I have:
Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU T7250 @ 2.00GHz
nvidia 8600M GT with nvidia-current binary drivers
2.6.32-21-generic
and I'm noticing that
CE: hpet in increasing min_delta_ns occasionally:
[ 92.344350] CE: hpet increasing min_delta_ns to 15000 nsec
[ 467.972488] CE: hpet increasing min_delta_ns to 22500 nsec
[ 529.075474] CE: hpet increasing min_delta_ns to 33750 nsec
This bug appears upstream:
https://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=14426
ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.04
Package: linux-image-2.6.32-21-generic 2.6.32-21.32
Regression: Yes
Reproducible: Yes
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.32-21.32-generic 2.6.32.11+drm33.2
Uname: Linux 2.6.32-21-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
AlsaVersion: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.21.
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
/dev/snd/controlC0: anthony 1754 F.... pulseaudio
/dev/snd/pcmC0D0p: anthony 1754 F...m pulseaudio
CRDA: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
Card0.Amixer.info:
Card hw:0 'Intel'/'HDA Intel at 0xf6ffc000 irq 21'
Mixer name : 'SigmaTel STAC9228'
Components : 'HDA:83847616,1028022e,00100201'
Controls : 28
Simple ctrls : 18
Date: Wed May 5 07:53:36 2010
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 10.04 "Lucid Lynx" - Alpha amd64 (20100226)
MachineType: Dell Inc. XPS M1530
ProcCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-21-generic root=UUID=477a9e8c-1632-4e9b-b9ee-57d71e66c939 ro quiet splash nomodeset video=uvesafb:mode_option=1680x1050-24,mtrr=3,scroll=ywrap
ProcEnviron:
LANG=en_US.utf8
SHELL=/bin/bash
RelatedPackageVersions: linux-firmware 1.34
SourcePackage: linux
WifiSyslog:
May 5 07:21:17 hookbox kernel: [ 467.972488] CE: hpet increasing min_delta_ns to 22500 nsec
May 5 07:22:18 hookbox kernel: [ 529.075474] CE: hpet increasing min_delta_ns to 33750 nsec
dmi.bios.date: 11/19/2008
dmi.bios.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.bios.version: A12
dmi.board.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.chassis.type: 8
dmi.chassis.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnDellInc.:bvrA12:bd11/19/2008:svnDellInc.:pnXPSM1530:pvr:rvnDellInc.:rn:rvr:cvnDellInc.:ct8:cvr:
dmi.product.name: XPS M1530
dmi.sys.vendor: Dell Inc.
You should keep an eye on whether this messages get repeated more than the three times and also whether the increment at some point is more substantial. Reading through the upstream report, the problematic cases seem to have been the ones where the increment went into the 100ms range.
If this stays at around three times and you see no other ill effect, this could just be indications of the system adapting to hardware restrictions. On the other hand there are some hints that increasing the retries might be a solution. Though we should see what upstream thinks of it.