[SOLVED] Gnome 3.32 slow, not smooth and high CPU usage

zegkljan · 2019-03-16 09:25:16

During a recent upgrade, gnome-shell was upgraded to 3.32. Although this version is marketed as being faster and smoother I experience the opposite - animations are slower and stuttery (they look like 15-20 fps) and even when idle gnome-shell (and Xorg too) eat about 50% CPU usage. But apart from that and a few gnome shell extensions not working (which is understandable as it is a new version), I can't say anything is broken or not working. It's just the bad experience and CPU load.

I'd like to know whether anybody has experienced similar issues and maybe possibly found some clues as to what might be causing that?

For now, because I really need to work, I have done a complete downgrade as suggested in https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php … 2#p1837102

I run on Xorg. I have and optimus laptop with Intel HD Graphics 520 and NVIDIA GM108M but I don't use the optimus stuff, I have only the NVIDIA driver installed and run the NVIDIA card all the time. I can provide other details (hardware or software) if needed (though I think it would involve upgrading back to the "broken" versions which I really don't want to do now).

UPDATE: the problem is fixed with gnome-shell and mutter 3.32.2.

Last edited by zegkljan (2019-05-15 07:49:25)

kiwwi · 2019-03-16 12:50:45

Hi,

I can confirm that problem on my Dell Vostro 5468 laptop. Disabling the extensions resolved the 50% + CPU usage, but it isn't a solution. I also did a downgrade as you suggested and for now, everything is working like before.

popux · 2019-03-16 16:06:12

In my case, disabling "Topicons plus" extension fixed the issue.
gnome-shell process went from 50% cpu usage to almost 0% when idle.

Last edited by popux (2019-03-16 16:06:54)

zegkljan · 2019-03-16 16:07:24

popux wrote:

In my case, disabling "Topicons plus" extension fixed the issue.

Which one? Stuttering animations, CPU load or both?

EDIT: sorry, was to quick with a reply.

Last edited by zegkljan (2019-03-16 16:07:59)

tomasabril · 2019-03-16 16:19:36

Top icons plus extensions has been unmaintained for a long time.
https://github.com/phocean/TopIcons-plus/issues/91

Does anyone know of a good replacement if we have to disable in 3.32 because of high cpu usage?

zegkljan · 2019-03-16 16:25:55

tomasabril wrote:

Top icons plus extensions has been unmaintained for a long time.
https://github.com/phocean/TopIcons-plus/issues/91
Does anyone know of a good replacement if we have to disable in 3.32 because of high cpu usage?

I had an issue (unrelated to this) with Topicons Plus and it turns out that Topicons (not plus) is (or was prior to gnome 3.32) the way to go. See https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php … 9#p1782159. That being said, I do have Topicons (not plus) and I had the CPU load issue.

Last edited by zegkljan (2019-03-16 16:26:49)

koroki · 2019-03-16 18:56:03

Same here. Topicons (no plus) have a big usage of CPU...

koroki · 2019-03-16 22:53:06

This extension: https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/ … r-support/ doesn't have the CPU problem. However, some applications shuch as Skype, don't work.

zegkljan · 2019-03-16 23:16:13

koroki wrote:

Same here. Topicons (no plus) have a big usage of CPU...

koroki wrote:

This extension: https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/ … r-support/ doesn't have the CPU problem. However, some applications shuch as Skype, don't work.

And do you experience stuttering animations and overall slowness? If yes, does removing topicons solve that?

bulletmark · 2019-03-17 02:51:02

tomasabril wrote:

Does anyone know of a good replacement.

I changed to Topicons Redux some time ago and find it works well.

zegkljan · 2019-03-17 09:32:21

bulletmark wrote:

tomasabril wrote:
Does anyone know of a good replacement.
I changed to Topicons Redux some time ago and find it works well.

Well, not quite. Topicons Redux have the same issue (see https://gitlab.com/pop-planet/TopIcons-Redux/issues/12), BUT (as reported in the issue) when you open the settings for this extension from tweaks (and close the settings again), the CPU load drops to normal levels. If you open the settings for the second time, the load rises again. If you open it third time, the load drops again, etc. Very werid behavior but the best one so far.

Maybe you had luck and was in the odd-number state .

Regarding the suttery animations, this problem has gone with the CPU load so it's now only down to the tray icon extensions.

Last edited by zegkljan (2019-03-17 09:33:16)

koroki · 2019-03-17 11:55:53

zegkljan wrote:

koroki wrote:
Same here. Topicons (no plus) have a big usage of CPU...
koroki wrote:
This extension: https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/ … r-support/ doesn't have the CPU problem. However, some applications shuch as Skype, don't work.
And do you experience stuttering animations and overall slowness? If yes, does removing topicons solve that?

The system was specially slow with TopIcons but, with appindicator, all is fluid again. Unlucky, I couldn't force to appear skype...

ThePeach · 2019-03-17 19:47:20

All similar extensions seems to suffer from the same problem. Thanks to @Zekljian for opening this thread.

I've been using Topicon Redux and it's a no-go for now, it's been reported so hopefully a fix will reach us soon: https://gitlab.com/pop-planet/TopIcons-Redux/issues/12

speedyx · 2019-03-18 21:23:33

koroki wrote:

This extension: https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/ … r-support/ doesn't have the CPU problem. However, some applications shuch as Skype, don't work.

Thank you very much! I known this extension but I've forgot it!

wuxb · 2019-03-19 02:08:40

Do you see a 100%-CPU tracker process?

If that's the case:
$ gsettings set org.freedesktop.Tracker.Miner.Files crawling-interval -2
$ tracker reset -r
$ reboot

diogobaeder · 2019-03-19 06:46:56

From the discussion I saw at TopIcons Redux and gnome-shell, it seems to be a bug that causes any of those "top-icon apps" to consume lots of CPU. A patch has been proposed, not sure when or whether it's going to land, or if another fix will be proposed. Meanwhile, I'll have to keep disabling mine when I don't need it - which is a bummer.

koroki · 2019-03-19 13:38:24

speedyx wrote:

koroki wrote:
This extension: https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/ … r-support/ doesn't have the CPU problem. However, some applications shuch as Skype, don't work.
Thank you very much! I known this extension but I've forgot it!

Can you use with Skype?

hoschi · 2019-03-19 17:18:45

That appindicatorthing doesn't work for me with GNOME 3.32, it on and I even rebooted the laptop but I don't notice any visible change.

hoschi · 2019-03-20 09:53:25

https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/1503/tray-icons/

This one works for me with GNOME 3.32 but it put a load of 15% on my CPU. Sadly I'm forced to built a SystemTray into a desktop application, it's useless and awkward but I'm forced, too. So I needed a SystemTray in my GNOME

// edit
SystemTray seems only to work for X11-Applications?

Last edited by hoschi (2019-03-20 17:07:43)

koroki · 2019-03-23 18:30:46

Okey, for the common interest.
In the appindicator extensions ( https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/ … r-support/ ), some aplications not apear. For solving this problem, you need to set XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP with Unity : https://github.com/ubuntu/gnome-shell-e … /issues/74

The easiest way that I found to do it is to modify the desktop files. For example, for skype, I created a "skypeforlinux.desktop" in ".local/share/applications/", where the Exec is:
Exec=env XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP=Unity /usr/bin/skypeforlinux %U

zegkljan · 2019-03-23 19:48:16

Seems the root of the problem is an upstream issue: https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gnome-shell/issues/1054

For now, the AppIndicator support solves most of the problems. I'll mark the thread as workaround.

almindor · 2019-03-31 21:37:15

zegkljan wrote:

Seems the root of the problem is an upstream issue: https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gnome-shell/issues/1054
For now, the AppIndicator support solves most of the problems. I'll mark the thread as workaround.

Even after removing topicons* and any icon specific plugins this issue still flares up for me. I thought it worked ok when the cpu went down right after removing them but 5m or so later (of nothing but firefox and a static page open) gnome-shell pops up to 50% cpu usage again. It seems to be more periodic with shorter intervals without the plugins but this is def. a gnome bug. It wasn't there with .30 even with the plugins in.

hriz · 2019-04-08 13:22:18

Even after disabling all of my gnome extensions; the issue remains on my machine; gnome-shell constantly uses 55% to 65% of cpu.

Edit: I was wrong; somehow top icon plus was still activated. I can confirm the workaround is working on gnome 3.32

Last edited by hriz (2019-04-08 13:38:54)

pezz · 2019-04-08 23:25:39

Does anyone have more info on how to get icons in the tray working with the Appindicator extension?

Modifying .desktop files and adding "Exec=env XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP=Unity someprogram" doesn't do anything for Hexchat, Discord etc for me.

Cheers.

bulletmark · 2019-04-17 22:28:06

Arch updated to gnome-shell and mutter 3.32.1 today and all the annoying bugs I have seen since 3.32 seem to have been fixed - except this one! Darn.

Arch Linux

#1 2019-03-16 09:25:16

[SOLVED] Gnome 3.32 slow, not smooth and high CPU usage

#2 2019-03-16 12:50:45

Re: [SOLVED] Gnome 3.32 slow, not smooth and high CPU usage

#3 2019-03-16 16:06:12

Re: [SOLVED] Gnome 3.32 slow, not smooth and high CPU usage

#4 2019-03-16 16:07:24

Re: [SOLVED] Gnome 3.32 slow, not smooth and high CPU usage

#5 2019-03-16 16:19:36

Re: [SOLVED] Gnome 3.32 slow, not smooth and high CPU usage

#6 2019-03-16 16:25:55

Re: [SOLVED] Gnome 3.32 slow, not smooth and high CPU usage

#7 2019-03-16 18:56:03

Re: [SOLVED] Gnome 3.32 slow, not smooth and high CPU usage

#8 2019-03-16 22:53:06

Re: [SOLVED] Gnome 3.32 slow, not smooth and high CPU usage

#9 2019-03-16 23:16:13

Re: [SOLVED] Gnome 3.32 slow, not smooth and high CPU usage

#10 2019-03-17 02:51:02

Re: [SOLVED] Gnome 3.32 slow, not smooth and high CPU usage

#11 2019-03-17 09:32:21

Re: [SOLVED] Gnome 3.32 slow, not smooth and high CPU usage

#12 2019-03-17 11:55:53

Re: [SOLVED] Gnome 3.32 slow, not smooth and high CPU usage

#13 2019-03-17 19:47:20

Re: [SOLVED] Gnome 3.32 slow, not smooth and high CPU usage

#14 2019-03-18 21:23:33

Re: [SOLVED] Gnome 3.32 slow, not smooth and high CPU usage

#15 2019-03-19 02:08:40

Re: [SOLVED] Gnome 3.32 slow, not smooth and high CPU usage

#16 2019-03-19 06:46:56

Re: [SOLVED] Gnome 3.32 slow, not smooth and high CPU usage

#17 2019-03-19 13:38:24

Re: [SOLVED] Gnome 3.32 slow, not smooth and high CPU usage

#18 2019-03-19 17:18:45

Re: [SOLVED] Gnome 3.32 slow, not smooth and high CPU usage

#19 2019-03-20 09:53:25

Re: [SOLVED] Gnome 3.32 slow, not smooth and high CPU usage

#20 2019-03-23 18:30:46

Re: [SOLVED] Gnome 3.32 slow, not smooth and high CPU usage

#21 2019-03-23 19:48:16

Re: [SOLVED] Gnome 3.32 slow, not smooth and high CPU usage

#22 2019-03-31 21:37:15

Re: [SOLVED] Gnome 3.32 slow, not smooth and high CPU usage

#23 2019-04-08 13:22:18

Re: [SOLVED] Gnome 3.32 slow, not smooth and high CPU usage

#24 2019-04-08 23:25:39

Re: [SOLVED] Gnome 3.32 slow, not smooth and high CPU usage

#25 2019-04-17 22:28:06

Re: [SOLVED] Gnome 3.32 slow, not smooth and high CPU usage

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