You can get an extrae.xml configuration file here.

Go at least through the following checklist:

CHECK #1 In the trace main section, put the right path to the MPI flavour you are using.

<trace enabled="yes"
 home="/apps/BSCTOOLS/extrae/3.5.2/openmpi_1_10_2"
 initial-mode="detail"
 type="paraver"
 xml-parser-id="Id$"
>

CHECK #2 In the counter section to have at least one set of PAPI events enabled and the list of events that you want in the trace:

<set enabled="yes" domain="all" changeat-time="0">
  PAPI_TOT_INS,PAPI_TOT_CYC,PAPI_L1_DCM,PAPI_L2_DCM,PAPI_L3_TCM,PAPI_BR_INS,PAPI_BR_MSP,RESOURCE_STALLS
</set>

CHECK #3 In the merge section, disable if you have problem merging the traces (you can merge later on with the command …)

<merge enabled="yes" 
  synchronization="default"
  tree-fan-out="16"
  max-memory="512"
  joint-states="yes"
  keep-mpits="yes"
  sort-addresses="yes"
  overwrite="yes"
/>