Using kernel 2.4 + Celeron 1.7 slow, should i upgrade ?

[altomarketing2]

I have few servers , but a celeron 1.7 with 512 of ram, is working very slow now, so:
Since it is a cheap server I can not add ram or change cpu. so..

1. Upgrading my kernel, will increase performance ?
1.1 how can i safely upgrade it ?

2. exim is eating all my server , i disable eximstats,

22272 root 25 0 4316 4316 2840 R 19.1 0.8 0:56 0 exim
22621 root 25 0 4296 4296 2840 R 19.1 0.8 0:49 0 exim
17495 root 25 0 4708 4708 2840 R 17.2 0.9 2:39 0 exim
16870 root 25 0 4812 4812 2840 R 9.5 0.9 2:57 0 exim
17913 root 25 0 4632 4632 2840 R 9.5 0.9 2:29 0 exim
21624 root 25 0 4372 4372 2840 R 9.5 0.8 1:06 0 exim
25168 root 25 0 4096 4096 2764 R 9.5 0.8 0:15 0 exim
26367 root 20 0 1196 1196 880 R 2.8 0.2 0:00 0 top
22802 root 20 0 1012 1012 844 S 0.9 0.2 0:00 0 bfd
26095 mailnull 15 0 4568 4544 3360 R 0.9 0.9 0:00 0 exim

in panic log it keeps saying 2007-06-15 14:18:28 1HzFQZ-0005IE-Ee failed to expand condition "${perl{checkspam}}" for literal router: Domain xxxxxxxx.com.ar has exceeded the max emails per hour. Message discarded.

2007-06-15 14:18:28 1HzFQZ-0005IE-Ee failed to expand condition "${perl{checkspam}}" for lookuphost router: Domain xxxxxxx.com.ar has exceeded the max emails per hour. Message discarded.

2007-06-15 14:18:28 1HzFQZ-0005IE-Ee failed to expand condition "${perl{checkspam}}" for literal router: Domain xxxxx.com.ar has exceeded the max emails per hour. Message discarded.

2007-06-15 14:18:29 1HzFQZ-0005IE-Ee failed to expand condition "${perl{checkspam}}" for lookuphost router: Domain xxxxxx.com.ar has ......

i tried with eximup force but nothing happens..

Wait for your expert answers.

[cooldude7273]

Yes, you should definitely upgrade that old thing you call a server.

What OS are you using? Upgrading your kernel most likely won't give you much, if any, of a performance boost. You'll most likely just get bug and security fixes from an upgrade.

The "Domain xxxxx.com.ar has exceeded the max emails per hour. Message discarded." error is most likely that that domain is sending more emails per hour that the number you have set in WHM >> Tweak Settings >> Mail >> "The maximum each domain can send out per hour".

[servycompu]

Verify that your server is not sending spam, is possible have a bug in script and the SPAM have your server send email spam.

If you enter to Advance Mode edit EXIM and adicional this line in the first box

log_selector=+all

Then you check the log of the mail you can check what domain is the problem.

If you have configured their server with maximum per hour apropieate for domain and one domain is sending more than the normal it is necessary to suspect of spam.

[altomarketing2]

My os is redhat 9 , and my server has no open port except by 80, 25 and 110, has no access to ssh, no public ftp, and all security like mod_evasive activated, thats why i did not upgrade my kernel, its a closed box.
I am wrong ? why ? i wait for your opinions

the application that was sending spam was a security hole in oscommerce, i resolved it.