Ubuntu
libreoffice package

memory leak in xorg-server 2:1.20.9-2ubuntu1.2~20.04.2

Bug #1930641 reported by Jan Newmarch on 2021-06-03

This bug affects 1 person

Affects		Status	Importance	Assigned to	Milestone
	libreoffice (Ubuntu)	New	Undecided	Unassigned
	xorg-server (Ubuntu)	Invalid	Undecided	Unassigned

Bug Description

Progressive memory leak in Xorg. With 16Gb RAM, memory use increases by about 1% each day according to top. Started at about 1%, now 24% after nearly 3 weeks. Video driver is i915, uname -m shows x86_64. Ubuntu 20.04, up to date as at 29 May 2021. HDMI connector.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 20.04
Package: xorg 1:7.7+19ubuntu14
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 5.4.0-73.82-generic 5.4.106
Uname: Linux 5.4.0-73-generic x86_64
.tmp.unity_support_test.0:

ApportVersion: 2.20.11-0ubuntu27.18
Architecture: amd64
BootLog:

CasperMD5CheckResult: skip
CompositorRunning: None
CurrentDesktop: GNOME-Flashback:GNOME
Date: Thu Jun 3 11:06:35 2021
DistUpgraded: 2021-04-26 20:35:01,095 ERROR got error from PostInstallScript ./xorg_fix_proprietary.py (g-exec-error-quark: Failed to execute child process “./xorg_fix_proprietary.py” (No such file or directory) (8))
DistroCodename: focal
DistroVariant: ubuntu
DkmsStatus:
virtualbox, 6.1.16, 5.4.0-73-generic, x86_64: installed
virtualbox-guest, 6.1.16, 5.4.0-73-generic, x86_64: installed (WARNING! Diff between built and installed module!) (WARNING! Diff between built and installed module!)
ExtraDebuggingInterest: Yes
GraphicsCard:
Intel Corporation HD Graphics 5500 [8086:1616] (rev 09) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
Subsystem: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd HD Graphics 5500 [1458:1000]
InstallationDate: Installed on 2017-05-31 (1463 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 17.04 "Zesty Zapus" - Release amd64 (20170412)
MachineType: GIGABYTE GB-BXi7-5500
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-5.4.0-73-generic root=UUID=6999d6bd-6356-4df2-b056-032c25b2dd60 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
SourcePackage: xorg
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to focal on 2021-04-26 (37 days ago)
dmi.bios.date: 12/05/2014
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: F2
dmi.board.asset.tag: To be filled by O.E.M.
dmi.board.name: MQLP7AP-00
dmi.board.vendor: GIGABYTE
dmi.board.version: 1.x
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.chassis.type: 3
dmi.chassis.vendor: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.chassis.version: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvrF2:bd12/05/2014:svnGIGABYTE:pnGB-BXi7-5500:pvr1.x:rvnGIGABYTE:rnMQLP7AP-00:rvr1.x:cvnToBeFilledByO.E.M.:ct3:cvrToBeFilledByO.E.M.:
dmi.product.family: To be filled by O.E.M.
dmi.product.name: GB-BXi7-5500
dmi.product.sku: To be filled by O.E.M.
dmi.product.version: 1.x
dmi.sys.vendor: GIGABYTE
version.compiz: compiz 1:0.9.14.1+20.04.20200211-0ubuntu1
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.102-1ubuntu1~20.04.1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 20.2.6-0ubuntu0.20.04.1
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx 20.2.6-0ubuntu0.20.04.1
version.xserver-xorg-core: xserver-xorg-core 2:1.20.9-2ubuntu1.2~20.04.2
version.xserver-xorg-input-evdev: xserver-xorg-input-evdev N/A
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:19.1.0-1
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.99.917+git20200226-1
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:1.0.16-1

Tags:

Revision history for this message

Jan Newmarch (jan-newmarch) wrote on 2021-06-03:

CurrentDmesg.txt Edit (259.6 KiB, text/plain; charset="utf-8")
Dependencies.txt Edit (24.2 KiB, text/plain; charset="utf-8")
DpkgLog.txt Edit (14.4 KiB, text/plain; charset="utf-8")
Lspci.txt Edit (10.1 KiB, text/plain; charset="utf-8")
Lspci-vt.txt Edit (925 bytes, text/plain; charset="utf-8")
Lsusb.txt Edit (585 bytes, text/plain; charset="utf-8")
Lsusb-t.txt Edit (981 bytes, text/plain; charset="utf-8")
Lsusb-v.txt Edit (46.9 KiB, text/plain; charset="utf-8")
MonitorsUser.xml.txt Edit (30.8 KiB, text/plain; charset="utf-8")
ProcCpuinfo.txt Edit (4.8 KiB, text/plain; charset="utf-8")
ProcCpuinfoMinimal.txt Edit (1.2 KiB, text/plain; charset="utf-8")
ProcEnviron.txt Edit (334 bytes, text/plain; charset="utf-8")
ProcInterrupts.txt Edit (2.9 KiB, text/plain; charset="utf-8")
ProcModules.txt Edit (5.7 KiB, text/plain; charset="utf-8")
UdevDb.txt Edit (206.0 KiB, text/plain; charset="utf-8")
UnitySupportTest.txt Edit (611 bytes, text/plain; charset="utf-8")
XorgLog.txt Edit (33.7 KiB, text/plain; charset="utf-8")
Xrandr.txt Edit (9.8 KiB, text/plain; charset="utf-8")
acpidump.txt Edit (555.0 KiB, text/plain; charset="utf-8")
xdpyinfo.txt Edit (122.1 KiB, text/plain; charset="utf-8")

Revision history for this message

Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt) wrote on 2021-06-03:

Thanks for the bug report. Memory leaks in the Xorg process are usually the fault of an application. Because in X11 the server owns the resources created by applications, and any leaks will appear in the server process 'Xorg'.

To help track down any offending applications, please run this command while the leak is happening:

xrestop

and it will show the applications causing the most memory usage in Xorg.

affects:	xorg (Ubuntu) → xorg-server (Ubuntu)
Changed in xorg-server (Ubuntu):
status:	New → Incomplete

Revision history for this message

Jan Newmarch (jan-newmarch) wrote on 2021-06-03:

xrestop - Display: localhost
Monitoring 44 clients. XErrors: 0
Pixmaps: 708248K total, Other: 120K total, All: 708369K total

res-base Wins 4600000 41 1800000 18 0c00000 4000000 3600000 0000000 6400000 4200000 29 2c00000 23 4a00000 3000000 2400000 14 3800000 2800000 2e00000 3400000 2000000 2600000 0a00000 5400000 5200000 4e00000 4c00000 4800000 4400000 3a00000 3200000 2a00000 ... GCs Fnts Pxms Misc Pxm mem Other Total PID Identifier
4 1 139 648 475983K 17K 476000K 192487 LibreOffice 6.4
5 2 20 1428 119656K 36K 119692K 190524 metacity
8 4 1 30 383 43461K 10K 43471K 190467 gnome-flashback
0 1 0 5 17 24462K 432B 24463K ? <unknown>
3 0 1 0 22 12231K 1K 12233K ? Chromium clipboard
2 0 2 0 147 10800K 5K 10805K ? <unknown>
0 0 0 1 0 10800K 0B 10800K ? <unknown>
5 1 9 395 4001K 11K 4012K 192208 evolution
2 1 1 70 3368K 3K 3371K ? Qt Selection Owner for VirtualBox
4 4 1 2 248 1950K 7K 1957K 247305 pavucontrol
7 3 1 6 284 1161K 7K 1169K 191186 Terminal
4 0 4 284 248K 7K 255K 190649 Panel
5 4 0 24 176 124K 4K 128K 191260 chrome
2 3 0 0 48 5B 1K 1K 191201 update-notifier
1 1 1 0 8 0B 1K 1K ? Qt Selection Owner for kdeconnectd
1 1 1 0 6 0B 1K 1K ? <unknown>
3 1 0 0 13 0B 408B 408B 190623 ibus-x11
1 1 0 0 9 0B 264B 264B 190668 nm-applet
2 1 0 0 8 0B 264B 264B 190468 gnome-flashback-clipboard
1 1 0 0 8 0B 240B 240B 336471 xdg-desktop-portal-gtk
1 1 0 0 8 0B 240B 240B 580778 VirtualBox
1 1 0 0 8 0B 240B 240B 312045 WebKitWebProcess
1 1 0 0 8 0B 240B 240B 291315 WebKitWebProcess
1 1 0 0 8 0B 240B 240B 291316 WebKitWebProcess
1 1 0 0 8 0B 240B 240B 192244 WebKitWebProcess
1 1 0 0 8 0B 240B 240B 343635 dropbox
1 1 0 0 8 0B 240B 240B 190703 kdeconnectd
1 1 0 0 8 0B 240B 240B 190700 evolution-alarm-notify

xrestop - Display: localhost
          Monitoring 44 clients. XErrors: 0
          Pixmaps:  708248K total, Other:     120K total, All:  708369K total

res-base Wins  GCs Fnts Pxms Misc   Pxm mem  Other   Total   PID Identifier    
4600000    41    4    1  139  648   475983K     17K 476000K 192487 LibreOffice 6.4
1800000    18    5    2   20 1428   119656K     36K 119692K 190524 metacity
0c00000     8    4    1   30  383    43461K     10K  43471K 190467 gnome-flashback
4000000     0    1    0    5   17    24462K    432B  24463K   ?   <unknown>
3600000     3    0    1    0   22    12231K      1K  12233K   ?   Chromium clipboard
0000000     2    0    2    0  147    10800K      5K  10805K   ?   <unknown>
6400000     0    0    0    1    0    10800K      0B  10800K   ?   <unknown>
4200000    29    5    1    9  395     4001K     11K   4012K 192208 evolution
2c00000    23    2    1    1   70     3368K      3K   3371K   ?   Qt Selection Owner for VirtualBox
4a00000     4    4    1    2  248     1950K      7K   1957K 247305 pavucontrol
3000000     7    3    1    6  284     1161K      7K   1169K 191186 Terminal
2400000    14    4    0    4  284      248K      7K    255K 190649 Panel
3800000     5    4    0   24  176      124K      4K    128K 191260 chrome
2800000     2    3    0    0   48        5B      1K      1K 191201 update-notifier
2e00000     1    1    1    0    8        0B      1K      1K   ?   Qt Selection Owner for kdeconnectd
3400000     1    1    1    0    6        0B      1K      1K   ?   <unknown>
2000000     3    1    0    0   13        0B    408B    408B 190623 ibus-x11
2600000     1    1    0    0    9        0B    264B    264B 190668 nm-applet
0a00000     2    1    0    0    8        0B    264B    264B 190468 gnome-flashback-clipboard
5400000     1    1    0    0    8        0B    240B    240B 336471 xdg-desktop-portal-gtk
5200000     1    1    0    0    8        0B    240B    240B 580778 VirtualBox
4e00000     1    1    0    0    8        0B    240B    240B 312045 WebKitWebProcess
4c00000     1    1    0    0    8        0B    240B    240B 291315 WebKitWebProcess
4800000     1    1    0    0    8        0B    240B    240B 291316 WebKitWebProcess
4400000     1    1    0    0    8        0B    240B    240B 192244 WebKitWebProcess
3a00000     1    1    0    0    8        0B    240B    240B 343635 dropbox
3200000     1    1    0    0    8        0B    240B    240B 190703 kdeconnectd
2a00000     1    1    0    0    8        0B    240B    240B 190700 evolution-alarm-notify
...

Revision history for this message

Jan Newmarch (jan-newmarch) wrote on 2021-06-06:

I restarted the server, monitored it for a few days. The results were inconclusive, so doing more careful logging over a longer period to see if I can find a clear culprit :-)

Revision history for this message

Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt) wrote on 2021-06-08:

LibreOffice looks like the main offender.

Revision history for this message

Jan Newmarch (jan-newmarch) wrote on 2021-06-08:

i don't think it is libreoffice. I last restarted X 4 days ago, and memory usage has gone from under 1% to 8%. Libreoffice has stayed unchanged at 459376K total (with 2 docs open). metacity has grown but not conclusively. So I'll give it another week

Revision history for this message

Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt) wrote on 2021-06-08:

It might also be the compositor/WM causing leaks in Xorg. Certainly 'metacity' is second in your list, but it is meant to use a lot of memory because it has to keep copies of all windows. To check to see if it's the cause you would need to log into a different desktop environment that's not Flashback.

Revision history for this message

Jan Newmarch (jan-newmarch) wrote on 2021-06-17:

Well, it's not libreoffice nor evolution mail client. And I also tried Unity with X instead of fallback, no better, so it doesn't look like metacity. I'll try more experiments tomorrow

Revision history for this message

Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt) wrote on 2021-06-21:

Sounds like you will need to "bisect" the issue. That means:

* Log in with no apps running and see if the same problem occurs.

* Log in with half the apps running and see if the same problem occurs.

* Log in again with a quarter of the apps running and see if the problem still occurs...

Revision history for this message

Jan Newmarch (jan-newmarch) wrote on 2021-06-21:

#10

Yes, and since it could be the desktop env, the gnome terninal, anywhere really, I'm going to try real primitive: Tom's Window Mgr (twm) with an xterm.

Jan Newmarch (jan-newmarch) on 2021-06-25

Changed in xorg-server (Ubuntu):
status:	Incomplete → Invalid

Revision history for this message

Jan Newmarch (jan-newmarch) wrote on 2021-06-25:

#11

I swapped my environment (gnome-fallback, chromium-browser, evolution, libreoffice, gnome-terminal) for a vanilla env of ctwm, xterm and firefox. After 4 days the memory usage stayed at 0.6%. Confirm that it is not a bug in xorg but in one of the other apps, as suggested by Daniel. So I need to check all other apps to see which one is causing the memory use and report it to the offending one. I've changed the status of this bug report to invalid. Thanks Daniel!

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Ubuntulibreoffice package

memory leak in xorg-server 2:1.20.9-2ubuntu1.2~20.04.2

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Ubuntu
libreoffice package