I915 glitches with Plasma and 3D games

[obdegirmenci]

I remember that my configuration was working well two years ago. Back then, I was using the i915g Mesa package from the AUR. At the beginning of 2024, I performed a clean installation using manjaro-kde-23.1.2-minimal-240102-linux66.iso, but I couldn’t find that package in the AUR anymore. As a result, I switched to using the default Mesa package.

Now, I am encountering graphical issues in OpenGL games since that installation.

FG:
No UI text.

   54.62 [WARN]:gui        shader compilation failed: 
"error: Exceeded max nr indirect texture lookups (5/4)\n"
   54.62 [WARN]:gui        QOpenGLShader::link: error: Exceeded max nr indirect texture lookups (5/4)

   54.62 [WARN]:gui        QOpenGLShaderProgram::uniformLocation(matrix): shader program is not linked
   54.62 [WARN]:gui        QOpenGLShaderProgram::uniformLocation(textureScale): shader program is not linked
   54.62 [WARN]:gui        QOpenGLShaderProgram::uniformLocation(color): shader program is not linked
   54.62 [WARN]:gui        QOpenGLShaderProgram::uniformLocation(alphaMin): shader program is not linked
   54.62 [WARN]:gui        QOpenGLShaderProgram::uniformLocation(alphaMax): shader program is not linked
   54.62 [WARN]:gui        QOpenGLShaderProgram::uniformLocation(fontScale): shader program is not linked
   54.62 [WARN]:gui        QOpenGLShaderProgram::uniformLocation(vecDelta): shader program is not linked
   54.62 [WARN]:gui        QOpenGLShader::link: error: Exceeded max nr indirect texture lookups (5/4)

RoR:
Red surfaces.

Since the QT6 updates during the summer, the desktop experience has deteriorated further. For instance, no text characters appear in the SDDM login screen. Graphics in Wine games appear dark.

UG:
Dark rendering.

[Stable Update] 2024-10-10 - Kernels, Pacman 7.0, KDE Frameworks 6.6, Virtualbox 7.1.2, Mesa

The compositor no longer works. Transparent shadows have turned into solid black blocks and none of the desktop effects work.

Since that update, desktop effects are entirely non-functional. Transparency has been replaced by solid black bars, and shadows are also missing.

5.12.2024 12:00	plasmashell	Failed to link shader program: error: Exceeded max ALU instructions (106/64)
5.12.2024 12:01	plasmashell	Failed to build graphics pipeline state
5.12.2024 12:01	plasmashell	Failed to link shader program: error: Exceeded max nr indirect texture lookups (6/4)
5.12.2024 12:01	plasmashell	Failed to build graphics pipeline state

[Stable Update] 2024-11-30 - Kernels, Plasma, GNOME, COSMIC, LXQT, SYSTEMD

That’ll cause only troubles. Better is to wait while pamac finish update.

I’ve tried the latest update, but the desktop effects are still missing. Additionally, some graphics (e.g., model surfaces in Wine games) have now disappeared.

Dark + no surface.

mesa-amber didn’t work. Here’s system info:

inxi

System:
  Kernel: 6.12.1-4-MANJARO arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 14.2.1
    clocksource: tsc avail: hpet,acpi_pm
    parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-6.12-x86_64
    root=UUID=74a7e3d1-5aad-4c62-8ab0-c3133753cdad rw quiet
    resume=UUID=74a7e3d1-5aad-4c62-8ab0-c3133753cdad resume_offset=7251968
    splash udev.log_priority=3
  Desktop: KDE Plasma v: 6.2.4 tk: Qt v: N/A info: frameworks v: 6.8.0
    wm: kwin_x11 vt: 2 dm: SDDM Distro: Manjaro base: Arch Linux
Machine:
  Type: Desktop Mobo: Gigabyte model: G31M-S2L serial: <superuser required>
    uuid: <superuser required> BIOS: Award v: F10f date: 06/01/2009
Memory:
  System RAM: total: 4 GiB available: 3.81 GiB used: 2.53 GiB (66.4%)
  Message: For most reliable report, use superuser + dmidecode.
  Array-1: capacity: 4 GiB note: est. slots: 2 modules: 2 EC: None
    max-module-size: 2 GiB note: est.
  Device-1: A0 type: N/A size: 2 GiB speed: 800 MT/s volts: N/A
    width (bits): data: 64 total: 64 manufacturer: N/A part-no: N/A serial: N/A
  Device-2: A1 type: N/A size: 2 GiB speed: 800 MT/s volts: N/A
    width (bits): data: 64 total: 64 manufacturer: N/A part-no: N/A serial: N/A
CPU:
  Info: model: Intel Xeon E5450 bits: 64 type: MCP arch: Penryn level: v1
    built: 2008 process: Intel 45nm family: 6 model-id: 0x17 (23)
    stepping: 0xA (10) microcode: 0xA0B
  Topology: cpus: 1x dies: 1 clusters: 2 cores: 4 smt: <unsupported> cache:
    L1: 256 KiB desc: d-4x32 KiB; i-4x32 KiB L2: 12 MiB desc: 2x6 MiB
  Speed (MHz): avg: 2894 min/max: 2000/3000 scaling: driver: acpi-cpufreq
    governor: performance cores: 1: 2894 2: 2894 3: 2894 4: 2894 bogomips: 24008
  Flags: acpi aperfmperf apic arch_perfmon bts clflush cmov constant_tsc
    cpuid cx16 cx8 dca de ds_cpl dtes64 dtherm dts est flexpriority fpu fxsr
    ht lahf_lm lm mca mce mmx monitor msr mtrr nopl nx pae pat pbe pdcm pebs
    pge pni pse pse36 pti rep_good sep sse sse2 sse4_1 ssse3 syscall tm tm2
    tpr_shadow tsc vme vmx vnmi vpid xsave xtpr
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel 82G33/G31 Express Integrated Graphics vendor: Gigabyte
    driver: i915 v: kernel arch: Gen-4 process: Intel 65n built: 2006-07 ports:
    active: VGA-1 empty: none bus-ID: 00:02.0 chip-ID: 8086:29c2
    class-ID: 0300
  Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 21.1.14 with: Xwayland v: 24.1.4
    compositor: kwin_x11 driver: X: loaded: intel unloaded: modesetting
    alternate: fbdev,vesa dri: i915 gpu: i915 display-ID: :0 screens: 1
  Screen-1: 0 s-res: 1920x1080 s-dpi: 96 s-size: 506x285mm (19.92x11.22")
    s-diag: 581mm (22.86")
  Monitor-1: VGA-1 mapped: VGA1 model: ViewSonic VA2419 Series
    serial: <filter> built: 2019 res: 1920x1080 hz: 60 dpi: 92 gamma: 1.2
    size: 530x300mm (20.87x11.81") diag: 604mm (23.8") ratio: 16:9 modes:
    max: 1920x1080 min: 720x400
  API: EGL v: 1.5 hw: drv: intel i915 platforms: device: 0 egl: 1.4
    drv: i915 device: 1 drv: swrast gbm: egl: 1.4 drv: i915 surfaceless:
    egl: 1.4 drv: i915 x11: egl: 1.4 drv: i915 inactive: wayland
  API: OpenGL v: 4.5 compat-v: 2.1 vendor: mesa v: 24.2.8-arch1.1 glx-v: 1.4
    direct-render: yes renderer: i915 (: G33) device-ID: 8086:29c2
    memory: 375 MiB unified: yes
  API: Vulkan Message: No Vulkan data available.
Audio:
  Device-1: Intel NM10/ICH7 Family High Definition Audio
    vendor: Gigabyte GA-D525TUD driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus-ID: 00:1b.0
    chip-ID: 8086:27d8 class-ID: 0403
  API: ALSA v: k6.12.1-4-MANJARO status: kernel-api with: aoss
    type: oss-emulator tools: alsactl,alsamixer,amixer
  Server-1: sndiod v: N/A status: off tools: aucat,midicat,sndioctl
  Server-2: JACK v: 1.9.22 status: off tools: N/A
  Server-3: PipeWire v: 1.2.7 status: active with: 1: pipewire-pulse
    status: active 2: wireplumber status: active 3: pipewire-alsa type: plugin
    tools: pactl,pw-cat,pw-cli,wpctl
Swap:
  Kernel: swappiness: 60 (default) cache-pressure: 100 (default) zswap: no
  ID-1: swap-1 type: file size: 12 GiB used: 1.95 GiB (16.3%) priority: -2
    file: /swapfile
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 49.0 C mobo: N/A
  Fan Speeds (rpm): N/A
Info:
  Processes: 210 Power: uptime: 7h 16m states: freeze,mem,disk suspend: deep
    avail: s2idle wakeups: 2 hibernate: platform avail: shutdown, reboot,
    suspend, test_resume image: 1.51 GiB services: org_kde_powerdevil,
    power-profiles-daemon, upowerd Init: systemd v: 256 default: graphical
    tool: systemctl
  Packages: pm: pacman pkgs: 1561 libs: 412 tools: pamac Compilers:
    clang: 18.1.8 gcc: 14.2.1 Shell: Zsh v: 5.9 default: Bash v: 5.2.37
    running-in: konsole inxi: 3.3.36

mhwd -l && mhwd -li

> 0000:02:00.0 (0200:10ec:8168) Network controller Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd.:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                  NAME               VERSION          FREEDRIVER           TYPE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         network-r8168            2023.09.12                true            PCI


> 0000:00:02.0 (0300:8086:29c2) Display controller Intel Corporation:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                  NAME               VERSION          FREEDRIVER           TYPE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
           video-linux            2024.05.06                true            PCI
     video-modesetting            2020.01.13                true            PCI
            video-vesa            2017.03.12                true            PCI

pacman -Qm

carla-bridges-win32 6978.17000e7fe-1
carla-bridges-win64 6978.17000e7fe-1
cython2 0.29.37-1
densify 0.3.1-3
fontbase 2.20.7-1
freefilesync-bin 13.8-2
gallery-dl 1.28.0-1
gimp-plugin-bimp 2.6-3
gimp-plugin-resynthesizer 2.0.3-2
kdelibs4support 5.116.0-2
kdesignerplugin 5.116.0-2
kemoticons 5.116.0-2
khotkeys 5.27.11-1
krita-ai-tools 1.0.2-1
lib32-libva-vdpau-driver 0.7.4-8
libglade 2.6.4-9
libva-vdpau-driver 0.7.4-7
manjaro-hotfixes 2024.1-2
manjaro-settings-manager-kcm 0.5.7-21
mingw-w64-pkg-config 2-4
nomacs 1:3.19.1-3
plasma-simplemenu 1.0.12-1
pygtk 2.24.0-14
python2 2.7.18-10
python2-cairo 1.19.1-2
python2-gimp 2.10.38-2
python2-gobject2 2.28.7-7
python2-numpy 1.16.6-3
python2-setuptools 2:44.1.1-2
sc-controller 0.4.8.21-3
simplescreenrecorder 0.4.4-3
spectre-meltdown-checker 0.46+23+g0f2edb1-1
standardnotes-bin 3.195.13-1
systemd-kcm 1.2.1-8

[brahma]

i dont do games, but looking at the logs, it looks like your hardware limitation…
post full inxi output:
inxi -zav7
and output from:
mhwd -l && mhwd -li
pacman -Qm

you can try with wayland…
also you are running kernel 6.12, while your hardware is old:

@obdegirmenci

BIOS: Award v: F10f date: 06/01/2009

install older kernels, the 5.4, 5.10, and 5.15 and try with each one of them…

[soundofthunder]

@brahma

@obdegirmenci

BIOS: Award v: F10f date: 06/01/2009

install older kernels, the 5.4, 5.10, and 5.15 and try with each one of them…

And in addition, check with your mainboard manufacturer in case a more recent (non-beta) BIOS is available.

I have just checked for you and indeed you have the latest available BIOS. The age of the computer might be a limiting factor generally.

[obdegirmenci]

@brahma I’ve added requested outputs in first post. I tried kernels you suggested one by one. Overall system performance remains though they didn’t make any difference in graphics.

@soundofthunder Yeah, it works on latest BIOS version, I had done it back then.

I’m just wondering what causes these issues. Somehow everything was well. Something must have changed. I had found that i915g AUR package from web caches, then I had tried to build it myself and this time I got awful result.

If I remember correctly, mesa version was around 21 or 22. I read that, there was a period about classic and gallium driver replacement. Now, even if I return to the amber branch, I can’t get same state. I’m sure that this hardware has capability to run those applications with acceleration because they are working flawless on Windows, also it was on Linux too (plus with higher OpenGL version than 1.4).

The thread moved to the gaming section because I have given examples from games however it’s about GL context affects general appearance . My main aim is to get back the system’s accelerated usability in 2D-3D applications including plasma effects and SDDM without rendering errors. Also I would like to know that if it’s not possible with further frameworks and plasma updates on my rig.

[bag_of_tricks]

The Graphics Stack (GS) plays a crucial role in the UX and operation of any modern desktop operating system. The Linux GS is not static – it changes with each new release of the kernel, Xorg, Mesa etc.

Linux GS developers are under pressure to add support for the latest graphics hardware and APIs. This means that older hardware often gets broken and degraded. e.g. the GS of a lot of the older Intel GPU hardware (integrated with i3,i5,i7 CPUs) in Linux releases going back to 2018, have had problems with mouse-screen co-ordination lacking precision. Intel has done a fair job of implementing low level drivers (i915) for the Linux kernel. When running Linux on older intel graphics hardware, the problems are usually upstream – Xorg and Mesa.

I doubt much bare metal testing gets done for graphics hardware older than 4-5 years due to lack of resources, hence the problems you and many other users of older graphics hardware have been experiencing with Xorg and Mesa updates. In short – not enough resources to maintain the GS of older hardware in new releases.

Most users of older hardware stick with older Linux releases where the GS works perfectly, the UX is excellent, and Snap and Flatpak are used to access newer versions of applications. As older Linux releases stop receiving system security updates after they reach EOL, it’s important to ensure daily or weekly backup of user data.

A lot of users of older generation Intel graphics hardware have experienced a better UX after switching to Wayland (replacement for Xorg in the Linux GS). As Wayland matures, the GS of older Intel GPU hardware may continue to improve. There may be more resources to test and correct the problems of the GS of older hardware.

Anyway, if you want to persevere with this then you’ll need to raise your problems with the maintainers of Xorg or Wayland, and Mesa.

Note that the GPU in your hardware resides in the Chipset, hence the reference to ‘G31’ in the inxi graphics hardware specs. See here for more info: Intel graphics processing units

[brahma]

@obdegirmenci

Failed to link shader program: error: Exceeded max ALU instructions

more info here, looks similar to your issue… and its a limitation of your hardware:
https://bugreports.qt.io/browse/QTBUG-126706
your cpu/gpu is almost 20 years old:

@obdegirmenci

Intel 65n built: 2006-07

you could try xfce, that should probably not cause any issues…
also did you tried with wayland?

[obdegirmenci]

I’ve tried Wayland. The session is working under llvmpipe and slower. Also there’s mouse cursor rendering glitch like mentioned there. XFCE tested, it seems better about bug but I didn’t like overall experience. I decided to use the DE as is for now. I’ll edit if there are any improvements with future updates. Thanks for the explanation.

[soundofthunder]

I’ll drop this here for consideration.

In recent times XFCE feels much the same weight as Plasma, especially when using Wayland.

A more lightweight DE such as LXQt coupled with Wayland might might produce a better user experience with your hardware. This article is about a year old now, but it might be worth following up on the general Wayland compatibility:

Qt6 and Wayland | LXQt

The LXQt project site has more information and some decent visuals.

The downside is that (at present) there are no Manjaro editions using LXQt as a default, so it would require another distribution that does; either that, or a willingness to install manually from scratch on a compatible Linux base.

Regards.