Interactive services dialog detection

[kellysarah]

HI everyone,

 

It's my first post here, and I'm hoping that you can help or just set my mind at rest.

 

Over the weekend, Dell users seemed to start having problems with a pop-up box called "interactive services dialog detection", with the warning message " a program can't display a message on your desktop". I have attached a picture of what it looks like. Unfortunately, I clicked on "show me the message" and was taken to a light blue desktop with IE on it, asking me about google toolbar. I got rid of it asap as it looked a little suspect. I don't use IE, which rang even more alarm bells.

 

Googling this problem leds me to two differing conclusions:

1. It's a Vista thing, and turning off the interactive services dialog detection will fix it. But this seems to me to be masking the problem, and not solving it. I did it anyway, because it was annoying. I have turned it back on today and it hasn't reappeared, but my computer does periodically make "something's wrong" noises, very quietly.

 

2. It's a virus/spyware/malware etc. I have done full system scans with AVG, malwarebytes and Windows Defender, and nothing has been picked up. But I'm still a little suspicious that something isn't quite right.

 

I'm really after your expert opinions about whether this is a) one of those things that happen and I don't need to worry about or b) something to be concerned about.

 

EDIT: I am running Vista Business on a Dell Vostro 1500. Nothing new had been installed before this problem occured.

 

Thanks for your time,

 

Kelly

Edited September 7, 2010 by kellysarah

[RandyL]

Hi.

After a look around it does appear to be a Dell service that is causing this. Possibly Dell DataSafe.

 

It may be a Windows update that no longer allows this service to run.

 

In either case I would worry more about your choice of antivirus but not this service. However feel free to post in the malware removal section should you suspect malware.

[kellysarah]

Thanks for your reply. I was leaning towards that conclusion but needed someone with a bit more know how than me to suggest it too. I'm keeping an eye on replies from Dell.

 

I did switch to McAfee for a while but didn't really like the interface. After this scare I am thinking about going back.

[Plastic Nev]

Hi, AVG isn't the program it used to be and a lot of us don't use it, though I believe that there may be improvements along soon. However, if needing a replacement AV, and free there are the two we recommend either Avast, or Avira. However do look at an independent firewall as well as those two are anti virus only.

As far as the warning message, and only by reading all you have supplied, I suspect similar to Randy that perhaps a windows update has clashed with something in the Dell program, but it does seem to be Internet explorer related.

Do you know which version of Internet explorer is on your machine? Ideally even though you don't use it, as I don't, it should be updated to the latest version, Internet explorer 8.

That in itself may address the issue, however also keep checking with the Dell site for further info on it.

Nev.