Dialer.exe can't be deleted

[jondoh]

Hello,

I've got a folder called Windows NT in Program Files that I didn't put there; and I can't get rid of it. If I delete dialer.exe, or any of the exes included in the subfolders, they come back in less than 10 seconds. I have found entries in the Registry, but I'm not sure which are valid Windows XP dialer files, and which are bogus. I've also found a dialer.exe in System32\dllcache that bounces back after it is deleted. It's possible this guy was packed with a free pin ball game, and may be orchestrated by the file pinball.exe.

I can't find any info on this problem using Google; anybody know of a procedure to follow to rid oneself of this unwanted guest?

Thanks,
Jon

Windows XP Home SP1
Internet Explorer 6.0 SP1
eMachines T2042
2GHz Intel Celeron Processor
512MB RAM
40GB Hard Drive
Intel 3D AGP Graphics
10/100Mbps Ethernet
CD-RW 40x Write
DVD 16x Play

 

[bcastner]

Try using both Hijack This! and SypBot 1.2 (update the definitions as the first step in running the program). Both excellent programs and freeware:

http://www.spywareinfo.com/articles/hijacked/#removalÿÿÿ

 

[compgirlfhredi]

My Microsoft Windows Phone Dialer Application is located in
C:\Program Files\Windows NT\dialer.exe

 

[Larry424]

Thanks bcastner & compgirlfhredi,

I've scanned with Norton Antivirus, Pest Patrol, Ad-aware, Spybot, etc. I've found nothing. The problem is, though: dialer.exe won't delete -- it comes back. It's found three different places, and will not delete anywhere I try it. Pinball.exe will not stay deleted either. To me, anything that can't be deleted is trouble.

Here is what my Windows NT directory contains (please note that I am NOT running Windows NT):

C:\Program Files\Windows NT dialer.exe
hypertrm.exe
htrn_jis.dll
___C:\Program Files\Windows NT\Accessories wordpad.exe
___C:\Program Files\Windows NT\Bluetooth btsetup.exe
___C:\Program Files\Windows NT\Pinball FONT.DAT
PINBALL.DAT
PINBALL.EXE
PINBALL.MID
PINBALL2.MID
SOUND1.WAV

Compgirl, can you compare this with your Windows NT directory? I'm really very curious about mine -- this mess just doesn't seem to belong with my XP configuration. I have a simple DOS level dialer that I don't even use -- I don't need any of this.

I don't think .

Jon

 

[bcastner]

Larry424,

XP uses a feature introduced in Win2k, and expanded on it. The notion was to avoid a lot of problems under Win9x with application installations willy nilly replacing DLLs. It was a problem that became big enough to earn a name "DLL Hell".

The changes made in Service Packs to Win2k, and as a core XP feature, was to extend the "Windows File Protection" service to .EXE and system files. XP keeps a fairly sophisticated list of files, files by file extensions, and most recently used and seldom used files as part of its file service.

What it means for you.

You cannot just delete some files, particularly if they are in protected and priviliged System areas of Windows. It just is not that simple. Usually, this is enormously to your benefit. But for the virus writer it is an opporutnity to further make your life Hell.

My strongest personal advice is to let the Anti-Virus folks deal with this issue, or choose a System Restore point from prior to having problems.

My second best advice is to use the FAQs here (Look in the General Virus Forum FAQ section, or the General Hardware FAQ section) to find resources to explain manual removal techniques for a specific pest, or a "patch" removal for a specific pest, or updates for your Virus definitions.

Failing to convince you to do something else, at least humor me by doing four things:

1. Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Restore. Turn off System restore for the moment. This will eliminate your existing restore points, but also eliminate a storage point for the pest;

2. Turn off the Protected File System. It is not hard to do so, but follow the instructions here exactly. You need to do the Registry change mentioned first as the last step:

http://www.winguides.com/registry/display.php/790

3. Now delete the files in c:\windows\system32 and in c:\windows\system32\dllcache
reboot

4. Now reverse the steps you took in Step #2

 

[compgirlfhredi]

Larry424,
Do a search for dialer.exe and check "all files and Folders" and all Drives.
If you find more than one, highlight each and check status bar to read the 'Description' and the 'location'. The dialer.exe from Microsoft is an
TAPI 3.0 Dialer and IP Multicast Conference Viewer (globe with phone handset icon)
and should be in the folder you are seeing it in or in C:WINDOWS\system32\dllcache

One of my friends has an eMachine (mine is HP...keep snickers to oneself, please) and his is exactly as yours!
One of my 'tips' to newbies is "To start Phone Dialer, open the Run dialog box and type dialer. If you want to create a shortcut, you’ll have to point to its executable, %ProgramFiles%\Windows NT\Dialer.exe".
Hope this helps.

 

[Larry424]

bcastner & compgirlfhredi,
I guess I'll let go of this one. Something causes Windows to run slow and connectivity to suffer miserably at times, but I don't think it's dialer.exe. Since installing SpywareGuard I find almost nothing in Ad-aware and Spybot, so I guess I'm covered there; and I've never known Norton to miss a virus or an intrusion attempt.

I'm currently looking for a decent explanation for why the rundll32 and dllhost exes run so often (2 or 3 times every day). This is definitely not what I experienced during the first 8 months I owned the computer; and I haven't seen it on other machines, either.

Well, I've been itching to play some pinball harhar...

Thanks,
Larry

 

[CrazyOneTwo]

I think that the Dialer that you meen is one that install himself when you are have surfing on the net
Most of the time its coming from a agressive "German" site.
When i am right,send me a émail and i send you a little proggie to remove it (the prog=24 kb big)
I run 4 comp's,and i have this little prog on all of it!!!


Hope to help you.
Greatings,Lucas.

 

[bcastner]

How to Delete an Undeletable File[/color

Thanks to MS-MVP Kelly Theriot for this tip.

Open a Command Prompt window and leave it open. Close all open programs. Click Start, Run and enter TASKMGR.EXE Go to the Processes tab and End Process on Explorer.exe. Leave Task Manager open. Go back to the Command Prompt window and change to the directory the AVI (or other undeletable file) is located in. At the command prompt type DEL <filename> where <filename> is the file you wish to delete. Go back to Task Manager, click File, New Task and enter EXPLORER.EXE to restart the GUI shell. Close Task Manager.