Ardour 9.8.0 takes up to 100% DSP and freezes the whole system, on a Lubuntu laptop: Linux ThinkPad 7.0.0-38-realtime #38.1-Ubuntu SMP PREEMPT_RT Thu Sep 10 15:24:56 UTC 2026 x86_64 GNU/Linux. Based on the Ubuntu: PRETTY_NAME="Ubuntu 26.04.1 LTS" NAME="Ubuntu" VERSION_ID="26.04" VERSION="26.04.1 LTS (Resolute Raccoon)". I have setup a realtime kernel some days ago, I am not sure whether the freezing is caused by that. I have installed the 9.8.0 via a ready-to-run installer script from the Download homepage.
I still can’t tell why/when this is happening, but I had this issue a couple of weeks ago which made me install back the 9.7.0
Is there any specific info I must provide which could help?
Does this occur immediately after startup even with an empty session (open with New “Empty Template” session)? Or only after you load an existing session?
If the latter, try with the “Safe Mode: Disable all Plugins” option selected.
My not fine-grained troubleshooting usually involves
a) quickly creating a new user and looking if he has the same problems with the same DesktopEnvironment or WindowManager
b) quickly installing a WM and try the same. I usually go for fluxbox for such (not sure if lubuntu uses fluxbox or openbox for the DE, so i’d pick the other one in that case.
Both to test if i have a user configuration which is the cause of it. Often it isn’t, but at least i am sure then.
You could do it until someone can help more fine grained.
You could also try too boot into the other (non-realtime) kernel, from the grub-menu.
Starting Ardour from a terminal-emulator and looking at the output … i seldom can make sense of it, but it is worth a try.
Good luck