3D programs really slow with Intel 82G33/G31 graphics card on Debian Sid

Hungry ghost · 03-28-2015, 06:51 PM

Hi guys,

I'm using Debian Sid on a desktop that used to have an Nvidia card and an integrated Intel graphics card (82G33/G31 Express). Since the Nvidia card started giving problems (possibly got burnt), I removed it and enabled the integrated Intel card. I also uninstalled every nvidia-related package and installed the following packages: i965-va-driver, libdrm-intel1, xserver-xorg-video-intel, libgl1-mesa-glx, libglu1-mesa.

However, programs like Google Earth and Flight Gear simulator run very slowly, at the point that they can't be used. When I run glxgears I get 59.971 FPS (not sure if it's OK, but the gears' movement looks fine).

Relevant part of the lspci -k output:

Code:

00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation 82G33/G31 Express Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 10)
        Subsystem: ASRock Incorporation Device 29c2
        Kernel driver in use: i915

There aren't any errors in /var/log/Xorg.0.log. Also, according to glxinfo, direct rendering is enabled.

Not sure if the poor performance is just a limitation of my graphics card or a configuration problem. In any case, would be useful to know where the problem is and whether it has a fix.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Head_on_a_Stick · 03-28-2015, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by odiseo77

When I run glxgears I get 59.971 FPS

In Debian, the glxgears output is synced to the display refresh rate so the command doesn't really measure the system's graphics performance.

I have an Intel HD4600 and the performance of the i915 driver is less than stellar so I think your problem may just be due to that.

Hopefully someone will prove me wrong...

Hungry ghost · 03-28-2015, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Head_on_a_Stick

In Debian, the glxgears output is synced to the display refresh rate so the command doesn't really measure the system's graphics performance.

I have an Intel HD4600 and the performance of the i915 driver is less than stellar so I think your problem may just be due to that.

I see. Thanks for letting me know.

Found this a while ago (it's a bit old though). Not sure if it will work, but I'll give it a try and post back my results.

Cheers.

veerain · 03-30-2015, 12:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by odiseo77

Not sure if the poor performance is just a limitation of my graphics card.

Yes. It is a limitation of your Intel graphics chip. But newer kernels, xorg-drivers and mesa3d have many performance improvements for Intel Graphics.

You may try and test atleast with LiveCD/DVD.

Hungry ghost · 03-30-2015, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by veerain

Yes. It is a limitation of your Intel graphics chip. But newer kernels, xorg-drivers and mesa3d have many performance improvements for Intel Graphics.

You may try and test atleast with LiveCD/DVD.

Well, I guess I'll have to wait and see if these improvements work for my card or buy a new one (I'm planning to buy a new desktop in the next few months anyway). I'll try a live CD to see how it works.

BTW, I tried the steps suggested in the link I posted before and after restarting X, the KDE resolution dropped to about 800x600. So, I went back to my previous config.

Thanks for your help, guys. I'm not marking this as solved because the problem doesn't seem to have a solution (at least, not at the moment). Anyway, it's useful to know there's not much I can do, so I can stop fiddling around this.