tables
3fe40000-3feeffff : ACPI Non-volatile Storage
3fef0000-3fefffff : reserved
f0000000-f7ffffff : 0000:00:02.0
fe5ff800-fe5ff8ff : 0000:01:0d.0
fe5ff800-fe5ff8ff : 8139too
fe5ffc00-fe5ffdff : 0000:01:0a.0
fe77bc00-fe77bfff : 0000:00:1d.7
fe77bc00-fe77bfff : ehci_hcd
fe780000-fe7fffff : 0000:00:02.0
fe800000-febfffff : 0000:00:00.0
ffb80000-ffffffff : reserved

[7.5.] PCI information ('lspci -vvv' as root)
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corp. 82865G/PE/P DRAM Controller/Host-Hub Interface (rev 02)
Subsystem: Asustek Computer, Inc. P4P800 Mainboard
Control: I/O- Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B-
Status: Cap+ 66Mhz- UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=fast >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort+ >SERR- <PERR-
Latency: 0
Region 0: Memory at fe800000 (32-bit, prefetchable) [size=4M]
Capabilities: [e4] #09 [1106]

00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corp. 82865G Integrated Graphics Device (rev 02) (prog-if 00 [VGA])
Subsystem: Asustek Computer, Inc.: Unknown device 2572
Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B-
Status: Cap+ 66Mhz- UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=fast >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR-
Latency: 0
Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 10
Region 0: Memory at f0000000 (32-bit, prefetchable) [size=128M]
Region 1: Memory at fe780000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=512K]
Region 2: I/O ports at eff0 [size=8]
Capabilities: [d0] Power Management version 1
Flags: PMEClk- DSI+ D1- D2- AuxCurrent=0mA PME(D0-,D1-,D2-,D3hot-,D3cold-)
Status: D0 PME-Enable- DSel=0 DScale=0 PME-

00:1d.0 USB Controller: Intel Corp. 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) USB UHCI #1 (rev 02) (prog-if 00 [UHCI])
Subsystem: Asustek Computer, Inc.: Unknown device 24d0
Control: I/O+ Mem- BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B-
Status: Cap- 66Mhz- UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=medium >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR-
Latency: 0
Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 10
Region 4: I/O ports at ef00 [size=32]

00:1d.7 USB Controller: Intel Corp. 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) USB2 EHCI Controller (rev 02) (prog-if 20 [EHCI])
Subsystem: Asustek Computer, Inc.: Unknown device 24d0
Control: I/O- Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR+ FastB2B-
Status: Cap+ 66Mhz- UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=medium >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR-
Latency: 0
Interrupt: pin D routed to IRQ 5
Region 0: Memory at fe77bc00 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=1K]
Capabilities: [50] Power Management version 2
Flags: PMEClk- DSI- D1- D2- AuxCurrent=375mA PME(D0+,D1-,D2-,D3hot+,D3cold+)
Status: D0 PME-Enable- DSel=0 DScale=0 PME-
Capabilities: [58] #0a [20a0]

00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corp. 82801BA/CA/DB/EB/ER Hub interface to PCI Bridge (rev c2) (prog-if 00 [Normal decode])
Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR+ FastB2B-
Status: Cap- 66Mhz- UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=fast >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR-
Latency: 0
Bus: primary=00, secondary=01, subordinate=01, sec-latency=64
I/O behind bridge: 0000d000-0000dfff
Memory behind bridge: fe400000-fe5fffff
Prefetchable memory behind bridge: fff00000-000fffff
BridgeCtl: Parity- SERR+ NoISA+ VGA- MAbort- >Reset- FastB2B-

00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corp. 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) LPC Bridge (rev 02)
Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle+ MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B-
Status: Cap- 66Mhz- UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=medium >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR-
Latency: 0

00:1f.2 IDE interface: Intel Corp. 82801EB (ICH5) Serial ATA 150 Storage Controller (rev 02) (prog-if 8a [Master SecP PriP])
Subsystem: Intel Corp. 82801EB (ICH5) Serial ATA 150 Storage Controller
Control: I/O+ Mem- BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B-
Status: Cap- 66Mhz+ UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=medium >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR-
Latency: 0
Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 11
Region 0: I/O ports at <unassigned>
Region 1: I/O ports at <unassigned>
Region 2: I/O ports at <unassigned>
Region 3: I/O ports at <unassigned>
Region 4: I/O ports at fc00 [size=16]

00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corp. 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) SMBus Controller (rev 02)
Subsystem: Asustek Computer, Inc.: Unknown device 24d0
Control: I/O+ Mem- BusMaster- SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B-
Status: Cap- 66Mhz- UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=medium >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR-
Interrupt: pin B routed to IRQ 10
Region 4: I/O ports at 0400 [size=32]

01:0a.0 RAID bus controller: CMD Technology Inc Silicon Image SiI 3112 SATARaid Controller (rev 02)
Subsystem: CMD Technology Inc: Unknown device 6112
Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR+ FastB2B-
Status: Cap+ 66Mhz+ UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=medium >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR-
Latency: 64, cache line size 04
Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 11
Region 0: I/O ports at dff0 [size=8]
Region 1: I/O ports at dfe4 [size=4]
Region 2: I/O ports at dfa8 [size=8]
Region 3: I/O ports at dfe0 [size=4]
Region 4: I/O ports at df90 [size=16]
Region 5: Memory at fe5ffc00 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=512]
Expansion ROM at fe500000 [disabled] [size=512K]
Capabilities: [60] Power Management version 2
Flags: PMEClk- DSI+ D1+ D2+ AuxCurrent=0mA PME(D0-,D1-,D2-,D3hot-,D3cold-)
Status: D0 PME-Enable- DSel=0 DScale=2 PME-

01:0d.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ (rev 10)
Subsystem: Asustek Computer, Inc.: Unknown device 80b3
Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR+ FastB2B-
Status: Cap+ 66Mhz- UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=medium >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR-
Latency: 64 (8000ns min, 16000ns max)
Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 5
Region 0: I/O ports at d800 [size=256]
Region 1: Memory at fe5ff800 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=256]
Capabilities: [50] Power Management version 2
Flags: PMEClk- DSI- D1+ D2+ AuxCurrent=375mA PME(D0-,D1+,D2+,D3hot+,D3cold+)
Status: D0 PME-Enable- DSel=0 DScale=0 PME-


[7.6.] SCSI information (from /proc/scsi/scsi)

Attached devices:
Host: scsi0 Channel: 00 Id: 00 Lun: 00
Vendor: ATA Model: ST3300831AS Rev: 3.01
Type: Direct-Access ANSI SCSI revision: 05
Host: scsi0 Channel: 00 Id: 01 Lun: 00
Vendor: ATA Model: ST3300831AS Rev: 3.01
Type: Direct-Access ANSI SCSI revision: 05


[7.7.] Other information that might be relevant to the problem
(please look in /proc and include all information that you
think to be relevant):
[X.] Other notes, patches, fixes, workarounds:

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