Linux 6.1.19 LTS & 6.2.6 Released With AMD System Stuttering Workaround

[ClosedSource]

I recommend to just disable TPM in BIOS, most linux users won't or can't use it anyway.

This is very vague. It works very well. I've been using it since lk 5.4 days.
Are you trying to say you don't like it or do you have some statistic that shows usage is very low?

[Mitch]

I'm glad they backported this. I think I've experienced these pauses myself, and I don't know when I can expect the real fix to land. I'm so confused already about the whole firmware stack. There's AGESA, which has confusing version numbering and no changelogs, my motherboard and its BIOS updates, and the Linux firmware stuff.

I'm guessing it's AGESA that'll fix the underlying problems, and that'll get to me through BIOS updates, but I'm unable to even use the latest BIOS right now because my mobo refuses it. Many people with my board say it's borked anyways. I'm sure it'll get worked out in time.

[loganj]

i wonder if this will fix the stutters i have since 6.2.x. i don't know what went wrong there but all my games started to stutter so badly

[kn00tcn]

I'm so confused already about the whole firmware stack. There's AGESA, which has confusing version numbering and no changelogs, my motherboard and its BIOS updates, and the Linux firmware stuff.

bios updates contain things the mobo needs to start along with its settings or capabilities, including AGESA which is the bulk of amd's cpu/chipset stuff, and one could potentially mod a bios file to update AGESA manually

(EDIT: the AGESA versions are confusing until you notice that they're prefixed or suffixed by a zen generation codename, each one resetting the number)

linux-firmware is mostly to use every other device such as networking, accelerated graphics, and maybe some cpu microcode updates

since linux-firmware is after booting, it's basically optional in a lot of cases, for example a server with an apu wouldnt need graphics firmware if it's only used to serve files

i wonder if this will fix the stutters i have since 6.2.x. i don't know what went wrong there but all my games started to stutter so badly

i thought this tpm stutter issue is more of a massive freeze once in a while, not a constant stutter, not limited to 6.2.x

what governor? any power cpu or pcie saving modes enabled? are clockspeeds fluctuating? is max cpu or gpu load being hit? did a cpu mitigation change or cause problems?

[Mitch]

bios updates contain things the mobo needs to start along with its settings or capabilities, including AGESA which is the bulk of amd's cpu/chipset stuff, and one could potentially mod a bios file to update AGESA manually

(EDIT: the AGESA versions are confusing until you notice that they're prefixed or suffixed by a zen generation codename, each one resetting the number)

linux-firmware is mostly to use every other device such as networking, accelerated graphics, and maybe some cpu microcode updates

since linux-firmware is after booting, it's basically optional in a lot of cases, for example a server with an apu wouldnt need graphics firmware if it's only used to serve files





i thought this tpm stutter issue is more of a massive freeze once in a while, not a constant stutter, not limited to 6.2.x

what governor? any power cpu or pcie saving modes enabled? are clockspeeds fluctuating? is max cpu or gpu load being hit? did a cpu mitigation change or cause problems?

I think I was getting this massive freeze. It happened 100 percent of the time after logging into my Linux desktop. I haven't exactly noticed it lately, but it's possible it happens at some other time during startup, which is harder to notice since it's before I can interact. My mouse, keyboard (even the caps lock light toggling), and all visuals were totally stopped for several seconds whenever this happened. I think it might've also happened at other times, like on Windows, but I wasn't keeping an eye out forout. I have a 7950x

[kn00tcn]

earlier in the thread anux said to disable anyway, that most users wont notice, but some laptops have little to no options (and/or win11 insists on tpm right)

I think I was getting this massive freeze. It happened 100 percent of the time after logging into my Linux desktop. I haven't exactly noticed it lately, but it's possible it happens at some other time during startup, which is harder to notice since it's before I can interact. My mouse, keyboard (even the caps lock light toggling), and all visuals were totally stopped for several seconds whenever this happened. I think it might've also happened at other times, like on Windows, but I wasn't keeping an eye out forout. I have a 7950x

does disabling TPM (or was it specifically fTPM) in bios 'fix' the freezes? that or your mobo is having a terrible launch period, new bioses refuse to install?

possible ideas: disable pcie power management, disable gen5 if possible, disable SAM/reBAR, disable 4g, at least to see if anything changes with freezes

[stiiixy]

i wonder if this will fix the stutters i have since 6.2.x. i don't know what went wrong there but all my games started to stutter so badly

Wierd; I actually found the opposite on my wee Ryzen 4650G. I'm still plonking along in Manjaro's rc8.

Should be a big update in the next week hopefully.

Also, I'm running a pretty bog-standard system without any extra system configs. Too busy elsewheres to 'play'.

[Mitch]

earlier in the thread anux said to disable anyway, that most users wont notice, but some laptops have little to no options (and/or win11 insists on tpm right)



does disabling TPM (or was it specifically fTPM) in bios 'fix' the freezes? that or your mobo is having a terrible launch period, new bioses refuse to install?

possible ideas: disable pcie power management, disable gen5 if possible, disable SAM/reBAR, disable 4g, at least to see if anything changes with freezes

I haven't tried any of that because I wasn't sure what was causing it. If I see it and can reproduce it, I'll try turning off TPM first and see what that does

[loganj]

kn00tcn for me it started to stutter only from 6.2.x. also i have TPM disable since 5.xx.x (don't remember). probably thats why i never notice stutters with earlie kernels.

[Anux]

This is very vague. It works very well. I've been using it since lk 5.4 days.
Are you trying to say you don't like it or do you have some statistic that shows usage is very low?

I simply don't trust it, encryption keys stored on the same device is just stupid. I know it adds a little security for certain cases (we use bitlocker at work), but for me a simple LUKS encryption of everything takes care of defending against thiefs or the police trying to find evidence for whatever. If the criminal agencys of our country wan't my data tpm ain't going to stop them.

does disabling TPM (or was it specifically fTPM) in bios 'fix' the freezes?

Yes fTPM it is. If the bios doesn't allow disabling it, there may be a way to disable it with kernel options? Or just wait for the fix to come. :/