Memory Usage??

[Librarian]

I got several database errors this morning. It doesn't seem to have upset my members and it didn't shut anything down, but it's still troubling since I moved to HostICan to try to avoid overloading mySQL connections.

However, it seems now I'm getting close to exceeding memory. I don't understand how this is happening. I got an email from y'all giving these numbers:

mem-8296328
used-8263168
free 33160

but when I went to Virtuoso (which I don't understand really at all.) the statistics didn't look anything like that. I'm completely and utterly confused and I don't even know what questions to ask.

One thing I did notice is that when I tried to log into Virtuoso I got a security certificate warning. Is that normal??

Basically here's what I need to know. Am I really using too much memory. And WHY? Where should I look for answers.

I refuse to spend more money buying more memory. I've already gone from $10 per month to $60 per month and I can't afford any more.

I just need help identifying the culprit and fixing the problem.

Thanks for your help.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by Librarian

I got several database errors this morning. It doesn't seem to have upset my members and it didn't shut anything down, but it's still troubling since I moved to HostICan to try to avoid overloading mySQL connections.

However, it seems now I'm getting close to exceeding memory. I don't understand how this is happening. I got an email from y'all giving these numbers:

mem-8296328
used-8263168
free 33160

but when I went to Virtuoso (which I don't understand really at all.) the statistics didn't look anything like that. I'm completely and utterly confused and I don't even know what questions to ask.

One thing I did notice is that when I tried to log into Virtuoso I got a security certificate warning. Is that normal??

Basically here's what I need to know. Am I really using too much memory. And WHY? Where should I look for answers.

I refuse to spend more money buying more memory. I've already gone from $10 per month to $60 per month and I can't afford any more.

I just need help identifying the culprit and fixing the problem.

Thanks for your help.

Have you looked over error logs to see where memory use might be spiking? Assuming you haven't had any traffic increases of a large nature -- and hopefully it's not spambots disturbing your sites -- I'd look into that first.

Also, with your database-driven content, have you installed any new mods recently? Some of them, if poorly programmed, can suck memory.

Sometimes a simple service restart can help, but this may take some probing.

[Librarian]

Originally Posted by Shazam

Have you looked over error logs to see where memory use might be spiking? Assuming you haven't had any traffic increases of a large nature -- and hopefully it's not spambots disturbing your sites -- I'd look into that first.

I don't think it's spambots.... I haven't checked the error logs, I'll go check.

Originally Posted by Shazam

Also, with your database-driven content, have you installed any new mods recently? Some of them, if poorly programmed, can suck memory.

I have a few hacks installed, but they were all there prior to the move. I know one of them uses some resources (I don't really know how much), so I guess I should disable it.. but it's the "inactive users reminder email" and it really works! so I hate to have to disable it if it isn't really necessary.

Originally Posted by Shazam

Sometimes a simple service restart can help, but this may take some probing.

I'll see what else I can find out.

Thanks!

[Librarian]

WOW. There are a ton of error messages there.
They seem to be in groups of four...and they all basically look like this:

[Mon Oct 15 15:08:33 2007] [error] [client 76.1.7.131] File does not exist: /home/user/public_html/404.shtml
[Mon Oct 15 15:08:33 2007] [error] [client 76.1.7.131] File does not exist: /home/userpublic_html/forum/1&preventCache=15893
[Mon Oct 15 15:08:27 2007] [error] [client 76.1.7.131] File does not exist: /home/user/public_html/404.shtml
[Mon Oct 15 15:08:27 2007] [error] [client 76.1.7.131] File does not exist: /home/user/public_html/forum/1


I have no idea what they mean though.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by Librarian

I don't think it's spambots.... I haven't checked the error logs, I'll go check.


I have a few hacks installed, but they were all there prior to the move. I know one of them uses some resources (I don't really know how much), so I guess I should disable it.. but it's the "inactive users reminder email" and it really works! so I hate to have to disable it if it isn't really necessary.
I'll see what else I can find out.

Thanks!

Just how big are your forums? And what software do you use?

[Librarian]

Originally Posted by Shazam

Just how big are your forums? And what software do you use?

vBulletin.

I have just over 1400 members, about 600 of which are active.

Stats on the cPanel page look like this:
Disk Space Usage 1340.51 Megabytes
MySQL Disk Space 373.31 Megabytes
Disk space available 3659.49 Megabytes
Bandwidth (this month) 10077.35 Megabytes

[lnxcode]

A good thing for you to do is just to restart your mysql.

MySQL always eats tons of memory, so much so that, if you put in 10GB of ram, it could use all 10GB without even thinking twice. I would suggest doing the following:

1. Refer to your welcome email
2. Look for a section that says "How to login via SSH"
3. Follow the instructions there on how to get logged in.
4. Once logged in run the following command: service mysql restart
5. the above command will free up memory, and you should be all set.

Its an easy way to get around over usage on memory and not have to get more memory which means spending more money.

[seoguru]

Also try to optimize MySQL tables, this feature should be available in vbulletin administrative panel.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by seoguru

Also try to optimize MySQL tables, this feature should be available in vbulletin administrative panel.

Yes it is, under Maintenance, and it gives you the ability to repair and optimize.

[Librarian]

Originally Posted by lnxcode

A good thing for you to do is just to restart your mysql.

MySQL always eats tons of memory, so much so that, if you put in 10GB of ram, it could use all 10GB without even thinking twice. I would suggest doing the following:

1. Refer to your welcome email
2. Look for a section that says "How to login via SSH"
3. Follow the instructions there on how to get logged in.
4. Once logged in run the following command: service mysql restart
5. the above command will free up memory, and you should be all set.

Its an easy way to get around over usage on memory and not have to get more memory which means spending more money.

On my welcome email it has the SSH info... but when I tried it nothing happened so I wrote to support. They told me I'd have to pay $1.50 extra (as I stated in my other thread.) I take it you're telling me this info was incorrect, and that it should work properly given the info in the email.

I'll try it again. Perhaps it was just a glitch that day? I confess, I haven't tried it since.

Question: If I run this command service mysql restart will it interrupt the service to my forum? If so I'll wait until later. There are 50 members online right at the moment.