I give a quick answer because it's after midnight and I need sleep before tomorrow.
1) Google for 'sql presistant connection php' and you find enough background information
1a) A persistant connection is something like an open line to the database that will be open for several hours (8-12).
2) Check the B2evo code for mysql_pconnect() calls and change them to mysql_connect.
3) You can close non-persistant connections with close_connect() - will not work on persistant connections.
4) You can have several hundred connections simultaniously. So you have a lot of visitors or your host has a low max_connections variabe set.

It is interesting this problem comes up after the upgrade. I think a notice in the bug section of the forum will alert the developers to the matter.

If you need a temporary solution, create a static page for the frontpage of your blog.

Good luck

Did you recently install the gallery plugin? Can there be any connection between instaling or upgrading the gallery plugin and the probem occuring?

If so, disable the plugin for the time being, wait till all persistnt connections are closed (several hours) and see if the problem returns.

Thanks.

Actually the Gallery to which I refer is a separate Gallery2 installation. I haven't even tried the b2e Gallery plugin. I think I will however, reduce the number of posts showing per page. That may help.

I know the basics of what a persistent connection is, & even get why it would be a problem, especially since 75% of my hits are probably spam & spiders, so the connections come quickly & aren't needed for long. But I can't see how b2evo could be making them, since looking at the settings further, they have them disabled according to phpinfo. I just got a response back from support after I pointed that out to them. All it said was:

Sorry, we didn't know if you had them enabled in a local php.ini file.

:roll: I used to actually get good support from these folks.

I am not an expert, but only recently I came across an article about persistent connections while searching for something related but completely different. I hoped the persistent connection could do some good, like an open connection between the front page of the blog and the database, but I soon found out, that is not what persistent connections are about.
As I recall from the article, is there a connection type that is default and persistent other than the mysql_pconnect()?
I noticed the max_persistent = maximal and the allow_persistent = off settings, but in my rather hasty first reaction I choose to write what I thought, hoping to give you a lead.

So your connections are non persistent. As I recall non persistent connections can live long if they are not closed. Furthermore It is no longer my guess the Gallery plugin is to blame, as was your conclusion also.
Do you or your host have a log of the database. There may be a clue.

Good luck

It went down again today, so reducing my number of posts per page (which should reduce the # of database calls) made no difference. When this happens, it also kills email & basic webpages on the server, so I don't think it's limited to (or even related to) b2evo.

Don't underestimate the possbility of bots trying to register a hundred times in succession or something similar. I've twice had a Russian bot roaming the blog for several hours and clicking everything clickable until my host alerted me I used too much CPU power.
I hope you find a solution soon.

Good luck

I would go along with that if it weren't for the fact that my hit counts are about the same as on the previous server. I suppose if it were bursts of traffic it could cause issues, but it seems odd that the change in traffic would be timed with the move to a different box. Unless the new version of b2evo really has that much more overhead, which seems unlikely. *shrug* Just kind of thinking outloud.

Well, whatever was wrong with the server, appears to have been fixed. It took them a while, and of course they never said what was wrong, but it appears to be behaving.

That's the worst when the problem is solved "magically" and one never knows what really happened. May I ask, what host are you using? of course I may, I already did :-)
"The question is never indiscrete, only the answer" (from a film a watched a few days ago)

I'm using [url=http://www.site5.com/affiliates/idevaffiliate.php?id=751]Site 5[/url]. For the most part I've had great service from them, I think they really just had no idea that there was a problem on this server. Maybe I'm the only one with a database application on it. It seems to be behaving just fine now.