Something on my home desktop launched C:\Windows\System\MSDTCW.exe. The program is purported to be Microsoft Distributed Transaction Coordinator. My system, which runs on Windows Me, automatically initiated a modem connection, and proceeded to transmit 363,728 bytes and receive only 81 bytes over the period of 463,027 seconds before I caught it and shut down my system. I assumed at the time it might be a hacker invoked connection, but tracked it down to a “WRP Control Session – MSDTCW.EXE” which was preceded by a WRP Control Session – WINMGMT.exe for 20 seconds. Does Microsoft have any explanation as to what launched these actions and for what possible purpose?

Read this and see if you feel like you need WINMGMT on your machine. http://www.win2000mag.com/Articles/Index.cfm?ArticleID=8959 Everything I can find out about this application refers to WIN 2000. I don't think it really belongs in ME. It was causing freezes and crashes for me so I deleted the application. Hasn't affected things at all. While your at it look into NETDDE, MDM and RPCSS. Read this about some of these applications. http://cexx.org/rpcss.htm I have deleted all of these applications and my machine is running smoothly now. mike

If you are using Office server extentions are installed during a complete install. Don't forget that indexing is part of Office. As far as packets go, in the "Control Panel" your "Auto Update" feature could be running and thusly checking for updates. Turn that off if so by using the control panel. Visual Studio also adds server extentions MDTC is a normal feature and you will find it in the control panel as well. ODBC Data Sources and Find Fast are the locations for these. An icon for MDTC could be from an older version of the Office or Visual Studio suites. What does it do?? Unless you are sharing data bases or creating actual web sites that contain server side applications...nothing! Could you have a virus or a Trojan? Sure, yet if your virus scanner is up to date and says that you are clean then you are. Get a packet sniffer to attempt to confirm what sort of data is being sent if the auto update feature is not the issue. You might also have installed software that uses MDTC as the method that it attempts to register itself with its creator?? I would doubt that hacking is the issue. Sub-Seven and other Trojans don't actually make connections. When you launch a connection these back door virri will then silently use the connection that you have allready launched. This way you will be unaware of it! Also you are using a dial-up and most hackers look for people on cable or DSL if they want to use their PCs for attacks. Your IP address changes every time you are on line.... Hope one of the above resolves your querry!