Newbie, CPU usuage very high all of a sudden.

Probably your first step is to use the top command to see what is using CPU. You could also try something like Munin to collect statistics. The graphs in the Linode dashboard won't give you any details because the host machine doesn't know what you're running on your virtual server.

Hi LAnce. What is top command and where do I type it ?

@glennk:

Hi LAnce. What is top command and where do I type it ?
Just use the command line on your Linode as your root user (logged in as some other user on your system may also work), either via your LISH console or via an SSH connection.

sorry to sound dumb, but where is that, and what exactly do I type. Sorry Im a real newbie but happy to learn.

See http://library.linode.com/getting-start … our-linode">http://library.linode.com/getting-started#sph_connecting-to-your-linode

You mention "top" command. Is there a "short guide to commands and what they do" link also–or is that related to linux basics and if I look at the link provided in your "getting started" area? Or link to "short guide to getting log reports"?

Again, also sorry to be complete and utter newbie, but I got dropped into this "unmanaged" server environment by our site developer who no longer wanted to also host--and it's frankly been a bit of nightmare. I've managed to pick up a certain amount of bootstrap IT knowledge in my life--but this is NOT what I've been trained for… And we're having OOMing problems, which apparently I get to try to figure myself….

There are tons of resources on Linux, Linux command on the net.

Top is a very common utility and one of many basic tools used to administrate a box, see what is going on etc..

On your server, simply doing

man top

should give you command line arguments for its use if it is loaded.

If you are pressed for time and need it done right away and this is actually a business, you should consider hiring someone to make the necessary changes to your site now, to give you time to get up to speed.