Massive slowdowns when launching Steam (both native and runtine)

Issues & Assistance Unsupported Software (AUR & Other)
1

So, basically the title says it all. Whenever I start up Steam (and this happens both with Native and Runtine), I get a massive system-wide slowdown.

Even moving the mouse is impacted. After a couple minutes, it seems to normalize... but I still would appreciate some help troubleshooting and, hopefully, fixing whatever the problem could be.

System:
  Kernel: 6.4.2-zen1-1-zen arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 13.1.1
    parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/@/boot/vmlinuz-linux-zen
    root=UUID=468e3250-834f-4678-85b1-f50f268e557d rw rootflags=subvol=@
    quiet quiet rd.udev.log_priority=3 vt.global_cursor_default=0
    resume=UUID=92d5bc58-440e-4eab-9f01-4fa35d34e02b loglevel=3 ibt=off
  Desktop: KDE Plasma v: 5.27.6 tk: Qt v: 5.15.10 wm: kwin_x11 vt: 2
    dm: SDDM Distro: Garuda Linux base: Arch Linux
Machine:
  Type: Laptop System: Dell product: G5 5590 v: N/A
    serial: <superuser required> Chassis: type: 10 serial: <superuser required>
  Mobo: Dell model: 0F3T2G v: A00 serial: <superuser required> UEFI: Dell
    v: 1.22.0 date: 11/10/2022
Battery:
  ID-1: BAT0 charge: 48.6 Wh (100.0%) condition: 48.6/60.0 Wh (81.0%)
    volts: 16.8 min: 15.2 model: SMP DELL JJPFK87 type: Li-poly serial: <filter>
    status: full
CPU:
  Info: model: Intel Core i7-9750H bits: 64 type: MT MCP arch: Coffee Lake
    gen: core 9 level: v3 note: check built: 2018 process: Intel 14nm family: 6
    model-id: 0x9E (158) stepping: 0xA (10) microcode: 0xF2
  Topology: cpus: 1x cores: 6 tpc: 2 threads: 12 smt: enabled cache:
    L1: 384 KiB desc: d-6x32 KiB; i-6x32 KiB L2: 1.5 MiB desc: 6x256 KiB
    L3: 12 MiB desc: 1x12 MiB
  Speed (MHz): avg: 3498 high: 4402 min/max: 800/4500 scaling:
    driver: intel_pstate governor: powersave cores: 1: 4402 2: 2600 3: 4400
    4: 2600 5: 2600 6: 2600 7: 4400 8: 4387 9: 4388 10: 2600 11: 2600 12: 4399
    bogomips: 62399
  Flags: avx avx2 ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx
  Vulnerabilities: <filter>
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel CoffeeLake-H GT2 [UHD Graphics 630] vendor: Dell
    driver: i915 v: kernel arch: Gen-9.5 process: Intel 14nm built: 2016-20
    ports: active: none off: DP-3,eDP-1 empty: DP-1, DP-2, DP-4, DP-5,
    HDMI-A-1, HDMI-A-2 bus-ID: 00:02.0 chip-ID: 8086:3e9b class-ID: 0300
  Device-2: NVIDIA TU106M [GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile] vendor: Dell
    driver: nvidia v: 535.54.03 alternate: nouveau,nvidia_drm non-free: 530.xx+
    status: current (as of 2023-05) arch: Turing code: TUxxx
    process: TSMC 12nm FF built: 2018-22 pcie: gen: 1 speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 8
    link-max: gen: 3 speed: 8 GT/s lanes: 16 bus-ID: 01:00.0
    chip-ID: 10de:1f11 class-ID: 0300
  Device-3: Microdia Integrated_Webcam_HD driver: uvcvideo type: USB
    rev: 2.0 speed: 480 Mb/s lanes: 1 mode: 2.0 bus-ID: 1-5:3 chip-ID: 0c45:671f
    class-ID: 0e02
  Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 21.1.8 with: Xwayland v: 23.1.2
    compositor: kwin_x11 driver: X: loaded: modesetting,nvidia unloaded: nouveau
    alternate: fbdev,intel,nv,vesa dri: iris gpu: i915 display-ID: :0
    screens: 1
  Screen-1: 0 s-res: 2560x1080 s-dpi: 96 s-size: 675x285mm (26.57x11.22")
    s-diag: 733mm (28.85")
  Monitor-1: DP-3 mapped: DP-1-0 note: disabled pos: primary
    model: LG (GoldStar) ULTRAWIDE serial: <filter> built: 2013 res: 2560x1080
    dpi: 81 gamma: 1.2 size: 798x334mm (31.42x13.15") diag: 628mm (24.7")
    modes: max: 2560x1080 min: 720x400
  Monitor-2: eDP-1 note: disabled model: BOE Display 0x084a built: 2018
    res: 2560x1080 dpi: 142 gamma: 1.2 size: 344x194mm (13.54x7.64")
    diag: 395mm (15.5") ratio: 16:9 modes: 1920x1080
  API: OpenGL v: 4.6 Mesa 23.1.3 renderer: Mesa Intel UHD Graphics 630 (CFL
    GT2) direct-render: Yes
Audio:
  Device-1: Intel Cannon Lake PCH cAVS vendor: Dell driver: snd_hda_intel
    v: kernel alternate: snd_soc_skl,snd_sof_pci_intel_cnl bus-ID: 00:1f.3
    chip-ID: 8086:a348 class-ID: 0403
  Device-2: NVIDIA TU106 High Definition Audio vendor: Dell
    driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel pcie: gen: 1 speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 8
    link-max: gen: 3 speed: 8 GT/s lanes: 16 bus-ID: 01:00.1
    chip-ID: 10de:10f9 class-ID: 0403
  Device-3: Generalplus USB Audio Device
    driver: hid-generic,snd-usb-audio,usbhid type: USB rev: 1.1 speed: 12 Mb/s
    lanes: 1 mode: 1.1 bus-ID: 1-4.1:4 chip-ID: 1b3f:2008 class-ID: 0300
  Device-4: Realtek USB Audio driver: snd-usb-audio type: USB rev: 2.0
    speed: 480 Mb/s lanes: 1 mode: 2.0 bus-ID: 1-4.5:8 chip-ID: 0bda:4014
    class-ID: 0102 serial: <filter>
  API: ALSA v: k6.4.2-zen1-1-zen status: kernel-api with: aoss
    type: oss-emulator tools: N/A
  Server-1: PipeWire v: 0.3.73 status: active with: 1: pipewire-pulse
    status: active 2: wireplumber status: active 3: pipewire-alsa type: plugin
    4: pw-jack type: plugin tools: pactl,pw-cat,pw-cli,wpctl
Network:
  Device-1: Realtek vendor: Dell driver: r8169 v: kernel pcie: gen: 1
    speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 1 port: 3000 bus-ID: 3c:00.0 chip-ID: 10ec:2502
    class-ID: 0200
  IF: enp60s0 state: down mac: <filter>
  Device-2: Qualcomm Atheros QCA6174 802.11ac Wireless Network Adapter
    vendor: Dell driver: ath10k_pci v: kernel pcie: gen: 1 speed: 2.5 GT/s
    lanes: 1 bus-ID: 3d:00.0 chip-ID: 168c:003e class-ID: 0280 temp: 48.0 C
  IF: wlp61s0 state: down mac: <filter>
  Device-3: Realtek RTL8153 Gigabit Ethernet Adapter driver: r8152 type: USB
    rev: 3.0 speed: 5 Gb/s lanes: 1 mode: 3.2 gen-1x1 bus-ID: 6-1.2:3
    chip-ID: 0bda:8153 class-ID: 0000 serial: <filter>
  IF: enp58s0u1u2 state: up speed: 1000 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
Bluetooth:
  Device-1: Qualcomm Atheros driver: btusb v: 0.8 type: USB rev: 2.0
    speed: 12 Mb/s lanes: 1 mode: 1.1 bus-ID: 1-14:7 chip-ID: 0cf3:e007
    class-ID: e001
  Report: bt-adapter ID: hci0 rfk-id: 0 state: up address: <filter>
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 1.14 TiB used: 284.22 GiB (24.3%)
  SMART Message: Unable to run smartctl. Root privileges required.
  ID-1: /dev/nvme0n1 maj-min: 259:0 vendor: Western Digital
    model: PC SN520 NVMe WDC 256GB size: 238.47 GiB block-size: physical: 512 B
    logical: 512 B speed: 15.8 Gb/s lanes: 2 tech: SSD serial: <filter>
    fw-rev: 20240012 temp: 50.9 C scheme: GPT
  ID-2: /dev/sda maj-min: 8:0 vendor: Western Digital
    model: WD10SPZX-75Z10T3 size: 931.51 GiB block-size: physical: 4096 B
    logical: 512 B speed: 6.0 Gb/s tech: HDD rpm: 5400 serial: <filter>
    fw-rev: 4514 scheme: GPT
Partition:
  ID-1: / raw-size: 221.19 GiB size: 221.19 GiB (100.00%)
    used: 188.4 GiB (85.2%) fs: btrfs dev: /dev/nvme0n1p2 maj-min: 259:2
  ID-2: /boot/efi raw-size: 300 MiB size: 299.4 MiB (99.80%)
    used: 616 KiB (0.2%) fs: vfat dev: /dev/nvme0n1p1 maj-min: 259:1
  ID-3: /home raw-size: 221.19 GiB size: 221.19 GiB (100.00%)
    used: 188.4 GiB (85.2%) fs: btrfs dev: /dev/nvme0n1p2 maj-min: 259:2
  ID-4: /var/log raw-size: 221.19 GiB size: 221.19 GiB (100.00%)
    used: 188.4 GiB (85.2%) fs: btrfs dev: /dev/nvme0n1p2 maj-min: 259:2
  ID-5: /var/tmp raw-size: 221.19 GiB size: 221.19 GiB (100.00%)
    used: 188.4 GiB (85.2%) fs: btrfs dev: /dev/nvme0n1p2 maj-min: 259:2
Swap:
  Kernel: swappiness: 133 (default 60) cache-pressure: 100 (default)
  ID-1: swap-1 type: zram size: 15.43 GiB used: 12.5 MiB (0.1%)
    priority: 100 dev: /dev/zram0
  ID-2: swap-2 type: partition size: 16.98 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%)
    priority: -2 dev: /dev/nvme0n1p3 maj-min: 259:3
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 57.0 C pch: 67.0 C mobo: N/A
  Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A
Info:
  Processes: 356 Uptime: 21m wakeups: 5 Memory: available: 15.43 GiB
  used: 6.43 GiB (41.7%) Init: systemd v: 253 default: graphical
  tool: systemctl Compilers: gcc: 13.1.1 clang: 15.0.7 Packages: pm: pacman
  pkgs: 2040 libs: 543 tools: gnome-software,octopi,pamac,paru,yay Shell: Zsh
  v: 5.9 running-in: kitty inxi: 3.3.27
Garuda (2.6.16-1):
  System install date:     2023-04-01
  Last full system update: 2023-07-08
  Is partially upgraded:   No
  Relevant software:       snapper NetworkManager dracut nvidia-dkms
  Windows dual boot:       No/Undetected
  Failed units:
2

Are you running the open source nvidia driver? If so, I would suggest your use the proprietary;

sudo pacman -S nvidia-dkms

3

I think I'm using the proprietary already... it's right there at the bottom of inxi...

Relevant software:       snapper NetworkManager dracut nvidia-dkms

sudo pacman -Q nvidia-dkms        
nvidia-dkms 535.54.03-1
4

I saw this listed, so thought maybe you had the open source;

driver: nvidia v: 535.54.03 alternate: nouveau

5

Honestly, everything looks good from the specs. The only think I would check is your second drive. Is that where you have Steam game files? Maybe there is a bottleneck there, format, permissions, old drive...HDD.

6

don't see any problems there. I put only game installs there, not the Steam itself - and after the slowdown passes, they play from there without any trouble (I had an issue with it before, because I hadn't yet backed up my Windows stuff there and was using NTFS - which it seems like most linux stuff hates, but Steam more than the rest; but after formatting it to BTRFS, no more problems there)

7

Yeah, I am at a loss. You might one to install one of you game files to your regular drive and see if the issue remains. That will definitely rule out the second drive then. :man_shrugging:

8

yeah, I think there's more to it than just slowdowns... I just tried installing and playing two games I haven't touched in a while (Terraformers and Nom Nom Galaxy) and none of them played...

I think I'm gonna try the "hard reset" path, remove and reinstall Steam as a whole

---edit

it worked. o.o I mean, the games running, not the slowdown problem

9

Not sure if this helps, but here is the guide I follow to installing Steam the right way....

https://www.gloriouseggroll.tv/how-to-get-out-of-wine-dependency-hell/

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10

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