kworker constantly using 15/20% of CPU since upgrade to 2.6.36-ARCH

sealemar · 2011-11-02 01:18:47

I believe piotroxp has that problem on fresh install as he described in his post #45. Also I've been experiencing the same.

Last edited by sealemar (2011-11-02 01:40:57)

piotroxp · 2011-11-02 08:57:23

precisely

The bad thing is that during typing (I could see it when typing my hippo sized post) the pc freezes for a noticeable amount of time, then it just continues working, then freezes again. Almost in sync with the fan blow cycle. Oh, and one more symptom - the notebook is much warmer when using arch than when using Win7.

I'm not experiencing these symptoms when using my regular PC (with arch3.0 up to date, with AMD Athlon II X4 , 1 GB HDD and 6 GB ram). Also, when using Arch on AMD, the linux has a clear performance edge over windows (app responsiveness, general feel - did not measure it)

will keep you updated

Last edited by piotroxp (2011-11-02 09:04:05)

Zucca · 2011-11-03 08:25:33

Strangely this seems to be happening on desktop PCs too, where there's no laptop-mode tools installed and no usb autosuspend. Whan makes it even more complicated is that I got away from kworking by disabling usb autosuspend. While earlier workarouind was to plug power source in temporarily to "kill" kworker.

This is _very_ odd bug (at least for me).

piotroxp · 2011-11-04 15:45:40

Offtopic

Gentlemen,
we have invented a new word.

kworking

Kworking Defintion:

Kworking is doing a lot of nothing, balancing it then and getting paid for it in cpu time.

Last edited by piotroxp (2011-11-20 15:30:45)

Zucca · 2011-11-05 09:36:15

define kworking

akurei · 2011-11-05 14:23:49

Zucca wrote:

This:
options usbcore autosuspend=0
in /etc/modprobe.d/modprobe.conf too?

This seems to have solved my problem! Thank you so much!

piotroxp · 2011-11-06 16:22:50

akurei wrote:

Zucca wrote:
This:
options usbcore autosuspend=0
in /etc/modprobe.d/modprobe.conf too?
This seems to have solved my problem! Thank you so much!

Did you do only what you've written?? As in, was it the only action you took when fighting the problem?

sealemar · 2011-11-13 14:26:10

I solved the problem by doing a custom kernel compilation. Please, see my post for the solution.

piotroxp · 2011-11-16 14:43:18

Did that. Nothing.

I've started to experience kworking on my regular AMD Desktop. However, after the kernel compilation, both my systems became faster to respond and noticeably quicker.

Anyone?

Zucca · 2011-11-17 10:29:33

We're not alone: http://www.google.com/m?q=kworker

akurei · 2011-11-17 16:21:27

piotroxp wrote:

akurei wrote:
Zucca wrote:
This:
options usbcore autosuspend=0
in /etc/modprobe.d/modprobe.conf too?
This seems to have solved my problem! Thank you so much!
Did you do only what you've written?? As in, was it the only action you took when fighting the problem?

I only changed the "options usbcore autosuspend=0" in modprobe.conf.

piotroxp · 2011-11-20 13:29:39

Zucca wrote:

We're not alone: http://www.google.com/m?q=kworker

That's a good thing, I guess...

From the week+ I've spent trying to find a solution (and nothing had worked - which makes me curious) it seems that it's a kernel issue.
So I'll just wait here when the good kernel hackers fix it !

sealemar · 2011-11-20 14:47:58

@piotroxp, yep, just use custom kernel like I did

piotroxp · 2011-11-20 15:20:44

I already did! I've even used your .config.

But to no avail, and I'm still doomed...

... unless I don't really know how to properly do it. I've used the ABS, then replaced the .config, renamed two regular files for my custom kernel and installed the kernel via pacman. Am I doin it right?

Last edited by piotroxp (2011-11-20 15:21:32)

sealemar · 2011-11-20 15:22:37

Cheers Dunno how to unDoom your, however

Last edited by sealemar (2011-11-20 15:23:14)

sealemar · 2011-11-20 15:28:59

piotroxp wrote:

... unless I don't really know how to properly do it. I've used the ABS, then replaced the .config, renamed two regular files for my custom kernel and installed the kernel via pacman. Am I doin it right?

If you want Arch to understand your changes you've done to some package, say linux-ck you have to change PKGBUILD and all related files. However, PKGBUILD includes sha256sums array which should match all the files listed in source array. If you want, you may add your custom file to source array and then add a new string to sha256sums or just modify some existing file inside source and sha256sums accordingly. Just use

$ sha256sum MYFILE

Zucca · 2012-01-16 05:42:53

BUMP

I'd like to know if anyone is still experiencing this problem?
Since I applied some tweaks (mainly disabling usb autosuspend) there have been no problem. I just wonder if it's fixed for good now in newest kernels?

hramat · 2012-01-16 12:59:24

For me the problem disappeared. I have temporarily solved it by removing wicd, and connecting to wifi manually.
Some week ago I have installed wicd after kernel upgrade and the problem did not appear anymore.

smthmlk · 2012-01-28 15:23:36

I know other distributions are still experiencing this issue (Fedora...) but it seems like most Arch users posting to this particular thread have had this fixed. In case they haven't or others googling around stumble upon this thread, here's a useful mailing list post that describes how to unmask what these kworker processes are really doing:

http://lkml.indiana.edu/hypermail/linux … 03766.html

Zucca · 2012-02-02 06:19:49

That's very helpful link, I think.

It just seems that Archers users aren't really affected anymore, as lts kernel has also updted to 3.x series.

Blackwind · 2012-02-10 10:08:54

The problem is related to drm_kms_helper constanlly polling. In my laptop (Thinkpad X200, Intel i915 and kernel 3.2.5) I had to kworker threads using 40% of each core. I resolved the problem by doing this:

 echo N> /sys/module/drm_kms_helper/parameters/poll

Of course this will only be valid till the next time you reboot. The make the setting permanent:

 echo "options drm_kms_helper poll=N">/etc/modprobe.d/local.conf

You can read more here.

pag-r · 2012-02-12 05:05:51

Hi.
I have same problem with kworker like others. It takes about 50% my cpu usage. I've tried every solution mentioned here, and still no effect. Maybe I have to do a combo of few of those solutions... It starts yesterday when I suspended my lenovo t61 for about a 10mins. It's kinda annoying to work on laptop which freezes every 3seconds:). But have no idea, what to do now. Only thing I didn't check is connecting to wifi via manual config not wicd. I will try that later, but any idea will be helpfull.

hramat · 2012-03-12 22:07:38

The issue appeared again (seems after kernel upgrade to 3.2.9-1). I have again removed wicd and setting wifi manualy

looks like this

sanczol · 2013-03-17 20:54:19

Hi there, I think I have a good opportunity to bump this topic;-)

I have the same problem a lot of kworker processes. It eats me 100% of first 4 CPU (of 8 in total) cores all the almost all the time when laptop is working.

output from ps:

devil:~$ ps axu|grep kworker
root         5  0.0  0.0      0     0 ?        S<   14:03   0:00 [kworker/0:0H]
root         7  0.0  0.0      0     0 ?        S<   14:03   0:00 [kworker/u:0H]
root        17  0.0  0.0      0     0 ?        S<   14:03   0:00 [kworker/1:0H]
root        22  0.0  0.0      0     0 ?        S<   14:03   0:00 [kworker/2:0H]
root        27  0.0  0.0      0     0 ?        S<   14:03   0:00 [kworker/3:0H]
root        32  0.0  0.0      0     0 ?        S<   14:03   0:00 [kworker/4:0H]
root        37  0.0  0.0      0     0 ?        S<   14:03   0:00 [kworker/5:0H]
root        42  0.0  0.0      0     0 ?        S<   14:03   0:00 [kworker/6:0H]
root        47  0.0  0.0      0     0 ?        S<   14:03   0:00 [kworker/7:0H]
root       131  0.0  0.0      0     0 ?        S<   14:03   0:01 [kworker/0:1H]
root       204  0.0  0.0      0     0 ?        S<   14:04   0:00 [kworker/2:1H]
root       205  0.0  0.0      0     0 ?        S<   14:04   0:00 [kworker/3:1H]
root       206  0.0  0.0      0     0 ?        S<   14:04   0:00 [kworker/5:1H]
root       211  0.0  0.0      0     0 ?        S<   14:04   0:00 [kworker/1:1H]
root       244  0.0  0.0      0     0 ?        S<   14:04   0:00 [kworker/4:1H]
root       245  0.0  0.0      0     0 ?        S<   14:04   0:00 [kworker/6:1H]
root       246  0.0  0.0      0     0 ?        S<   14:04   0:00 [kworker/7:1H]
root       400  0.0  0.0      0     0 ?        S<   14:04   0:00 [kworker/u:1H]
root     13358  0.0  0.0      0     0 ?        S    15:24   0:04 [kworker/7:0]
root     16572  0.1  0.0      0     0 ?        S    15:57   0:08 [kworker/0:1]
root     18185  0.0  0.0      0     0 ?        S    16:14   0:02 [kworker/5:2]
root     19577  0.0  0.0      0     0 ?        S    16:27   0:00 [kworker/u:2]
root     19993  0.0  0.0      0     0 ?        S    16:31   0:00 [kworker/7:1]
root     20031  0.0  0.0      0     0 ?        S    16:31   0:01 [kworker/4:2]
root     20457  0.0  0.0      0     0 ?        S    16:35   0:02 [kworker/1:0]
root     21029  0.0  0.0      0     0 ?        S    16:39   0:00 [kworker/3:1]
root     22648  0.0  0.0      0     0 ?        S    16:45   0:01 [kworker/0:3]
root     22922  0.0  0.0      0     0 ?        S    16:48   0:00 [kworker/1:1]
root     23072  0.0  0.0      0     0 ?        S    16:50   0:00 [kworker/2:2]
root     23138  0.0  0.0      0     0 ?        S    16:51   0:00 [kworker/6:3]
root     23246  0.1  0.0      0     0 ?        S    16:53   0:01 [kworker/0:0]
root     23537  0.0  0.0      0     0 ?        S    16:56   0:00 [kworker/2:0]
root     23704  0.0  0.0      0     0 ?        S    16:58   0:00 [kworker/2:3]
root     23815  0.0  0.0      0     0 ?        S    17:00   0:00 [kworker/6:0]
root     23839  0.0  0.0      0     0 ?        S    17:00   0:00 [kworker/0:2]
root     23848  0.0  0.0      0     0 ?        S    17:00   0:00 [kworker/3:0]
root     23896  0.0  0.0      0     0 ?        S    17:01   0:00 [kworker/4:0]
root     24008  0.0  0.0      0     0 ?        S    17:02   0:00 [kworker/3:3]
root     24043  0.0  0.0      0     0 ?        S    17:03   0:00 [kworker/1:3]
root     24112  0.0  0.0      0     0 ?        S    17:03   0:00 [kworker/u:1]
root     24137  0.0  0.0      0     0 ?        S    17:04   0:00 [kworker/5:1]
root     24248  0.0  0.0      0     0 ?        S    17:05   0:00 [kworker/2:1]
root     24265  0.0  0.0      0     0 ?        S    17:05   0:00 [kworker/6:1]
root     24409  0.0  0.0      0     0 ?        S    17:07   0:00 [kworker/4:1]
root     24513  0.0  0.0      0     0 ?        S    17:09   0:00 [kworker/1:2]
root     24519  0.1  0.0      0     0 ?        S    17:09   0:00 [kworker/0:4]
root     24536  0.1  0.0      0     0 ?        S    17:09   0:00 [kworker/u:0]

Pretty scary. What can be done with this?

jasonwryan · 2013-03-17 21:38:04

sanczol: this thread is old and about the 2.6.36 kernel, which is long gone.
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Fo … Bumping.27

Open a new thread with more detail about your setup and link back here if necessary.

Closing

Arch Linux

#51 2011-11-02 01:18:47

Re: kworker constantly using 15/20% of CPU since upgrade to 2.6.36-ARCH

#52 2011-11-02 08:57:23

Re: kworker constantly using 15/20% of CPU since upgrade to 2.6.36-ARCH

#53 2011-11-03 08:25:33

Re: kworker constantly using 15/20% of CPU since upgrade to 2.6.36-ARCH

#54 2011-11-04 15:45:40

Re: kworker constantly using 15/20% of CPU since upgrade to 2.6.36-ARCH

#55 2011-11-05 09:36:15

Re: kworker constantly using 15/20% of CPU since upgrade to 2.6.36-ARCH

#56 2011-11-05 14:23:49

Re: kworker constantly using 15/20% of CPU since upgrade to 2.6.36-ARCH

#57 2011-11-06 16:22:50

Re: kworker constantly using 15/20% of CPU since upgrade to 2.6.36-ARCH

#58 2011-11-13 14:26:10

Re: kworker constantly using 15/20% of CPU since upgrade to 2.6.36-ARCH

#59 2011-11-16 14:43:18

Re: kworker constantly using 15/20% of CPU since upgrade to 2.6.36-ARCH

#60 2011-11-17 10:29:33

Re: kworker constantly using 15/20% of CPU since upgrade to 2.6.36-ARCH

#61 2011-11-17 16:21:27

Re: kworker constantly using 15/20% of CPU since upgrade to 2.6.36-ARCH

#62 2011-11-20 13:29:39

Re: kworker constantly using 15/20% of CPU since upgrade to 2.6.36-ARCH

#63 2011-11-20 14:47:58

Re: kworker constantly using 15/20% of CPU since upgrade to 2.6.36-ARCH

#64 2011-11-20 15:20:44

Re: kworker constantly using 15/20% of CPU since upgrade to 2.6.36-ARCH

#65 2011-11-20 15:22:37

Re: kworker constantly using 15/20% of CPU since upgrade to 2.6.36-ARCH

#66 2011-11-20 15:28:59

Re: kworker constantly using 15/20% of CPU since upgrade to 2.6.36-ARCH

#67 2012-01-16 05:42:53

Re: kworker constantly using 15/20% of CPU since upgrade to 2.6.36-ARCH

#68 2012-01-16 12:59:24

Re: kworker constantly using 15/20% of CPU since upgrade to 2.6.36-ARCH

#69 2012-01-28 15:23:36

Re: kworker constantly using 15/20% of CPU since upgrade to 2.6.36-ARCH

#70 2012-02-02 06:19:49

Re: kworker constantly using 15/20% of CPU since upgrade to 2.6.36-ARCH

#71 2012-02-10 10:08:54

Re: kworker constantly using 15/20% of CPU since upgrade to 2.6.36-ARCH

#72 2012-02-12 05:05:51

Re: kworker constantly using 15/20% of CPU since upgrade to 2.6.36-ARCH

#73 2012-03-12 22:07:38

Re: kworker constantly using 15/20% of CPU since upgrade to 2.6.36-ARCH

#74 2013-03-17 20:54:19

Re: kworker constantly using 15/20% of CPU since upgrade to 2.6.36-ARCH

#75 2013-03-17 21:38:04

Re: kworker constantly using 15/20% of CPU since upgrade to 2.6.36-ARCH

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