Server Lag Spikes

I run a forum on a dedicated server with no other websites on it. Most of the time the server is fine but sometimes it gets SERIOUS lag spikes even though there isnt many people on the forums and nothing in my logs (looked for DDOS's and other server lagging things). It seems to happen at pretty random times and happens once or twice a day. One second everything will be fine at sub 1 CPU, then it'll spike up to 40ish for about 2 mins and then drop back to sub 1.

I dont really know whats causing it, any help will be greatly appreciated.

Here is the server operating normally:

Code:
 09:16:33  up 203 days, 22:04,  1 user,  load average: 0.40, 0.65, 0.73
105 processes: 104 sleeping, 1 running, 0 zombie, 0 stopped
CPU states:  cpu    user    nice  system    irq  softirq  iowait    idle
           total    0.7%    0.0%    0.7%   0.0%     0.0%    0.0%   98.4%
Mem:  1022532k av,  997740k used,   24792k free,       0k shrd,   73316k buff
                    758576k actv,  142580k in_d,   17356k in_c
Swap: 2040244k av,   54896k used, 1985348k free                  760468k cached

  PID USER     PRI  NI  SIZE  RSS SHARE STAT %CPU %MEM   TIME CPU COMMAND
12722 maddev  21   0  1252 1252   896 R     1.5  0.1   0:00   0 top
    1 root      15   0   508  476   448 S     0.0  0.0   0:25   0 init
    2 root      15   0     0    0     0 SW    0.0  0.0   0:04   0 keventd
    3 root      15   0     0    0     0 SW    0.0  0.0   0:47   0 kapmd
    4 root      34  19     0    0     0 SWN   0.0  0.0   0:00   0 ksoftirqd/0
    7 root      15   0     0    0     0 SW    0.0  0.0   0:06   0 bdflush
    5 root      15   0     0    0     0 SW    0.0  0.0   8:50   0 kswapd
    6 root      15   0     0    0     0 SW    0.0  0.0  15:07   0 kscand
    8 root      15   0     0    0     0 SW    0.0  0.0   0:12   0 kupdated
    9 root      25   0     0    0     0 SW    0.0  0.0   0:00   0 mdrecoveryd
   13 root      15   0     0    0     0 SW    0.0  0.0  30:04   0 kjournald
   68 root      25   0     0    0     0 SW    0.0  0.0   0:00   0 khubd
 2146 root      15   0     0    0     0 SW    0.0  0.0   0:00   0 kjournald
 2506 root      15   0   580  548   496 S     0.0  0.0   1:05   0 syslogd
 2510 root      15   0   440  384   380 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 klogd
 2536 rpc       15   0   540  460   456 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 portmap
 2548 root      RT   0   536  436   408 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 auditd
 2599 root      24   0   480  428   424 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 apmd
 2676 root      15   0   808  644   560 S     0.0  0.0   0:32   0 sshd
 2690 root      24   0   548  432   428 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 xinetd
 2718 smmsp     15   0  1088  628   536 S     0.0  0.0   0:01   0 sendmail
 2732 root      15   0   392  372   316 S     0.0  0.0   0:01   0 crond
 2780 xfs       15   0  2140  292   264 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 xfs
 2789 daemon    15   0   348  328   284 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 atd
 2802 root      15   0   284  264   224 S     0.0  0.0   0:01   0 mdadm
 2813 root      15   0 12152  11M  1372 S     0.0  1.1   0:01   0 mdmpd
 2832 root      15   0  3992 1356   956 S     0.0  0.1   0:09   0 miniserv.pl
 2836 root      22   0   120   72    68 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 mingetty
 2837 root      22   0   120   72    68 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 mingetty
 2838 root      22   0   120   72    68 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 mingetty
 2839 root      22   0   120   72    68 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 mingetty
 2840 root      22   0   124   72    68 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 mingetty
 2841 root      22   0   292  240   236 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 mingetty
17828 maddev  15   0   600  252   248 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 screen
17829 maddev  25   0   824  604   600 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 bash
Here is the server when the lag spikes occur:
Code:
0:52:53  up 177 days, 13:41,  1 user,  load average: 32.19, 19.66, 10.23
   6 root      16   0     0    0     0 SW    3.4  0.0  10:45   0 kscand
18172 maddev  15   0  1396 1396   896 R     3.4  0.1   0:00   0 top
17821 mysql     15   0 36976  24M  1368 S     1.7  2.4   0:00   0 mysqld
    1 root      15   0   508  472   448 S     0.0  0.0   0:22   0 init
    2 root      15   0     0    0     0 SW    0.0  0.0   0:03   0 keventd
    3 root      15   0     0    0     0 SW    0.0  0.0   0:41   0 kapmd
    4 root      34  19     0    0     0 SWN   0.0  0.0   0:00   0 ksoftirqd/0
    7 root      15   0     0    0     0 SW    0.0  0.0   0:05   0 bdflush
    5 root      15   0     0    0     0 SW    0.0  0.0   6:51   0 kswapd
    8 root      15   0     0    0     0 SW    0.0  0.0   0:10   0 kupdated
    9 root      25   0     0    0     0 SW    0.0  0.0   0:00   0 mdrecoveryd
   13 root      15   0     0    0     0 DW    0.0  0.0  28:39   0 kjournald
   68 root      25   0     0    0     0 SW    0.0  0.0   0:00   0 khubd
 2146 root      15   0     0    0     0 SW    0.0  0.0   0:00   0 kjournald
 2506 root      15   0   588  552   504 S     0.0  0.0   0:57   0 syslogd
 2510 root      15   0   444  388   384 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 klogd
 2536 rpc       15   0   560  480   476 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 portmap
 2548 root      RT   0   536  416   408 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 auditd
 2599 root      24   0   480  428   424 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 apmd
 2676 root      15   0   796  592   548 S     0.0  0.0   0:26   0 sshd
 2690 root      24   0   548  432   428 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 xinetd
 2718 smmsp     15   0  1104  556   552 S     0.0  0.0   0:01   0 sendmail
 2732 root      15   0   424  400   348 S     0.0  0.0   0:01   0 crond
 2780 xfs       15   0  2132  260   256 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 xfs
 2789 daemon    15   0   356  312   292 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 atd
 2802 root      15   0   292  236   232 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 mdadm
 2813 root      15   0 12152  11M  1372 S     0.0  1.1   0:01   0 mdmpd
 2832 root      15   0  3992 1300   956 S     0.0  0.1   0:08   0 miniserv.pl
 2836 root      22   0   120   72    68 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 mingetty
 2837 root      22   0   120   72    68 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 mingetty
 2838 root      22   0   120   72    68 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 mingetty
 2839 root      22   0   120   72    68 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 mingetty
 2840 root      22   0   124   72    68 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 mingetty
 2841 root      22   0   308  256   252 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 mingetty
17828 maddev  15   0   608  260   256 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 screen
Code:
21:59:00  up 182 days, 10:47,  1 user,  load average: 40.48, 19.47, 8.39
70 processes: 68 sleeping, 2 running, 0 zombie, 0 stopped
CPU states:  cpu    user    nice  system    irq  softirq  iowait    idle
           total    0.0%    0.0%    0.0%   0.0%     0.0%    0.0%  100.0%
Mem:  1022532k av,  655076k used,  367456k free,       0k shrd,   17608k buff
                    469484k actv,  109716k in_d,   12120k in_c
Swap: 2040244k av,   28212k used, 2012032k free                  586528k cached

  PID USER     PRI  NI  SIZE  RSS SHARE STAT %CPU %MEM   TIME CPU COMMAND
    1 root      15   0   508  476   448 S     0.0  0.0   0:23   0 init
    2 root      15   0     0    0     0 SW    0.0  0.0   0:04   0 keventd
    3 root      15   0     0    0     0 SW    0.0  0.0   0:43   0 kapmd
    4 root      34  19     0    0     0 SWN   0.0  0.0   0:00   0 ksoftirqd/0
    7 root      15   0     0    0     0 SW    0.0  0.0   0:06   0 bdflush
    5 root      15   0     0    0     0 SW    0.0  0.0   7:14   0 kswapd
    6 root      15   0     0    0     0 SW    0.0  0.0  11:34   0 kscand
    8 root      15   0     0    0     0 SW    0.0  0.0   0:11   0 kupdated
    9 root      25   0     0    0     0 SW    0.0  0.0   0:00   0 mdrecoveryd
   13 root      15   0     0    0     0 SW    0.0  0.0  28:55   0 kjournald
   68 root      25   0     0    0     0 SW    0.0  0.0   0:00   0 khubd
 2146 root      15   0     0    0     0 SW    0.0  0.0   0:00   0 kjournald
 2506 root      15   0   588  552   504 S     0.0  0.0   0:59   0 syslogd
 2510 root      15   0   444  388   384 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 klogd
 2536 rpc       15   0   560  480   476 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 portmap
 2548 root      RT   0   528  424   400 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 auditd
 2599 root      24   0   480  428   424 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 apmd
 2676 root      15   0   804  600   556 S     0.0  0.0   0:27   0 sshd
 2690 root      24   0   548  432   428 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 xinetd
 2718 smmsp     15   0  1112  564   560 S     0.0  0.0   0:01   0 sendmail
 2732 root      15   0   416  388   340 S     0.0  0.0   0:01   0 crond
 2780 xfs       15   0  2144  292   268 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 xfs
 2789 daemon    15   0   352  328   288 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 atd
 2802 root      15   0   288  268   228 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 mdadm
 2813 root      15   0 12152  11M  1372 S     0.0  1.1   0:01   0 mdmpd
 2832 root      15   0  3992 1276   956 S     0.0  0.1   0:08   0 miniserv.pl
 2836 root      22   0   120   72    68 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 mingetty
 2837 root      22   0   120   72    68 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 mingetty
 2838 root      22   0   120   72    68 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 mingetty
 2839 root      22   0   120   72    68 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 mingetty
 2840 root      22   0   124   72    68 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 mingetty
 2841 root      22   0   300  248   244 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 mingetty
17828 maddev  15   0   608  260   256 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 screen
Code:
 10:25:39  up 189 days, 23:13,  1 user,  load average: 29.73, 12.17, 6.57
284 processes: 280 sleeping, 4 running, 0 zombie, 0 stopped
CPU states:  cpu    user    nice  system    irq  softirq  iowait    idle
           total   14.9%    0.0%    1.1%   0.3%     0.0%   83.5%    0.0%
Mem:  1022532k av, 1012256k used,   10276k free,       0k shrd,    8700k buff
                    779880k actv,  146132k in_d,   13100k in_c
Swap: 2040244k av,  282056k used, 1758188k free                  580432k cached

  PID USER     PRI  NI  SIZE  RSS SHARE STAT %CPU %MEM   TIME CPU COMMAND
13989 apache    15   0 11460 9084  4220 D     6.1  0.8   0:00   0 httpd
14032 apache    16   0 11420 8932  4220 R     2.4  0.8   0:00   0 httpd
13942 apache    15   0 10204 7792  4208 D     0.7  0.7   0:00   0 httpd
14192 apache    15   0  9692 7952  4168 S     0.5  0.7   0:00   0 httpd
14193 apache    15   0  9692 7712  4164 D     0.5  0.7   0:00   0 httpd
14363 maddev  15   0  1380 1376   848 R     0.5  0.1   0:00   0 top
13883 apache    15   0 11540 9204  4256 D     0.3  0.9   0:01   0 httpd
14197 apache    15   0 10504 7612  4188 S     0.3  0.7   0:00   0 httpd
14198 apache    15   0  9724 7144  4156 S     0.3  0.6   0:00   0 httpd
    5 root      15   0     0    0     0 SW    0.1  0.0   7:49   0 kswapd
13691 apache    15   0 11912 8564  4336 D     0.1  0.8   0:04   0 httpd
13868 apache    15   0 10928 8836  4256 D     0.1  0.8   0:00   0 httpd
13878 apache    15   0 11476 9108  4216 S     0.1  0.8   0:01   0 httpd
13885 apache    15   0 11488 9128  4220 S     0.1  0.8   0:01   0 httpd
13901 apache    15   0 12012   9M  4252 D     0.1  1.0   0:01   0 httpd
13906 apache    15   0  9928 8092  4224 D     0.1  0.7   0:00   0 httpd
13931 apache    15   0 10476 8176  4232 D     0.1  0.7   0:00   0 httpd
13943 apache    15   0 10860 8920  4284 D     0.1  0.8   0:00   0 httpd
13970 mysql     15   0 38672  24M  1300 S     0.1  2.4   0:00   0 mysqld
13974 apache    15   0 10228 7996  4192 D     0.1  0.7   0:00   0 httpd
13982 apache    15   0 10928 8544  4204 D     0.1  0.8   0:00   0 httpd
13995 apache    15   0 10860 8380  4224 D     0.1  0.8   0:00   0 httpd
14061 apache    15   0  9572 7932  4176 D     0.1  0.7   0:00   0 httpd
14077 apache    15   0  9252 7612  4168 S     0.1  0.7   0:00   0 httpd
14099 apache    15   0  9260 7500  4176 S     0.1  0.7   0:00   0 httpd
14194 mysql     15   0 38672  24M  1300 S     0.1  2.4   0:00   0 mysqld
14195 apache    15   0 10716 8896  4216 D     0.1  0.8   0:00   0 httpd
14268 mysql     15   0 38672  24M  1300 S     0.1  2.4   0:00   0 mysqld
14401 root      20   0  6204 4124  3620 R     0.1  0.4   0:00   0 httpd
    1 root      15   0   508  472   448 S     0.0  0.0   0:24   0 init
    2 root      15   0     0    0     0 SW    0.0  0.0   0:04   0 keventd
    3 root      15   0     0    0     0 SW    0.0  0.0   0:44   0 kapmd
    4 root      34  19     0    0     0 SWN   0.0  0.0   0:00   0 ksoftirqd/0
    7 root      15   0     0    0     0 SW    0.0  0.0   0:06   0 bdflush
    6 root      15   0     0    0     0 SW    0.0  0.0  12:57   0 kscand
Code:
 04:43:53  up 200 days, 17:32,  1 user,  load average: 23.25, 9.69, 4.33
277 processes: 274 sleeping, 3 running, 0 zombie, 0 stopped
CPU states:  cpu    user    nice  system    irq  softirq  iowait    idle
           total   14.5%    0.0%    2.3%   0.7%     0.0%   82.3%    0.0%
Mem:  1022532k av,  618448k used,  404084k free,       0k shrd,    6260k buff
                    533328k actv,   38064k in_d,    2700k in_c
Swap: 2040244k av,  216880k used, 1823364k free                  223892k cached

  PID USER     PRI  NI  SIZE  RSS SHARE STAT %CPU %MEM   TIME CPU COMMAND
 1447 mysql     15   0 35988  22M  1364 S     7.1  2.2   0:00   0 mysqld
 1484 apache    15   0  9344 7288  4200 S     1.3  0.7   0:00   0 httpd
 1207 apache    15   0 12396 9.8M  4440 S     0.7  0.9   0:02   0 httpd
 1568 maddev  15   0  1424 1424   904 R     0.7  0.1   0:00   0 top
 1377 apache    15   0 10568 7260  4204 D     0.5  0.7   0:00   0 httpd
 1418 apache    15   0 10216 7348  4204 D     0.5  0.7   0:00   0 httpd
 1422 apache    15   0 11560 8988  4260 S     0.5  0.8   0:00   0 httpd
 1428 apache    15   0 11504 8772  4248 S     0.5  0.8   0:00   0 httpd
 1461 apache    15   0  9916 6572  4192 S     0.5  0.6   0:00   0 httpd
 1465 apache    15   0  9916 6608  4192 S     0.5  0.6   0:00   0 httpd
 1474 apache    15   0  9916 7076  4192 S     0.5  0.6   0:00   0 httpd
 1215 apache    15   0 12160 8156  4288 D     0.2  0.7   0:01   0 httpd
 1216 apache    15   0 11128 7136  4300 D     0.2  0.6   0:01   0 httpd
 1368 apache    15   0 10392 8332  4280 D     0.2  0.8   0:00   0 httpd
 1371 mysql     15   0 35988  22M  1364 S     0.2  2.2   0:00   0 mysqld
 1396 apache    15   0 10532 7556  4204 D     0.2  0.7   0:00   0 httpd
 1427 apache    15   0 10204 7408  4244 D     0.2  0.7   0:00   0 httpd
 1444 apache    15   0  9916 6352  4192 S     0.2  0.6   0:00   0 httpd
 1469 apache    15   0 10664 7704  4208 D     0.2  0.7   0:00   0 httpd
 1470 mysql     15   0 35988  22M  1364 S     0.2  2.2   0:00   0 mysqld
 1473 apache    15   0  9916 7040  4192 S     0.2  0.6   0:00   0 httpd
 1489 apache    15   0  8480 6880  4276 S     0.2  0.6   0:00   0 httpd
 1495 apache    15   0 10924 9236  4216 S     0.2  0.9   0:00   0 httpd
 1608 mysql     15   0 35988  22M  1364 S     0.2  2.2   0:00   0 mysqld
    1 root      15   0   508  472   448 S     0.0  0.0   0:24   0 init
    2 root      15   0     0    0     0 SW    0.0  0.0   0:04   0 keventd
    3 root      15   0     0    0     0 SW    0.0  0.0   0:47   0 kapmd
    4 root      34  19     0    0     0 SWN   0.0  0.0   0:00   0 ksoftirqd/0
    7 root      15   0     0    0     0 SW    0.0  0.0   0:06   0 bdflush
    5 root      15   0     0    0     0 SW    0.0  0.0   8:38   0 kswapd
    6 root      15   0     0    0     0 SW    0.0  0.0  14:48   0 kscand
    8 root      15   0     0    0     0 SW    0.0  0.0   0:11   0 kupdated
    9 root      25   0     0    0     0 SW    0.0  0.0   0:00   0 mdrecoveryd
   13 root      15   0     0    0     0 SW    0.0  0.0  29:54   0 kjournald
   68 root      25   0     0    0     0 SW    0.0  0.0   0:00   0 khubd
This is when the forums are under a heavy load (lots of users), but still quite usable:
Code:
 22:01:41  up 196 days, 10:49,  1 user,  load average: 1.87, 1.76, 1.74
115 processes: 113 sleeping, 2 running, 0 zombie, 0 stopped
CPU states:  cpu    user    nice  system    irq  softirq  iowait    idle
           total    6.1%    0.0%    0.1%   0.0%     0.0%    0.0%   93.6%
Mem:  1022532k av,  998516k used,   24016k free,       0k shrd,   17560k buff
                    775432k actv,  141536k in_d,   14668k in_c
Swap: 2040244k av,   48904k used, 199****k free                  809792k cached

  PID USER     PRI  NI  SIZE  RSS SHARE STAT %CPU %MEM   TIME CPU COMMAND
17697 apache    16   0 11600 9.9M  4472 S     2.7  0.9   0:05   0 httpd
18113 apache    16   0 10264 8716  4292 S     2.1  0.8   0:00   0 httpd
17812 apache    15   0 12320  10M  4344 S     0.3  1.0   0:05   0 httpd
17911 apache    15   0 11288 9808  4428 S     0.3  0.9   0:01   0 httpd
18193 maddev  17   0  1268 1268   904 R     0.1  0.1   0:00   0 top
    1 root      15   0   508  476   448 S     0.0  0.0   0:24   0 init
    2 root      15   0     0    0     0 SW    0.0  0.0   0:04   0 keventd
    3 root      15   0     0    0     0 SW    0.0  0.0   0:46   0 kapmd
    4 root      34  19     0    0     0 SWN   0.0  0.0   0:00   0 ksoftirqd/0
    7 root      15   0     0    0     0 SW    0.0  0.0   0:06   0 bdflush
    5 root      15   0     0    0     0 SW    0.0  0.0   8:21   0 kswapd
    6 root      15   0     0    0     0 SW    0.0  0.0  14:04   0 kscand
    8 root      15   0     0    0     0 SW    0.0  0.0   0:11   0 kupdated
    9 root      25   0     0    0     0 SW    0.0  0.0   0:00   0 mdrecoveryd
   13 root      15   0     0    0     0 SW    0.0  0.0  29:41   0 kjournald
   68 root      25   0     0    0     0 SW    0.0  0.0   0:00   0 khubd
 2146 root      15   0     0    0     0 SW    0.0  0.0   0:00   0 kjournald
 2506 root      15   0   588  552   504 S     0.0  0.0   1:03   0 syslogd
 2510 root      15   0   452  396   392 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 klogd
 2536 rpc       15   0   560  480   476 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 portmap
 2548 root      RT   0   536  436   408 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 auditd
 2599 root      24   0   480  428   424 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 apmd
 2676 root      15   0   804  636   556 S     0.0  0.0   0:30   0 sshd
 2690 root      24   0   548  432   428 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 xinetd
 2718 smmsp     15   0  1084  536   532 S     0.0  0.0   0:01   0 sendmail
 2732 root      15   0   408  388   332 S     0.0  0.0   0:01   0 crond
 2780 xfs       15   0  2140  268   264 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 xfs
 2789 daemon    15   0   348  328   284 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 atd
 2802 root      15   0   284  264   224 S     0.0  0.0   0:01   0 mdadm
 2813 root      15   0 12152  11M  1372 S     0.0  1.1   0:01   0 mdmpd
 2832 root      15   0  3992 1304   956 S     0.0  0.1   0:09   0 miniserv.pl
 2836 root      22   0   120   72    68 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 mingetty
 2837 root      22   0   120   72    68 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 mingetty
 2838 root      22   0   120   72    68 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 mingetty
 2839 root      22   0   120   72    68 S     0.0  0.0   0:00   0 mingetty

 

 

 

 

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