# Linux Server Expert Required



## Roy (Feb 23, 2003)

I need some help with my server.

The cpu and memory are always maxed out and it is re-booting every night.

I would like someone to log in as root and just see if they can tweak any settings or see any problems as I have very little experience with this.

I am getting very little help out of the hosts. I think the server is really too basic for me.


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## rhaythorne (Jan 12, 2004)

I'll have a look if you like.

Some simple stuff you might like to try first would be to run the "top" command which gives you a table of running processes a little like Windows Task Manager. This will give you information about processes running on the machine and resources they're consuming. It'll also show you the load average, and important memory information.

Type the following command for more information:

#man top

Next, have a look at the klogd (the Kernel Log Daemon) log file. Depending on how it's set up this should provide you with the error messages encountered when the machine runs into problems. This is a bit like the Windows Event Log.

Type the following command for more information:

#man klogd

Lastly, you may want to have a look at the syslogd (System Log Daemon) log file which will provide you with heaps of other system messages.

Type the following commands for more information:

#man syslog

#man syslogd

It might be a better idea to copy these log files (you may need to get your hosts to tell you where they are) and send them to me. Then I can take a look through without you having to give me root access


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## Roy (Feb 23, 2003)

Thank you Rich,

I think it is all the requests from the top50watch site that causes the overload.

There are thousands of requests ever hour, over 40,000 a day.


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## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

Roy,

You server does seem alot slower since your forum s/w upgrade.

Are you sure it is not related to this?



> There are thousands of requests ever hour, over 40,000 a day


Where are these coming from? Just the top50watch site? Where did you get these figures from?

As Rich says, "top" is good and so is "vmstat" and "free". But from what you've said above, this sounds like a denial-of-service type issue although it may not be malicious.

Paul


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## Roy (Feb 23, 2003)

It is not the new software Paul.

I have complained to the hosts and they are monitoring it.

The top50 watch script causes a request to the server for the script everytime someone visits any site on there, there are over 250 sites. This generates over 40,000 requests a day to run the cgi script. This is rising all the time.









The hosts have said they will keep an eye on it.

The top50watch site really needs it's own server. Even though the revenue from it is good it will not run to this expense.


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## Roy (Feb 23, 2003)

Made a few changes to the top50 script and server settings.

Are the forum and site any quicker now ?


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## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

Roy said:


> Made a few changes to the top50 script and server settings.
> 
> Are the forum and site any quicker now ?
> 
> ...


Yes, much better


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## Roy (Feb 23, 2003)

Great, I found the problem.

The top50 script I had set to allow one hit per day per site from any one isp. This meant that it stored all 40,000 isp addresses and compared them every time someone visited a site. I have made it so it resets every hour not every day.

Exim was also causing a problem and has been fixed.


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## jasonm (Nov 22, 2003)

Much better Roy....I thought it was my PC and just went out to get more RAM


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

wow! it's like a different site today Roy. much better.

where's the rlt header gone and why the premier finace providers logo?







(clicking on it still takes you back to the front page)


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

Roy said:


> The top50watch site really needs it's own server. Even though the revenue from it is good it will not run to this expense.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 just curious as to how this revenue thing works, do you get a payment everytime someone clicks a link from the top 50 or is it a subscription thing?


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## Roy (Feb 23, 2003)

pg tips said:


> where's the rlt header gone and why the premier finace providers logo?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


??? PG I have no idea what you mean, please explain ?

Can anyone else see a rogue logo, I can't.

The large banners on the top50 watch site are paid for.


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

Anyone else see this?


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## Roy (Feb 23, 2003)

Please can anyone else see this rogue banner ?

I think it may be something on your system PG, it has me baffled.


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## jasonm (Nov 22, 2003)

I cant see it


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## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

Can't see it Roy, I think PG may have some spyware or malware.









A case for Spybot I reckon.


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

Just spent half an hour checking all my settings etc looking for files that may have corrupted my cookies of anything similar. In the end I deleted the cookies, reloaded the front page, did a ctrl f5 to force a refresh from the server and it's back to normal!

I'm totally baffled as to where it came from?


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## Roy (Feb 23, 2003)

pg tips said:


> I'm totally baffled as to where it came from?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Me too but at least it's gone.


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

adaware found 8 low risk data miners nothing to relate to it and full virus check found nothing!









Just glad it was only me and nothing serious!


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