Troubleshooting and resolving FPS drop in games
https://askubuntu.com/questions/1500347/troubleshooting-and-resolving-fps-drop-in-games
My desktop running Ubuntu 22.04.3 LTS is having FPS issues lately. On games from both ,Steam and GoG, my FPS have dropped significantly. Table Top Simulator was at least 60 FPS now its 10 in the menu and worse from there.
Rimworld, which I have downloaded from GoG, now runs noticeably slower as well. In addition, the PC doesn't seem to wake it after I suspend it. Everything lights up, but no UI or anything is shown. I have to restart the computer.
So this is either a hardware issue or an OS/version/Drivers based issue from what I can tell.
How should I go about testing the GPU to confirm whether it is failing?
How should I go about seeing if an updated affected my FPS?
I have a GeForce GTX 960, using the Nvidia-driver-535 drivers (the latest, from what I can tell, and what I believe I've used for a while)
Other useful information:
Ubuntu 22.04.3 LTS
cpu: AMD Ryzen 5 5600 6-Core Processor
Board: TUF GAMING B550M-PLUS (WI-FI)
Storage: SSD
If any additional information is needed, please let me know
Edit: I'm using Xorg based on an output of X11 from running echo $XDG_SESSION_TYPE
Contents of /var/log/apt/history.log:
Commandline: aptdaemon role='role-commit-packages' sender=':1.118'
Upgrade: thunderbird:amd64 (1:115.5.0+build1-0ubuntu0.22.04.1, 1:115.6.0+build2-0ubuntu0.22.04.1), thunderbird-locale-en:amd64 (1:115.5.0+build1-0ubuntu0.22.04.1, 1:115.6.0+build2-0ubuntu0.22.04.1), thunderbird-locale-en-us:amd64 (1:115.5.0+build1-0ubuntu0.22.04.1, 1:115.6.0+build2-0ubuntu0.22.04.1), thunderbird-gnome-support:amd64 (1:115.5.0+build1-0ubuntu0.22.04.1, 1:115.6.0+build2-0ubuntu0.22.04.1)
End-Date: 2024-01-02 09:59:41
Start-Date: 2024-01-03 15:10:22
Commandline: aptdaemon role='role-commit-packages' sender=':1.122'
Upgrade: openssh-client:amd64 (1:8.9p1-3ubuntu0.5, 1:8.9p1-3ubuntu0.6), google-chrome-stable:amd64 (120.0.6099.129-1, 120.0.6099.199-1), libsqlite3-0:amd64 (3.37.2-2ubuntu0.1, 3.37.2-2ubuntu0.3)
End-Date: 2024-01-03 15:10:28
Start-Date: 2024-01-10 22:16:46
Commandline: aptdaemon role='role-commit-packages' sender=':1.121'
Install: nvidia-firmware-535-535.146.02:amd64 (535.146.02-0ubuntu0.22.04.1, automatic), linux-modules-extra-6.5.0-14-generic:amd64 (6.5.0-14.14~22.04.1, automatic), linux-objects-nvidia-535-6.5.0-14-generic:amd64 (6.5.0-14.14~22.04.1+4, automatic), linux-signatures-nvidia-6.5.0-14-generic:amd64 (6.5.0-14.14~22.04.1+4, automatic), linux-hwe-6.5-headers-6.5.0-14:amd64 (6.5.0-14.14~22.04.1, automatic), linux-modules-6.5.0-14-generic:amd64 (6.5.0-14.14~22.04.1, automatic), linux-image-6.5.0-14-generic:amd64 (6.5.0-14.14~22.04.1, automatic), linux-headers-6.5.0-14-generic:amd64 (6.5.0-14.14~22.04.1, automatic)
Upgrade: google-chrome-stable:amd64 (120.0.6099.199-1, 120.0.6099.216-1), linux-image-generic-hwe-22.04:amd64 (6.2.0.39.40~22.04.16, 6.5.0.14.14~22.04.7), software-properties-common:amd64 (0.99.22.8, 0.99.22.9), python3-software-properties:amd64 (0.99.22.8, 0.99.22.9), libc6:amd64 (2.35-0ubuntu3.5, 2.35-0ubuntu3.6), libc6:i386 (2.35-0ubuntu3.5, 2.35-0ubuntu3.6), locales:amd64 (2.35-0ubuntu3.5, 2.35-0ubuntu3.6), software-properties-gtk:amd64 (0.99.22.8, 0.99.22.9), linux-headers-generic-hwe-22.04:amd64 (6.2.0.39.40~22.04.16, 6.5.0.14.14~22.04.7), linux-generic-hwe-22.04:amd64 (6.2.0.39.40~22.04.16, 6.5.0.14.14~22.04.7), python3-distro-info:amd64 (1.1ubuntu0.1, 1.1ubuntu0.2), distro-info-data:amd64 (0.52ubuntu0.5, 0.52ubuntu0.6), linux-firmware:amd64 (20220329.git681281e4-0ubuntu3.23, 20220329.git681281e4-0ubuntu3.24), distro-info:amd64 (1.1ubuntu0.1, 1.1ubuntu0.2), libc-dev-bin:amd64 (2.35-0ubuntu3.5, 2.35-0ubuntu3.6), brave-browser:amd64 (1.61.109, 1.61.116), libc-bin:amd64 (2.35-0ubuntu3.5, 2.35-0ubuntu3.6), libc-devtools:amd64 (2.35-0ubuntu3.5, 2.35-0ubuntu3.6), libc6-dbg:amd64 (2.35-0ubuntu3.5, 2.35-0ubuntu3.6), libc6-dev:amd64 (2.35-0ubuntu3.5, 2.35-0ubuntu3.6)
End-Date: 2024-01-10 22:18:49
Start-Date: 2024-01-10 22:24:05
Commandline: aptdaemon role='role-commit-packages' sender=':1.121'
Remove: linux-modules-extra-6.2.0-37-generic:amd64 (6.2.0-37.38~22.04.1), linux-objects-nvidia-535-6.2.0-37-generic:amd64 (6.2.0-37.38~22.04.1), linux-hwe-6.2-headers-6.2.0-37:amd64 (6.2.0-37.38~22.04.1), linux-signatures-nvidia-6.2.0-37-generic:amd64 (6.2.0-37.38~22.04.1), linux-modules-6.2.0-37-generic:amd64 (6.2.0-37.38~22.04.1), linux-image-6.2.0-37-generic:amd64 (6.2.0-37.38~22.04.1), linux-headers-6.2.0-37-generic:amd64 (6.2.0-37.38~22.04.1), linux-modules-nvidia-535-6.2.0-37-generic:amd64 (6.2.0-37.38~22.04.1)
End-Date: 2024-01-10 22:24:14
Start-Date: 2024-01-11 16:59:34
Commandline: apt install mesa-utils
Requested-By: danny (1000)
Install: mesa-utils-bin:amd64 (8.4.0-1ubuntu1, automatic), mesa-utils:amd64 (8.4.0-1ubuntu1)
End-Date: 2024-01-11 16:59:35
Start-Date: 2024-01-16 20:54:22
Commandline: aptdaemon role='role-commit-packages' sender=':1.186'
Upgrade: update-manager:amd64 (1:22.04.10, 1:22.04.18), libctf-nobfd0:amd64 (2.38-4ubuntu2.4, 2.38-4ubuntu2.5), google-chrome-stable:amd64 (120.0.6099.216-1, 120.0.6099.224-1), xserver-xorg-core:amd64 (2:21.1.4-2ubuntu1.7~22.04.5, 2:21.1.4-2ubuntu1.7~22.04.7), libbinutils:amd64 (2.38-4ubuntu2.4, 2.38-4ubuntu2.5), transmission-gtk:amd64 (3.00-2ubuntu2, 3.00-2ubuntu2.1), gir1.2-javascriptcoregtk-4.0:amd64 (2.42.3-0ubuntu0.22.04.1, 2.42.4-0ubuntu0.22.04.1), binutils-x86-64-linux-gnu:amd64 (2.38-4ubuntu2.4, 2.38-4ubuntu2.5), gir1.2-webkit2-4.0:amd64 (2.42.3-0ubuntu0.22.04.1, 2.42.4-0ubuntu0.22.04.1), xserver-xorg-legacy:amd64 (2:21.1.4-2ubuntu1.7~22.04.5, 2:21.1.4-2ubuntu1.7~22.04.7), dnsmasq-base:amd64 (2.86-1.1ubuntu0.3, 2.86-1.1ubuntu0.4), xserver-common:amd64 (2:21.1.4-2ubuntu1.7~22.04.5, 2:21.1.4-2ubuntu1.7~22.04.7), xwayland:amd64 (2:22.1.1-1ubuntu0.9, 2:22.1.1-1ubuntu0.10), update-manager-core:amd64 (1:22.04.10, 1:22.04.18), libctf0:amd64 (2.38-4ubuntu2.4, 2.38-4ubuntu2.5), libjavascriptcoregtk-4.0-18:amd64 (2.42.3-0ubuntu0.22.04.1, 2.42.4-0ubuntu0.22.04.1), binutils-common:amd64 (2.38-4ubuntu2.4, 2.38-4ubuntu2.5), xserver-xephyr:amd64 (2:21.1.4-2ubuntu1.7~22.04.5, 2:21.1.4-2ubuntu1.7~22.04.7), python3-update-manager:amd64 (1:22.04.10, 1:22.04.18), transmission-common:amd64 (3.00-2ubuntu2, 3.00-2ubuntu2.1), libwebkit2gtk-4.0-37:amd64 (2.42.3-0ubuntu0.22.04.1, 2.42.4-0ubuntu0.22.04.1), binutils:amd64 (2.38-4ubuntu2.4, 2.38-4ubuntu2.5)
End-Date: 2024-01-16 20:54:32
Start-Date: 2024-01-16 21:13:44
Commandline: apt upgrade
Requested-By: danny (1000)
Upgrade: systemd-hwe-hwdb:amd64 (249.11.4, 249.11.5)
End-Date: 2024-01-16 21:13:45
Start-Date: 2024-01-16 21:23:00
Commandline: apt-get install lm-sensors
Requested-By: danny (1000)
Install: lm-sensors:amd64 (1:3.6.0-7ubuntu1)
End-Date: 2024-01-16 21:23:02
Start-Date: 2024-01-17 12:55:11
Commandline: aptdaemon role='role-commit-packages' sender=':1.199'
Upgrade: libpam-runtime:amd64 (1.4.0-11ubuntu2.3, 1.4.0-11ubuntu2.4), tzdata:amd64 (2023c-0ubuntu0.22.04.2, 2023d-0ubuntu0.22.04), libpam-modules:amd64 (1.4.0-11ubuntu2.3, 1.4.0-11ubuntu2.4), libpam-modules-bin:amd64 (1.4.0-11ubuntu2.3, 1.4.0-11ubuntu2.4), libpam0g:amd64 (1.4.0-11ubuntu2.3, 1.4.0-11ubuntu2.4), brave-browser:amd64 (1.61.116, 1.61.120)
End-Date: 2024-01-17 12:55:20
I know for sure that my computer was working fine on the 5th of January. By the 11th, I had noticed my FPS issues. Based on the above list of changes, I would suspect the change was to the nvidia-firmware done on 2024-01-10. I would need to figure out how to test, undoing that update to see if that caused the issue.
After looking online a bit more, it appears that nvidia-535-6.5.0-14 kernal is the problem. I rebooted my PC, and in the grub menu, selected the kernal before. My FPS are back to normal. That kernal version was added on 1/10 in my system which coincides with when I started to encounter issues. I'll be looking at steps for setting an alternative Kernal as default until a new kernal comes out. I'm not quite certain how to track when a new kernal comes out though, or if my OS would tell me (doubt it).