Bug #14786

Can't change resolution under KVM with QXL

Added by mercedes508 2017-10-04 14:59:05 . Updated 2018-04-30 13:55:22 .

Status:
Resolved
Priority:
Low
Assignee:
intrigeri
Category:
Virtualization
Target version:
Tails_3.5
Start date:
2017-10-04
Due date:
% Done:

100%

Feature Branch:
doc/14786-libvirt-video
Type of work:
End-user documentation
Blueprint:

Starter:
Affected tool:
Deliverable for:

Description

When using Tails 3.2 using KVM and QXL for video, when changing it’s reolution size, the screen gets buggy, and unusable.

It doesn’t happen with Tails 3.1, nor when using Cirrus for video.

Subtasks

Related issues

Related to Tails - Feature #14999: Upgrade to Stretch 9.3 Resolved 2017-11-25
Related to Tails - Feature #11555: Document KVM configuration for better graphic performance Rejected 2016-07-01
Related to Tails - Bug #11500: Poor graphics performance in KVM guest with QXL driver Resolved 2016-05-30
Blocks Tails - Feature #13245: Core work 2018Q1: Foundations Team Resolved 2017-06-29

History

#1 Updated by mercedes508 2017-10-04 15:06:14

  • Assignee changed from anonym to intrigeri
  • Priority changed from Normal to Low

When using spice, there’s no issue anymore, so the workaround is pretty easy. Downgrading the prio to low and changing assignee.

#2 Updated by intrigeri 2017-10-29 08:29:15

#3 Updated by intrigeri 2017-10-29 08:40:49

  • Assignee changed from intrigeri to mercedes508
  • Target version set to Tails_3.3
  • QA Check set to Info Needed

So, to clarify:

  • QXL + VNC is broken
  • QXL + Spice works

Correct?

#4 Updated by cypherpunks 2017-11-01 04:48:21

I get this issue with QXL+Spice. (Debian Stretch)

I’ve found a workaround by setting resolution with ‘xrandr -s 1280x960’

#5 Updated by anonym 2017-11-15 11:30:58

  • Target version changed from Tails_3.3 to Tails_3.5

#6 Updated by Anonymous 2017-11-19 21:19:03

I’ve been experiencing this issue as well. I’ve ran into this problem on another distro with the 4.12 kernel. (started with 4.12) I’ve also noticed some type of memory leak when using QXL. extensively using totem, evince, image viewers and other graphic intensive programs over an extended period of time (a few hours) causes memory to slowly grow and never free, even after all these programs have been closed (to the point of locking up). The extra memory usage isn’t accounted by any running programs.

Switching to virto-vga fixes these problem for me.

#7 Updated by GigabyteProductions 2017-11-24 22:07:44

I discovered when updating from 3.1 to 3.3. My usage is always as a Live CD; I never created persistent installation.

I discovered by means of SPICE resolution change when SPICE client asks guest agent to resize to a resolution that matches the client window size. The effect is also observed with xrandr —output Virtual-0 —mode 1440x900.

I can confirm that virtio-vga works with even SPICE-client-initiated custom resolutions.

#8 Updated by Anonymous 2017-11-26 06:25:35

The experimental 4.14 Debian Kernel fixes the resolution problem with QXL, but I still experience the slow memory leak:

>I’ve also noticed some type of memory leak when using QXL. extensively using totem, evince, image viewers and other graphic intensive programs over an extended period of time (a few hours) causes memory to slowly grow and never free, even after all these programs have been closed

>The extra memory usage isn’t accounted by any running programs.

#9 Updated by intrigeri 2017-11-26 06:32:52

#10 Updated by mercedes508 2017-12-23 15:00:45

  • Assignee changed from mercedes508 to intrigeri

intrigeri wrote:
> So, to clarify:
>
> * QXL + VNC is broken
> * QXL + Spice works
>
> Correct?

Yes, that’s it. Sorry for the late answer.

#11 Updated by intrigeri 2017-12-24 07:14:06

  • QA Check deleted (Info Needed)

#12 Updated by intrigeri 2017-12-24 08:22:29

  • Type of work changed from Research to End-user documentation

QXL + Spice is what one gets by default when following our doc. But one may have set up their VM before we had such doc, or without following the doc, so I’ll do something about it anyway.

#13 Updated by intrigeri 2017-12-24 08:32:48

  • Status changed from Confirmed to In Progress
  • Assignee changed from intrigeri to cbrownstein
  • % Done changed from 0 to 50
  • Feature Branch set to doc/14786-libvirt-video

Hi Cody! Could you please review my branch? If not, please reassign to sajolida :)

#14 Updated by intrigeri 2018-01-01 16:39:27

  • blocked by deleted (Feature #13244: Core work 2017Q4: Foundations Team)

#15 Updated by intrigeri 2018-01-01 16:39:34

#16 Updated by intrigeri 2018-01-01 16:39:46

  • QA Check set to Ready for QA

#17 Updated by cbrownstein 2018-01-01 21:46:53

  • Assignee changed from cbrownstein to intrigeri
  • QA Check changed from Ready for QA to Pass

This looks good.

#18 Updated by intrigeri 2018-01-02 08:12:55

> This looks good.

Thanks! Merging :)

#19 Updated by intrigeri 2018-01-02 08:13:59

  • Status changed from In Progress to Resolved
  • % Done changed from 50 to 100

Applied in changeset commit:1f1c075a0e0146f42f7c17171e8b32ab3b778f7c.

#20 Updated by Anonymous 2018-01-17 15:48:06

  • related to Feature #11555: Document KVM configuration for better graphic performance added

#21 Updated by Anonymous 2018-01-17 15:48:27

  • related to Bug #11500: Poor graphics performance in KVM guest with QXL driver added

#22 Updated by gregh 2018-04-17 19:54:00

Anonymous wrote:
> I’ve been experiencing this issue as well. I’ve ran into this problem on another distro with the 4.12 kernel. (started with 4.12) I’ve also noticed some type of memory leak when using QXL. extensively using totem, evince, image viewers and other graphic intensive programs over an extended period of time (a few hours) causes memory to slowly grow and never free, even after all these programs have been closed (to the point of locking up). The extra memory usage isn’t accounted by any running programs.
>
> Switching to virto-vga fixes these problem for me.

This is issue was fixed in the following commits and backported to affected kernels. QXL Should be working correcly now.
drm/qxl: reapply cursor after resetting primary
drm/qxl: unref cursor bo when finished with it

#23 Updated by intrigeri 2018-04-30 13:55:22

> This is issue was fixed in the following commits and backported to affected kernels. QXL Should be working correcly now.

Thanks a lot for the update!

So this should be fixed in Linux 4.15.5 and newer (included in Tails 3.6.2 and newer).