[Prefer pre-created thumbnails] Too many resourses used by phpThumb thumbnailing

Hello friends
my hosting company stopped my FlexiContent web site as it was using way over the line server resources.
They have investigated the problem and they told me that the website is selfhitting itself over and over again and this is the reason for using way over the line server processor time.

They said that they can not fix the problem as only the developer can assist.
I enclose picture with the resources usage.
Please can you advice how can i fix this so the hosing company can put my website back online.

The selfhits are from the type:

164.138.218.16 - - [23/Jan/2018:18:45:20 +0200] "GET /components/com_flexicontent/librairies/phpthumb/phpThumb.php?src=/images/stories/pollo_resort_apartmets/pollo_resort_apartmets.jpg&w=240&h=180&aoe=1&q=95&zc=1&f=jpg HTTP/1.1" 403 269 "-" "-"
164.138.218.16 - - [23/Jan/2018:18:45:20 +0200] "GET /components/com_flexicontent/librairies/phpthumb/phpThumb.php?src=/images/stories/yujna_perla_sozopol/yujna_perla.jpg&w=240&h=180&aoe=1&q=95&zc=1&f=jpg HTTP/1.1" 403 269 "-" "-"
164.138.218.16 - - [23/Jan/2018:18:45:20 +0200] "GET /components/com_flexicontent/librairies/phpthumb/phpThumb.php?src=http://niktravel.com/images/stories/obzor_beach_reasort/obzor_beach_resort.jpg&w=240&h=180&aoe=1&q=95&zc=1&f=jpg HTTP/1.1" 403 269 "-" "-"
164.138.218.16 - - [23/Jan/2018:18:45:20 +0200] "GET /components/com_flexicontent/librairies/phpthumb/phpThumb.php?src=http://niktravel.com/images/stories/lalov_egreg/lalov_egreg.jpg&w=240&h=180&aoe=1&q=95&zc=1&f=jpg HTTP/1.1" 403 269 "-" "-"

Hello

this will happen only if you configure to use too many on the fly thumbnailing
- like many modules with on the fly thumbnailing

2 things to do

- increase cache size and lifetime of phpThumb, especially the size

Edit file:
components/com_flexicontent/librairies/phpthumb/phpThumb.config_OVERRIDE.php
add:


- also best is this: edit configuration of unversal content module and select to use a fixed size thumnail of the image field

and if your articles are not using the image, then modify them to use it

Hello,

from:
components/com_flexicontent/librairies/phpthumb/phpThumb.config_OVERRIDE.php

do i have to remove:
$PHPTHUMB_CONFIG = 500 * 1024 * 1024; // 500 MBytes
$PHPTHUMB_CONFIG = 50000; // 50000 files
$PHPTHUMB_CONFIG = true; // Do not thumbnail non-local images

or i just leave it there ?

Hello,
where exactly can i find

use a fixed size thumnail of the image field

in universal content module?

Hello

using an already created thumbnail (fixed size) thumbnail has no performance cost

you can do with parameter:
"Display image:

at the drop-down instead of 'resize'
click and select an existing thumbnail

Hello,
is this the correct option (in the file attached) i must pick in order to stop the selfhitting ?
Universal content module - layout: news - tab Layout: Select Fields - (file attached)