wow indeed. unbelieveable history here. i have always ben an avid port checker to make sure my system is secure, but recently discovered the rpcss problem. this occurred after either installing my lexmark z12, or after installing 98se (was previously using 98). either way. if i delete rpcss.exe, i get "spooler errors", forced restarts, and then my network logon window never pops up so i can't boot tot he desktop (though i can still get in via lan). same thing if i rename it. somehow, rpcss is closely tied with "printray.exe" or "printtray.exe" (whichever it is), and/or the print spooler. frigging cheap ass lexmark and frigging (insert everything in the book here) microsoft! i WILL solve this problem on my machine, at least :) i hope... i reallllllly hope :)

What makes you think rpcss.exe is a problem?

Remote procedure call (rpcss.exe) is an important networking and external peripheral management application.

Long word for a parasite.

But read on: http://www.cexx.org/rpcss.htm

http://www.cexx.org/rpc.htm

There was a long-running thread on this here: http://www.computing.net/windows95/wwwboard/forum/3943.html I can add to the story. In that thread many people reported RPCSS.exe had an uncanny ability to slip through ZoneAlarm firewall with the firewall's acknowledgement. Well I can report that it does likewise with Tiny Firewall, which offers an even tighter level of control than does Zone Alarm. With Tiny, I specifically forbid RPCSS.exe from all TCP and UDP activity and put the rule at the top of the list. What happens? The TCP.exe just pops up after some 20 minutes or so (seems to be random) on Tiny's status window, listening with port 135 and some random low thousand number port open. Weird... I think I actually will try to delete it. See Cerxx.org for instructions on that. Use a backup plan I'd suggest.