Performance and stability issues with multiple video games

[montaropdf]

Hello,

I have installed Kubuntu years ago, starting with Kubuntu 22.04, then upgrading to 24.04. Since the beginning I suffered performance issues and software instabilities, both with native games and Windows games over proton.

Until know I was getting along, mainly because I was not motiviated investigating the issue. However, recently I get back to a game called Space Engineer. It was one of those games getting performance issues and instabilities. However these days it is unbearable. I even got an instance were my PC switch off instantly while starting the game. When I say instantly, it was like removing the power cable.

According to people playing this game on linux like me, I should suffer no performance issue with my current hardware.

With a game like rimworld, I suffer performance drops once my colony reach a relatively average size.
I am following a streamer with a configuration similar to mine. He plays on Windows and I never see him having any performance issue.


So, now, I am searching for any help, including kubuntu documentation that can help improving the performance of my PC, or at least help diagnose the issue.

I tried XFCE, but the DE/WM does not seems to be the culprit, except if I missed some settings to modify.

Since it is a performance issue, I am posting here but I am not sure it is the right part of the forum.

My system:

OS: Ubuntu 24.04.2 LTS x86_64
Host: B550 GAMING X
Kernel: 6.8.0-62-generic
Shell: bash 5.2.21
Resolution: 3840x2160
DE: Xfce 4.18
WM: Xfwm4
WM Theme: Default
Theme: Greybird [GTK2], Emacs [GTK3]
Icons: elementary-xfce-dark [GTK2], Papirus [GTK3]
Terminal: xfce4-terminal
Terminal Font: Monospace 12
CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 3800XT (16) @ 3.900GHz
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070
Memory: 32032MiB

[skyfishgoo]

i would upgrade to the HWE kernel

# to ensure all the correct updates are received
sudo apt install --install-recommends linux-generic-hwe-24.04​

and i would run

ubuntu-drivers devices​

to make sure that you are using the "recommended" driver for that device.

[montaropdf]

After installing the package and running the command you suggest, after a reboot this is what I have:

roland@singularity:~$ sudo -i ubuntu-drivers devices
udevadm hwdb is deprecated. Use systemd-hwdb instead.
udevadm hwdb is deprecated. Use systemd-hwdb instead.
udevadm hwdb is deprecated. Use systemd-hwdb instead.
udevadm hwdb is deprecated. Use systemd-hwdb instead.
udevadm hwdb is deprecated. Use systemd-hwdb instead.
udevadm hwdb is deprecated. Use systemd-hwdb instead.
udevadm hwdb is deprecated. Use systemd-hwdb instead.
udevadm hwdb is deprecated. Use systemd-hwdb instead.
udevadm hwdb is deprecated. Use systemd-hwdb instead.
udevadm hwdb is deprecated. Use systemd-hwdb instead.
udevadm hwdb is deprecated. Use systemd-hwdb instead.
udevadm hwdb is deprecated. Use systemd-hwdb instead.
== /sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:03.1/0000:09:00.0 ==
modalias : pci:v000010DEd00002484sv00001458sd0000404Cbc03sc00 i00
vendor : NVIDIA Corporation
model : GA104 [GeForce RTX 3070]
driver : nvidia-driver-550 - distro non-free
driver : nvidia-driver-570 - distro non-free
driver : nvidia-driver-535-server - distro non-free
driver : nvidia-driver-535 - distro non-free
driver : nvidia-driver-570-server-open - distro non-free
driver : nvidia-driver-550-open - distro non-free
driver : nvidia-driver-470-server - distro non-free
driver : nvidia-driver-470 - distro non-free
driver : nvidia-driver-570-server - distro non-free
driver : nvidia-driver-535-open - distro non-free
driver : nvidia-driver-570-open - distro non-free recommended
driver : nvidia-driver-535-server-open - distro non-free
driver : xserver-xorg-video-nouveau - distro free builtin

1. Should I mind the message about udevadm? From some quick search on internet, it is not clear what to do about it.
2. following the use of this command I do a bit more search on my system and I discovered the following.

roland@singularity:~$ sudo -i apt list *nouveau* --installed
En train de lister... Fait
libdrm-nouveau2/noble-updates,now 2.4.122-1~ubuntu0.24.04.1 amd64 [installé, automatique]
xserver-xorg-video-nouveau/noble,now 1:1.0.17-2build1 amd64 [installé, automatique]

roland@singularity:~$ sudo -i apt list *nvidia* --installed
En train de lister... Fait
libnvidia-egl-wayland1/noble,now 1:1.1.13-1build1 amd64 [installé]
nvidia-prime/noble,noble,now 0.8.17.2 all [installé]

I am pretty sure that when I installed Kubuntu 22.04, that I pay attention to install the necessary nividia drivers, however, if I read the output above,correctly, it seems I use the nouveau driver. This could explain the poor performance and the possible instabilities I experience.

The following seems to confirm that:

roland@singularity:~$ lsmod | grep nouveau
nouveau 3108864 64
mxm_wmi 12288 1 nouveau
drm_gpuvm 45056 1 nouveau
drm_exec 12288 2 drm_gpuvm,nouveau
gpu_sched 61440 1 nouveau
drm_ttm_helper 16384 2 nouveau
ttm 110592 2 drm_ttm_helper,nouveau
drm_display_helper 278528 1 nouveau
i2c_algo_bit 16384 1 nouveau
video 77824 1 nouveau
wmi 28672 5 video,gigabyte_wmi,wmi_bmof,mxm_wmi,nouveau

So, can I "blindly" install "nvidia-driver-570 - distro non-free" with a command like "sudo -i ubuntu-drivers install nvidia-driver:570"?

[claydoh]

You don't need sudo for all apt comnands, just when installing)removing and similar actions you can skip up when using it for informational actions.

You also don't need to use "-i" normally .

Unless you see "Error" or "warning" the messaging is mainly informational. Nothing is broken.

You can use the Driver Manager to install the recommended driver as well. This choice iirc is what Nvidia suggests.

On the command line ubuntu-drivers autoinstall or ubuntu-drivers install (With no package specified) installs the recommended item

[skyfishgoo]

yes, you want the nvidia-driver-570-open - distro non-free

just go to settings, driver manager, additional drivers and pick it from the list

you will need to reboot after.

[montaropdf]

You don't need sudo for all apt comnands, just when installing)removing and similar actions you can skip up when using it for informational actions.

You also don't need to use "-i" normally .

Unless you see "Error" or "warning" the messaging is mainly informational. Nothing is broken.

You can use the Driver Manager to install the recommended driver as well. This choice iirc is what Nvidia suggests.

On the command line ubuntu-drivers autoinstall or ubuntu-drivers install (With no package specified) installs the recommended item

Regarding apt, I know I don't need it sudo for all commands, like for the use of the -i option, I use it out of habit.

Thanks for the command to update the drivers. I have decided to do it from the GUI, this time.

I will keep you updated once I have performed a few test.

[claydoh]

Regarding apt, I know I don't need it sudo for all commands, like for the use of the -i option, I use it out of habit.

If you use sudo -i by itself, it switches you to being "root" until you exit. Then , you don't need to use sudo all the time, then exit when you are finished admin tasks.
otherwise the -i is useless. The terminal is a bit like a scalpel in a surgeon's hand, so cutting less, and less deeply, is a better habit, imnsho,

claydoh@cubist:~$ sudo -i
[sudo] password for claydoh:
root@cubist:~#

It is a good habit to NOT use sudo when not necessary -- when not performing an actual action that changes things at the system level, for example. A LOT safer, fewer accidents. I speak from mucho experience.

[montaropdf]

With the nvidia driver loaded, I experience way less crashes and lags with Space Engineer and Rimworld seems a bit more fluid. The latter don't make much use of the graphics card functionalities, but I suppose it never hurts to use the appropriate driver.

Except `lsmod`, does anyone knows of tools that could show me the nvidia driver is used and the card is used as it should?

claydoh do not spend to much time describing the `sudo` command, I don´t think you will change my way of approaching this command, but thank you for the explanation. In more than 25 years in the IT, I have seen (and created) countless horrors. So, just to be sure I have the right environment loaded, I use the `-i` switch all the time, when I need to execute a commands needing root or a particular user's privileges.

[claydoh]

claydoh do not spend to much time describing the `sudo` command, I don´t think you will change my way of approaching this command, but thank you for the explanation. In more than 25 years in the IT, I have seen (and created) countless horrors. So, just to be sure I have the right environment loaded, I use the `-i` switch all the time, when I need to execute a commands needing root or a particular user's privileges.

Apologies, no offense is intended.
I didn't necessarily mention this specifically for you, but as much as for other people, who might perhaps trigger 'root' using this mode and forget to exit, run some desktop app from there, and suddenly have various files in $HOME owned by root. Still happens even in modern times, in my 25 years experience. In my case, some arthritis in my pinkies and stray taps lol

[montaropdf]

Stray taps?

Is this an obscure reference to your felis catus overlord?

I hope your arthritis is not causing to much pain an trouble in your day to day life. I am fortunate enough to not suffering from it so far, or it is negligible.


I didn't take your explanation as an offense, don't worry.

Anyway, on the graphics performance front, especially for video games, I can confirm it has improved.

For most of the "heavy" games I tested, I was able to significantly increase the graphics quality and for the others, at the very least, they are more stable, Space Engineer is a good example in this case.