Tutorial: Fixing TF2 fps drops on NVIDIA/Ubuntu

[Toquita]

NOTICE: On Ubuntu 13.04 and/or 12.10 and even on 12.04 perhaps, solution might be https://github.com/ValveSoftware/steam-for-linux/issues/2110

If not, then if you choose to stick to 12.04 and try this tutorial.
___________________________________________________________

Hello everyone, I was testing alternatives to fix the occasional but sure fps drops on TF2, and finally, I found it.

The steps bellow should not be done by you if you don't trust them/are affraid to. I tested it throughout the day and the results are stability+performance gain for the game AND the system itself, using:

Ubuntu 12.04.2 64bit
Athlon II X2 250 @3.6 GHz
NVIDIA 9800GT

Before some users start talking nonsense I'll put out that these steps worked for ME fixing everything when I thought there was no exit.
Do it at your own risk.
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Getting Ubuntu 12.04.1

I didn't find any on the web so if you know of any official link, please let me know.

To check for MD5, open the Terminal and go to the directory where the CD is mounted, usually /cdrom/ or /media/cdname

cd /cdrom/Ubuntu\ 12.04.1\ LTS\ amd64/

cd /media/Ubuntu\ 12.04.1\ LTS\ amd64/

Command to check MD5

md5sum -c md5sum.txt

Download link

http://www.4shared.com/file/bvTuN5lN/Ubuntu_12041_LTS_amd64.html?
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The steps I did were:

1. Fresh install
2. System update
3. Installing video drivers
4. Installed ia32-libs
5. Install Steam
6. I have a copy on 2 DVD's of TF2's Steamapps folder, but if you don't, just download it normally. Folder was extracted to ./local/share/Steam
7. Update again to make sure
8. Installed Synaptic
9. Kernel update from Synaptic

PS: Doing as in the above order didn't cause any conflicts at all.
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3. INSTALLING THE 310.14 DRIVERS

313.18 Drivers are on Jockeys repositories now.

a. Open dash
b. Search "Additional Drivers"
c. Install 310.4 Experimental.
d. Reboot
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4. INSTALLING IA32-LIBS

a. Open the Terminal
b. Type

sudo apt-get install ia32-libs

c. Reboot

PS: I'm not sure if rebooting is needed, but I do it just in case
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5. INSTALLING STEAM

The Ubuntu Wiki page provides a link that doesn't exist, and it's neither on Software Center.
If you still don't have the .deb Client download it from http://media.steampowered.com/client/installer/steam.deb

After install, Steam will auto-update.
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6. DOWNLOADING THE GAME/COPYING IT'S FILES

Now you can either download the game or if you have it's folders save on your HDD, USB stick or DVD's you can copy the files to ./local/share/Steam/steamapps

NOTE: "." characterizes a hidden folder/file that is on your Home folder or anywhere in the system. To show hidden folders press CTRL + H.
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7. UPDATING... AGAIN

In this case is never too much to do another check on updates. You can either do it via Update Manager or via Terminal with the commands:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade

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8. INSTALLING SYNAPTIC

Go to Software Center and search for Synaptic, then Install.
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9. UPDATING THE KERNEL

After installing Synaptic, open it and search for

kernel-3.5.0-25

and install all except the first one. To make sure the new kernel is installed type "uname -r" after installation.
Now reboot your machine.

Reference of the Kernel Search = http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/8810/selection001k.png
PS: Image is "dirty" because my compiz effect is a fire when closing windows.
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I did as above and tested over 5 hours without any crash or fps drop.
I really hope this guide will help others and Steam should learn from with as well.

PS: Only known bug is not reated to this thread, but Steam itself: After minimizing all windows (CTRL+SUPER+D) the game closes itself.
PS2: I know github is a bug tracker, but how about it being updated there?

Thanks to all and specially thanks to Atheisto for making this thread possible.

[Toquita]

Thread updated, created a new one.

[[LX]ツ CozyPlay]

correct me if im wrong but ubuntu 12.04.2 already uses 3.5 kenerl so why would people install it again?

[matt]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Linux MrTheSoulz:

correct me if im wrong but ubuntu 12.04.2 already uses 3.5 kenerl so why would people install it again?

Yea it does, it's in the official repositories. So either download it from ubuntu.com (12.04.2) or do

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

Then install nvidia drivers. That's it.

[Toquita]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Linux MrTheSoulz™:

correct me if im wrong but ubuntu 12.04.2 already uses 3.5 kenerl so why would people install it again?

Many people are not gonna download it and install the whole system again. I have a 12.04.1 copy and after system update it still uses 3.2 Kernel, even after the suggestion above.

Ubuntu 12.10 also uses 3.5 but I believe all of those people having fps issues don`t bother using it, since it also drops the fps. So the kernel itself when it comes with the system will not solve the drop problem, but when upgraded from 3.2 from 3.5 will =)

[matt]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Linux Junior s2 Camila:

Many people are not gonna download it and install the whole system again. I have a 12.04.1 copy and after system update it still uses 3.2 Kernel, even after the suggestion above.

Ubuntu 12.10 also uses 3.5 but I believe all of those people having fps issues don`t bother using it, since it also drops the fps. So the kernel itself when it comes with the system will not solve the drop problem, but when upgraded from 3.2 from 3.5 will =)

This is odd, dist-upgrade should also upgrade kernel to one latest one from repo. Oh well, nvm :)

[Toquita]

It should or are you talking about personal experience that it actually did?
Because I have 12.04.1 CD and after full updates nothing happened =P

[matt]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Linux Junior s2 Camila:

It should or are you talking about personal experience that it actually did?
Because I have 12.04.1 CD and after full updates nothing happened =P

10 seconds with Google and... I was wrong :P
Tho not entirely, it used to work like I've said, it just doesn't anymore in 12.04.2

This is how you do it:
http://askubuntu.com/questions/257617/how-can-i-upgrade-the-ubuntu-12-04-2-kernel-to-3-5-0-23

[Toquita]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von gutigen o) Linux:

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Linux Junior s2 Camila:

It should or are you talking about personal experience that it actually did?
Because I have 12.04.1 CD and after full updates nothing happened =P

10 seconds with Google and... I was wrong :P
Tho not entirely, it used to work like I've said, it just doesn't anymore in 12.04.2

This is how you do it:
http://askubuntu.com/questions/257617/how-can-i-upgrade-the-ubuntu-12-04-2-kernel-to-3-5-0-23

It says it upgrades to a Quantal Kernel, which is buggy sometimes and it also causes the game to drop to 10fps.

Not to mention on the link you provided the answer says

This is only recommended for x86 hardware installations.

So using Synaptic should give better results I guess.

Cheers

[matt]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Linux Junior s2 Camila:

it`s 3.5.0-23, and the version that is upgraded on this thread is 25 at the end =)

Perhaps it was at the moment when that question at askubuntu showed up, maybe its *-25 now. I don't have 12.04 installation to check tho.

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Linux Junior s2 Camila:

Not to mention on the link you provided the answer says

This is only recommended for x86 hardware installations.

We all are using x86 hardware mate:
http://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/X86

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Linux Junior s2 Camila:

So using compiz should give better results I guess.

What? :D

[Shark]

I actually upgraded my kernel to 3.8 by uprading to 13.04. It still has some issues tho.

[matt]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Linux Junior s2 Camila:

BTW can you give the outputs of:

lsb_release -a

and

uname -r

?

Sure :P

Distributor ID: Ubuntu
Description: Ubuntu Raring Ringtail (development branch)
Release: 13.04
Codename: raring

3.8.0-7-generic

[Toquita]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Wouter:

I actually upgraded my kernel to 3.8 by uprading to 13.04. It still has some issues tho.

3.8 is somewhat unstable and at most Phoronix tests 3.5 and 3.7 give better performance ATM.

@gutigen: I noticed that the question wasnt new, my bad LOL

PS: You gave me a poland wiki link? Hehehehe
PS2: It`s recommended to those who dont have a X86_64 install he said.

[matt]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Linux Junior s2 Camila:

PS: You gave me a poland wiki link? Hehehehe

Damn google geolocation :P

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Linux Junior s2 Camila:

PS2: It`s recommended to those who dont have a X86_64 install he said.

No he didn't lol

[Toquita]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von gutigen o) Linux:

No he didn't lol

Oooh right! Perhaps he said about the X stack upgrade, I`m not sure

For the new X stack:

sudo apt-get install xserver-xorg-lts-quantal

This is only recommended for x86 hardware installations.

In anyway it upgrades to Quantal Kernel image for what I see. Via compiz it's clearly a Precise-made and that should be the reason why everything gets fixed.

[Apfelfrisch]

OMG. Now we became WIndows like tutorials on Linux. I hope nobody reinstalled his Ubuntu because of this.

If the actual kernel fix fps bugs install the mainline ppa which is maintained by Ubuntu core-devs.