You need to run other performance tools to get a better picture than just top. Iostat will show drive access. Check apache logs to look for web crawlers. A bad link that causes a process loop can eat your system. A power blink that causes a small file corruption can generate similar symptoms. <div class="gmail_quote">On Mar 17, 2013 11:36 AM, "Barry R Cisna" <<a href="mailto:brcisna@eazylivin.net">brcisna@eazylivin.net</a>> wrote: <blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"> Tod, Apache 2.2.15 32-bit CentOS 6.3 AMD E-350 Zacate APU 8 GB ram Sata-3 Here is a paste from 'top -u apache' PID USER PR NI VIRT RES SHR S %CPU %MEM TIME+ COMMAND 2013 apache 20 0 56296 25m 6040 S 0.0 0.3 0:02.90 httpd 2014 apache 20 0 57320 26m 6096 S 0.0 0.3 0:03.95 httpd 2015 apache 20 0 56260 25m 5484 S 0.0 0.3 0:02.83 httpd 28504 apache 20 0 45600 11m 872 S 0.0 0.2 0:00.01 httpd 28505 apache 20 0 56268 25m 5504 S 0.0 0.3 0:08.05 httpd 28506 apache 20 0 56284 26m 6116 S 0.0 0.3 0:07.55 httpd 28507 apache 20 0 56268 25m 5540 S 0.0 0.3 0:08.47 httpd 28508 apache 20 0 56416 25m 5536 S 0.0 0.3 0:07.06 httpd 28509 apache 20 0 56296 25m 5532 S 0.0 0.3 0:04.99 httpd 28510 apache 20 0 57292 25m 5540 S 0.0 0.3 0:08.66 httpd 28511 apache 20 0 56268 25m 5536 S 0.0 0.3 0:07.11 httpd 28512 apache 20 0 57320 26m 5536 S 0.0 0.3 0:05.82 httpd The server is running fine like this. ,,, When I noticed the server starting to get sluggish and the load average was around 8.00- 9.00,,when I run 'top' with no parameters I would see httpd entries about 6-8 times and yes it showed around 25% mem usage each. I have never even seen httpd listed when running top before(with no extra parameters). This has only happened about 3 times,and it seems like it happened after a power outage at my house.Probably just a coincedence? Since I posted this and shut off httpd for 10 mins then restarted I have never again seen httpd even listed in top ( this seems to be 'normal") with no parameters. Just wonder what makes httpd load the server in this fashion and what spawns it? Thanks, Barry _______________________________________________ K12OSN mailing list <a href="mailto:K12OSN@redhat.com">K12OSN@redhat.com</a> <a href="https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/k12osn" target="_blank">https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/k12osn</a> For more info see <<a href="http://www.k12os.org" target="_blank">http://www.k12os.org</a>> </blockquote></div>