Intel graphics optimization

raj7095 · 2010-04-13 22:20:00

NOTE: If you have xf86-video-intel 2.11 or later, then delete xorg.conf and dont follow this guide, because it will only slow down your performance.
TIP: If you have a 64 bit compatible processor and dont mind reinstalling everything, then i highly recommend that you switch to the 64 bit version. i gained about 20 fps in every game that i played so far at the same settings.
I just thought that other miserable intel graphics card users, like me, needed to be aware of how to improve their graphics. So, I am posting this guide.
1. Edit /etc/X11/xorg.conf (nano /etc/X11/xorg.conf) if you dont have one, generate one by closing your display manager and typing command (Xorg -configure), and then copy xorg.conf.new to /etc/X11 as xorg.conf.
2. Change the option (NoAccel) to (AccelMethod), replace the (# [<bool>]) with ("uxa"), remove the # at the beginning of this line.
3. Add these lines into the same section:
Option "Tiling" "True"
Option "MigrationHeuristic" "greedy"
Option "EXAOptimizeMigration" "true"
4. Find out how much VRAM you have. Type in terminal (lspci -vv) look for your graphics card info section. For example:
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Mobile GM965/GL960 Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 0c) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device 30cc
Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx+
Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=fast >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR- INTx-
Latency: 0
Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 31
Region 0: Memory at f8000000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=1M]
Region 2: Memory at d0000000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=256M] - This is your VRAM section.
Region 4: I/O ports at 1800 [size=8]
Expansion ROM at <unassigned> [disabled]
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel driver in use: i915
Kernel modules: i915
5. Now convert both of the memory sizes, "prefetchable" and "non-prefetchable" into KBs.
6. Subtract non-prefetchable from prefetchable after conversion.
7. Open xorg.conf again. Add the line:
Option "VideoRam" "Whatever your result was"

You are done with xorg optimization. Follow the next instruction only if your login manager is GDM.

8. Now, just run these commands in order:
i) wget http://launchpadlibrarian.net/26193373/fixmtrr.sh -O /usr/local/bin/fixmtrr.sh
ii) chmod +x /usr/local/bin/fixmtrr.sh
iii) ln -s /usr/local/bin/fixmtrr.sh /etc/gdm/PostLogin/Default

Lemme give you an example of how fast this guide has made my graphics card. Before, I couldn't even play quake live in a 600 X 400 resolution. Now I can play it fullscreen with 1280 X 800 resolution at max speed.

Last edited by raj7095 (2010-06-02 21:59:02)

raj7095 · 2010-04-13 22:21:00

My source:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1130582

All the credit goes to psyke83 at ubuntuforums.org

Last edited by raj7095 (2010-04-13 22:22:04)

saft · 2010-04-13 23:51:55

Is this a decent guide to follow for all chipsets? I'm using an Atom Pineview.

GogglesGuy · 2010-04-14 00:14:35

This optimization guide is rather outdated.

2) Useless setting. exa has been removed already. uxa is the only thing remaining.

3) Tiling seems to be enabled by default. Ofcourse for some intel boards it may not be. At least on my g45 it is enabled by default. As far as I know the other 2 options don't exist anymore.

Regarding mtrr issue. I believe the "enable_mtrr_cleanup" kernel command line option will fix your mtrr as well. No need to for the shell script.

raj7095 · 2010-04-14 00:30:08

saft wrote:

Is this a decent guide to follow for all chipsets? I'm using an Atom Pineview.

not sure about atom. but it should work on all gma graphic cards. you could still try.

Last edited by raj7095 (2010-04-14 00:34:12)

raj7095 · 2010-04-14 00:33:46

GogglesGuy wrote:

This optimization guide is rather outdated.
2) Useless setting. exa has been removed already. uxa is the only thing remaining.
3) Tiling seems to be enabled by default. Ofcourse for some intel boards it may not be. At least on my g45 it is enabled by default. As far as I know the other 2 options don't exist anymore.
Regarding mtrr issue. I believe the "enable_mtrr_cleanup" kernel command line option will fix your mtrr as well. No need to for the shell script.

Then I guess that only VideoRam option helped me increase my performance. Hmmm, gotta test it.

thayer · 2010-04-14 02:53:49

VideoRam is legacy intel too...doesn't affect newer chipsets (consult the intel manpage for full details on this and other options).

Gusar · 2010-04-14 11:11:53

The intel driver nowadays uses PAT anyway, mtrr doesn't matter anymore. And modern intel graphics chips (including the 950gma that's in netbooks) allocate RAM dynamically. Then there's the stuff already mentioned by others. So basically, that guide is obsolete.

Wintervenom · 2010-04-14 17:10:58

The only things you can do to [negligibly] increase the performance of the Intel driver is to enable page-flipping and disable SwapbuffersWait.

thestinger · 2010-04-14 18:10:29

well, on nehalem (i3 for example) you can overclock the integrated graphics

http://www.anandtech.com/show/2921/4

other than that, you could buy a discrete graphics card (or choose different software)

moljac024 · 2010-04-14 20:17:08

So how come the OP is seeing an increase in performance?

raj7095 · 2010-04-14 20:31:52

moljac024 wrote:

So how come the OP is seeing an increase in performance?

yah, how did i get such an increase in performance anyway?

GogglesGuy · 2010-04-14 21:17:28

raj7095 wrote:

moljac024 wrote:
So how come the OP is seeing an increase in performance?
yah, how did i get such an increase in performance anyway?

Undo what you did and then enable one option at a time and see which one gives the boost.

raj7095 · 2010-04-15 23:50:09

GogglesGuy wrote:

raj7095 wrote:
moljac024 wrote:
So how come the OP is seeing an increase in performance?
yah, how did i get such an increase in performance anyway?
Undo what you did and then enable one option at a time and see which one gives the boost.

I know that this might sound weird but the effect is gone if I disable any of them. It seems like a combination.

Arch Linux

#1 2010-04-13 22:20:00

Intel graphics optimization

#2 2010-04-13 22:21:00

Re: Intel graphics optimization

#3 2010-04-13 23:51:55

Re: Intel graphics optimization

#4 2010-04-14 00:14:35

Re: Intel graphics optimization

#5 2010-04-14 00:30:08

Re: Intel graphics optimization

#6 2010-04-14 00:33:46

Re: Intel graphics optimization

#7 2010-04-14 02:53:49

Re: Intel graphics optimization

#8 2010-04-14 11:11:53

Re: Intel graphics optimization

#9 2010-04-14 17:10:58

Re: Intel graphics optimization

#10 2010-04-14 18:10:29

Re: Intel graphics optimization

#11 2010-04-14 20:17:08

Re: Intel graphics optimization

#12 2010-04-14 20:31:52

Re: Intel graphics optimization

#13 2010-04-14 21:17:28

Re: Intel graphics optimization

#14 2010-04-15 23:50:09

Re: Intel graphics optimization

Board footer