I upgraded from 2.4.19-gentoo-r10 to 2.4.20-lolo-r1_rc1 using make oldconfig and saying N to most of the new stuff, and I ended up with a system that has a very weird behaviour. Playing a mp3 with xmms results in eveything (video / mouse / sound) hanging for 1 or 2seconds every 3-30 seconds. When it freezes, I get a sound that is quite like that of the PC Speaker, though it comes out of the speakers attached to the sound card. I never had any such problem before, and going back to gentoo-sources fixed it. I use alsa 0.9. I thought the bug could be related to it, so I tried both alsa 0.9rc6 and rc5, and also the kernel's oss, and still had the bug. I also tried running quake3 with the sound disabled, and it would hang for a couple of seconds once in a while as well. Moreover I don't have any problem with alsa (rc6 and previous versions) with gentoo-sources. I have a via kt266a/Athlon XP/Sb Live 5.1 card/768MB ram, and I use ~x86 I verfied this bug both on gentoo 1.4 ~x86 and debian sid (on another partition - kernel on debian was compiled with gcc 2.95). I put my .config there: http://fltawa.nerim.net/xyzzy/config.bz2 lspci -vv 00:00.0 Host bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8367 [KT266] 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 Region 0: Memory at d0000000 (32-bit, prefetchable) [size=128M] Capabilities: [a0] AGP version 2.0 Status: RQ=31 SBA+ 64bit- FW- Rate=x1,x2,x4 Command: RQ=0 SBA- AGP+ 64bit- FW- Rate=x4 Capabilities: [c0] Power Management version 2 Flags: PMEClk- DSI- D1- D2- AuxCurrent=0mA PME(D0-,D1-,D2-,D3hot-,D3cold-) Status: D0 PME-Enable- DSel=0 DScale=0 PME- 00:01.0 PCI bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8367 [KT266 AGP] (prog-if 00 [Normal decode]) 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 Bus: primary=00, secondary=01, subordinate=01, sec-latency=0 Memory behind bridge: e0000000-e1ffffff Prefetchable memory behind bridge: d8000000-dfffffff BridgeCtl: Parity- SERR- NoISA+ VGA+ MAbort- >Reset- FastB2B- Capabilities: [80] Power Management version 2 Flags: PMEClk- DSI- D1+ D2- AuxCurrent=0mA PME(D0-,D1-,D2-,D3hot-,D3cold-) Status: D0 PME-Enable- DSel=0 DScale=0 PME- 00:09.0 Multimedia video controller: Brooktree Corporation Bt848 Video Capture (rev 12) 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: 32 (4000ns min, 10000ns max) Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 12 Region 0: Memory at e3010000 (32-bit, prefetchable) [size=4K] 00:0a.0 Ethernet controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT6102 [Rhine-II] (rev 42) Subsystem: D-Link System Inc DFE-530TX rev B 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: 32 (750ns min, 2000ns max), cache line size 08 Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 10 Region 0: I/O ports at d000 [size=256] Region 1: Memory at e3011000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=256] Expansion ROM at <unassigned> [disabled] [size=64K] Capabilities: [40] Power Management version 2 Flags: PMEClk- DSI- D1+ D2+ AuxCurrent=0mA PME(D0+,D1+,D2+,D3hot+,D3cold+) Status: D0 PME-Enable+ DSel=0 DScale=0 PME- 00:0c.0 ATM network controller: SGS Thomson Microelectronics: Unknown device 0500 (rev 10) Subsystem: SGS Thomson Microelectronics: Unknown device a888 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: 252 (2250ns min, 10000ns max), cache line size 08 Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 10 Region 0: Memory at e3000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=64K] Capabilities: [dc] 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: [a0] Vital Product Data 00:0d.0 Multimedia audio controller: Creative Labs SB Live! EMU10k1 (rev 07) Subsystem: Creative Labs SBLive! Player 5.1 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: 32 (500ns min, 5000ns max) Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 11 Region 0: I/O ports at d400 [size=32] Capabilities: [dc] 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- 00:0d.1 Input device controller: Creative Labs SB Live! MIDI/Game Port (rev 07) Subsystem: Creative Labs Gameport Joystick 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: 32 Region 0: I/O ports at d800 [size=8] Capabilities: [dc] 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- 00:11.0 ISA bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8233 PCI to ISA Bridge Subsystem: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8233 PCI to ISA Bridge 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 Capabilities: [c0] Power Management version 2 Flags: PMEClk- DSI- D1- D2- AuxCurrent=0mA PME(D0-,D1-,D2-,D3hot-,D3cold-) Status: D0 PME-Enable- DSel=0 DScale=0 PME- 00:11.1 IDE interface: VIA Technologies, Inc. Bus Master IDE (rev 06) (prog-if 8a [Master SecP PriP]) Subsystem: VIA Technologies, Inc. Bus Master IDE 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: 32 Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 0 Region 4: I/O ports at dc00 [size=16] Capabilities: [c0] Power Management version 2 Flags: PMEClk- DSI- D1- D2- AuxCurrent=0mA PME(D0-,D1-,D2-,D3hot-,D3cold-) Status: D0 PME-Enable- DSel=0 DScale=0 PME- 00:11.2 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. USB (rev 1b) (prog-if 00 [UHCI]) Subsystem: VIA Technologies, Inc. (Wrong ID) USB 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: 32, cache line size 08 Interrupt: pin D routed to IRQ 11 Region 4: I/O ports at e000 [size=32] Capabilities: [80] Power Management version 2 Flags: PMEClk- DSI- D1- D2- AuxCurrent=0mA PME(D0-,D1-,D2-,D3hot-,D3cold-) Status: D0 PME-Enable- DSel=0 DScale=0 PME- 00:11.3 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. USB (rev 1b) (prog-if 00 [UHCI]) Subsystem: VIA Technologies, Inc. (Wrong ID) USB 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: 32, cache line size 08 Interrupt: pin D routed to IRQ 11 Region 4: I/O ports at e400 [size=32] Capabilities: [80] Power Management version 2 Flags: PMEClk- DSI- D1- D2- AuxCurrent=0mA PME(D0-,D1-,D2-,D3hot-,D3cold-) Status: D0 PME-Enable- DSel=0 DScale=0 PME- 00:11.5 Multimedia audio controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8233 AC97 Audio Controller (rev 30) Subsystem: Unknown device 1695:3004 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 C routed to IRQ 10 Region 0: I/O ports at ec00 [size=256] Capabilities: [c0] Power Management version 2 Flags: PMEClk- DSI- D1- D2- AuxCurrent=0mA PME(D0-,D1-,D2-,D3hot-,D3cold-) Status: D0 PME-Enable- DSel=0 DScale=0 PME- 01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation NV11 [GeForce2 MX] (rev a1) (prog-if 00 [VGA]) Subsystem: LeadTek Research Inc.: Unknown device 2830 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: 248 (1250ns min, 250ns max) Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 11 Region 0: Memory at e0000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16M] Region 1: Memory at d8000000 (32-bit, prefetchable) [size=128M] Expansion ROM at <unassigned> [disabled] [size=64K] 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=0 PME- Capabilities: [44] AGP version 2.0 Status: RQ=31 SBA- 64bit- FW+ Rate=x1,x2,x4 Command: RQ=31 SBA- AGP+ 64bit- FW- Rate=x4 root@bruce-lee:~# hdparm -Tt /dev/hda1 /dev/hda1: Timing buffer-cache reads: 128 MB in 0.43 seconds =297.67 MB/sec Timing buffered disk reads: 64 MB in 1.59 seconds = 40.25 MB/sec root@bruce-lee:~# hdparm -Tt /dev/hdd1 /dev/hdd1: Timing buffer-cache reads: 128 MB in 0.45 seconds =284.44 MB/sec Timing buffered disk reads: 64 MB in 5.30 seconds = 12.08 MB/sec
try to enable the PREEMPT option and MTRR
as martin said, check that preempt, lowlat, mtrr and such are enabled in the kernel, also please upgrade to the latest _rc3 kernel, there have been some important performance changes since _rc1
It turned out that the freezes were coming from the drivers for my pci adsl modem conflicting in my case with my sound card, but only with 2.4.20. I didn't think it could come from there at first for these drivers had always worked fine and are opensource. I'm now discussing the matter with the linux driver developper from the dsl modem company. All my appologies for reporting an invalid bug :/ Btw I had preempt and mtrr turned on, and I guess that even without them mp3 playback should be smooth on an athlon xp with 0% cpu load and barely 35 processes running :p Sorry again for the inappropriate bug report; I checked later with vanilla 2.4.20 and had the same issues, so it really had nothing to do with lolo-sources
