server cpu overload HELP!!!

[soporte]

Hi

my server is sending me this email: at the end of the message is the top process... can any body helpme?


////////////////////////////

IMPORTANT: Do not ignore this email.
This is cPanel cpuwatch on servidor.lashosting.com!
While processing, the cpu has been
maxed out for more than a 6 hour period. The current load/uptime line on the server at the time of
this email is
07:37:56 up 1 day, 23:21, 0 users, load average: 3.74, 4.75, 5.77
You should check the server to see why the load is so high and take
steps to lower the load. If you want stats to continue to run even with a high load; Edit
/var/cpanel/cpanel.config and change extracpus to a number larger then 0 (run
/usr/local/cpanel/startup afterwards to pickup the changes).

///////////////////////////////////////

SSH TOP PROCESS:

top - 07:48:32 up 1 day, 23:32, 1 user, load average: 3.71, 4.59, 5.24
Tasks: 492 total, 3 running, 485 sleeping, 4 stopped, 0 zombie
Cpu(s): 54.0%us, 1.0%sy, 0.0%ni, 0.0%id, 44.9%wa, 0.0%hi, 0.2%si, 0.0%st
Mem: 3339900k total, 3328192k used, 11708k free, 3744k buffers
Swap: 4192956k total, 1311392k used, 2881564k free, 445308k cached

PID USER PR NI VIRT RES SHR S %CPU %MEM TIME+ COMMAND
14819 cpanelro 25 0 117m 4588 4300 R 100.1 0.1 1242:52 php-cgi
3747 mysql 15 0 394m 41m 4052 S 7.0 1.3 1997:49 mysqld
27455 lacimarr 16 0 128m 24m 6360 D 1.7 0.8 0:00.15 php
223 root 10 -5 0 0 0 S 0.3 0.0 2:44.93 kswapd0
27263 root 15 0 13008 1464 848 R 0.3 0.0 0:00.66 top
1 root 15 0 10352 640 608 S 0.0 0.0 0:03.11 init
2 root RT -5 0 0 0 S 0.0 0.0 0:01.10 migration/0
3 root 34 19 0 0 0 S 0.0 0.0 0:00.45 ksoftirqd/0
4 root RT -5 0 0 0 S 0.0 0.0 0:00.00 watchdog/0
5 root RT -5 0 0 0 S 0.0 0.0 0:00.00 migration/1
6 root 34 19 0 0 0 S 0.0 0.0 0:00.31 ksoftirqd/1
7 root RT -5 0 0 0 S 0.0 0.0 0:00.00 watchdog/1
8 root 10 -5 0 0 0 S 0.0 0.0 0:00.03 events/0
9 root 10 -5 0 0 0 S 0.0 0.0 0:00.04 events/1
10 root 10 -5 0 0 0 S 0.0 0.0 0:00.00 khelper

[GoWilkes]

I have this on a fairly regular basis, too. Usually, I'll log in via SSH, then type:

top -c

This will update every few seconds to constantly show you what's running, and how much memory it's taking.

Use this in conjunction with WHM's "Apache Status" and "Service Status" so that you can see exactly what's causing the load. Once you find it, it's up to you on how to handle it; sometimes, a cPanel forced update is required (if the resource hog is spamassassin or a cpanel script), but more often than not it's a hacker attack on a script.

If it looks like a hacker trying to utilize a script, you can block them with your firewall. If you don't have one, check out CSF; it's a great freebie.

If everything looks OK, then it might be time for a server upgrade. Been there, done that, and really feel for you if that's the case! I crossed that bridge about 2 years ago; it hurt, but it worked out well in the end.

[GoWilkes]

I'm having this thread notify me with replies, so if you need more help, post it here and I'll help if I can. I'm certainly not a pro, but I was where you are not too long ago.

[hiben]

Thanks for the top-c tip. Didn't know that one.

[pascalfringe]

Load averages are the averages calculated over a period of
1min | 5 min | 15 min

[Jackster]

Also what is your system's CPU speed?

Make sure it is more than the minimum needed.