Anyone experiencing general stuttering while transfering data over USB2.0?
braveheartleo
Status: Interested
Joined: 23 Jan 2012
Posts: 43
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System specs:
:: Code ::
System:    Host: host Kernel: 3.2.0-4.dmz.1-liquorix-686 i686 (32 bit, gcc: 4.6.2)
           Desktop: Xfce 4.8.3 (Gtk 2.24.6) Distro: Ubuntu 11.10 oneiric
Machine:   Mobo: ASUSTeK model: P5PE-VM version: Rev 1.03G serial: 0
           Bios: American Megatrends version: 1501 date: 12/26/2007
CPU:       Single core Intel Pentium 4 CPU (-HT-) clocked at 2400.00 MHz
Graphics:  Card: Intel 82865G Integrated Graphics Controller bus-ID: 00:02.0
           X.org: 1.10.4 driver: intel tty size: 80x24 Advanced Data: N/A for root
Network:   Card: Marvell 88E8001 Gigabit Ethernet Controller driver: skge ver: 1.14 port: e800 bus-ID: 01:0d.0
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 480.1GB (4.8% used)
Info:      Processes: 118 Uptime: 8 min Memory: 354.9/1000.3MB Runlevel: 2 Gcc sys: 4.6.1 Client: Shell inxi: 1.7.28

So I'm experiencing some general stuttering (mouse stutters, even video playback stutters, but not sound) while I'm copying a couple of GBs of data over a USB2.0 FAT32 flash drive (ehci mode), while watching a measly xvid video.

CPU usage stays well below 50%, but still the suttering occurs.

This is the first time I have observed this while using Liquorix kernel. This is not the case with the stock Ubuntu kernel.

Even without watching a video, by simply moving the mouse while the copy is in progress the symptom may be easily triggered. Could somebody give any hints on where to look to troubleshoot this stuttering?
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braveheartleo
Status: Interested
Joined: 23 Jan 2012
Posts: 43
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UPDATE:

So I did some further tests and found out that the stuttering started when I enabled frequency scaling in my procie, which was previously disabled because cpufreq-related modules weren't automatically loading in Liquorix.

Whereas in the stock kernel the cpufreq-related modules are built-in and doesn't affect the performance of the system while transferring data over USB2.0 and playing back video, the same cannot be said of Liquorix by having frequency scaling.

Where can I look in my system to troubleshoot this suttering? I would really like to use Liquorix and frequency scaling at the same time.

The stuttering briefly makes the system perform like a Pentium MMX of the old days, unable to handle concurrent tasks, even without taxing the CPU usage.
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damentz
Status: Assistant
Joined: 09 Sep 2008
Posts: 1117
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As observed in enable Threadirqs in liquorix, can you try booting with threadirqs in the kernel parameters? This will be a good test to see if there are any compatibility issues.

And also, I'll be integrating the cpufreq modules in the next kernel package, I just need more changes to collect before releasing a new version.
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braveheartleo
Status: Interested
Joined: 23 Jan 2012
Posts: 43
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Thank you for the suggestion, but it didn't help with the stuttering.

Regarding integration of cpufreq-related modules in Liquorix in the next release, it seems that the Ubuntu kernel, even though it also makes use of acpi-cpufreq module, doesn't seem to make use of the different cpufreq scaling governor modules. See the following for comparison:

ls /sys/modules/ (Ubuntu):
:: Code ::
8250
ac97_bus
acpi
acpi_cpufreq
apparmor
ata_generic
ata_piix
battery
binfmt_misc
block
brd
cpufreq_nforce2
debug_core
dns_resolver
drm
drm_kms_helper
edd
efivars
ehci_hcd
eisa_bus
fuse
gx_suspmod
i2c_algo_bit
i8042
i915
intel_idle
ip6table_filter
ip6_tables
ip6t_LOG
ip6t_rt
iptable_filter
ip_tables
ipt_LOG
ipt_REJECT
ipv6
kernel
keyboard
kgdboc
libata
longhaul
loop
lp
md_mod
mmc_core
mousedev
netpoll
nf_conntrack
nf_conntrack_broadcast
nf_conntrack_ftp
nf_conntrack_ipv4
nf_conntrack_ipv6
nf_conntrack_netbios_ns
nf_defrag_ipv4
nf_defrag_ipv6
nf_nat
nf_nat_ftp
parport
parport_pc
pata_acpi
pata_sis
pcie_aspm
pciehp
pci_hotplug
pdc_adma
pnp
powernow_k7
ppdev
ppp_generic
printk
processor
psmouse
rcutree
rfkill
scsi_mod
serio_raw
sg
shpchp
skge
snd
snd_ac97_codec
snd_intel8x0
snd_page_alloc
snd_pcm
snd_rawmidi
snd_seq
snd_seq_device
snd_seq_midi
snd_seq_midi_event
snd_timer
soundcore
speedstep_lib
speedstep_smi
spurious
sr_mod
tcp_cubic
thermal
tpm
uhci_hcd
uinput
usbcore
video
virtual_root
vt
x_tables
xt_addrtype
xt_hl
xt_limit
xt_state
xt_tcpudp
xz_dec


ls /sys/modules/ (Liquorix):
:: Code ::
8250
aacraid
ac97_bus
acpi
acpi_cpufreq
af_packet
agpgart
alix
apparmor
ata_generic
ata_piix
binfmt_misc
block
button
cdrom
cpufreq_ondemand
cpuidle
crc16
dns_resolver
drm
drm_kms_helper
ehci_hcd
eisa_bus
evdev
ext4
freq_table
fuse
gpio_cs5535
i2c_algo_bit
i2c_core
i8042
i915
intel_agp
intel_gtt
intel_idle
ip6_tables
iptable_filter
ip_tables
ipt_LOG
ipt_REJECT
jbd2
kernel
keyboard
libata
loop
lp
mbcache
mousedev
mperf
netpoll
nf_conntrack
nf_conntrack_broadcast
nf_conntrack_ftp
nf_conntrack_ipv4
nf_conntrack_netbios_ns
nf_defrag_ipv4
nf_nat
nf_nat_ftp
parport
parport_pc
pata_acpi
pcie_aspm
pci_hotplug
ppdev
printk
processor
psmouse
pstore
rcutree
rng_core
rtc_cmos
scsi_mod
sd_mod
serio_raw
sg
shpchp
skge
snd
snd_ac97_codec
snd_intel8x0
snd_mixer_oss
snd_page_alloc
snd_pcm
snd_pcm_oss
snd_rawmidi
snd_seq
snd_seq_device
snd_seq_dummy
snd_seq_midi
snd_seq_midi_event
snd_seq_oss
snd_timer
soundcore
spurious
sr_mod
tcp_vegas
uhci_hcd
usbcore
video
virtual_root
vt
x_tables
xt_addrtype
xt_limit
xt_state
xt_tcpudp
xz_dec

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damentz
Status: Assistant
Joined: 09 Sep 2008
Posts: 1117
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Can you try 3.2-5.dmz.1?
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braveheartleo
Status: Interested
Joined: 23 Jan 2012
Posts: 43
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Using 3.2-5.dmz.1, the problem with stuttering is gone.

Looks like statically linking the cpufreq-related modules fixed it, or could it be because of some other update? I would like to know your thoughts on the matter.

Thank you.
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