What is pctspk.exe? Is pctspk.exe spyware or a virus?

What are you to do to fix pctspk.exe related problems?
1. Run Security Task Manager to check your pctspk.exe process
2. Run Registry Booster to fix pctspk.exe related errors
3. Run Spyware Doctor to remove persistent malware

Process name: PC Tel driver - PC Tel modem drivers
Product: OnBoard Modem driver
Company: PC Tel
File: pctspk.exe
Security Rating:

Belongs to the drivers of PCTEL (HSP) Modems. These modems are often found in notebooks. It"s function could be (not sure) to simulate the speaker of a modem. In my case I found it on a ECS-Desknote. After disabling that process there were no negative effects. Do NOT disable this task if you use the modem!!! It"s started via registry:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
PCTVOICE=pctspk.exe

Get more detailed information about pctspk.exe and all other running background processes with Security Task Manager.

Note: Any malware can be named anything - so you should check where the files of the running processes are located on your disk. If a "non-Microsoft" .exe file is located in the C:\Windows or C:\Windows\System32 folder, then there is a high risk for a virus, spyware, trojan or worm infection! Check it out!


Users Opinions

605 users ask for this file. 7 users didn't rate it ("don't know"). 32 users rated it as not dangerous. 5 users rated it as not so dangerous. 16 users rated it as neutral. 7 users rated it as little bit dangerous. 10 users rated it as dangerous.


All comments about pctspk.exe:
zach there are three various pctspk files in my insipron8500, one having to do with dell drivers, so i think that it's safe
Cadlin Scott At times, this process doubles itself and starts using 100% of my 1.6 gig Pentium. I disabled it in the msconfig.exe Startup Page with no negative effects.
Tim S I am a dell technician, and the little internal modems often are PCtel modems. I'm checking this page from my mum's inspiron.
John Phillips PCTel Internal Modem Elitegroup G732
Zex agree ,related to modem, but not 100% sure if it is safe to remove
Efraim MARQUEZ-ARREAZA In deed, it is used for fax/modem utilities
Rob Jansen it is used bye onboard modems with Dell notebooks pctel 2304WT
dr sreffen scholtze die Datei verursacht bei meinem Laptop eine 100% Prozessorauslastung, nach Beendigung des Prozesses war die Prozessorleistung wieder ok und keine negativen Wirkungen festzustellen. Aber kann ich die Datei löschen ?
Dave Cotullas It's for an AMR modem,very cheep Telephone modem  See also: Link
Mike Dell modem, doesnt seem to harm computer
Richard Part of your modem drivers so do not delete...
EV Modem Driver for various modems. Some people have reported 100% cpu usage, if this is the case, get the latest drivers for your modem.
Gonzalo this file destroy my computer !
Atul Installed with PC Tel 'soft' modems (either in notebook or pci slot of desktops). Not sure about the results of disabling this. Not a security threat but uses around 2.6MB memory in WinXP so the user may try disabling it.
Thomas It makes my computer crawl - very high CPU
@Damski PCTel modems are often installed as the default choice in Dell notebooks, this is the driver. If your internet connection does not depend on the internal modem it can be safely stopped,
It is using 99% of my new AMD
francis also PCtel HSP56k , which is a PCI winmodem not internal, the drivers were automatically installed by windows xp so it should be safe, but it is ok to remove from startup services if you don't want or need the sound or if you don't use the modem
Jaap Schulp It occupies my CPU for 98% for one user en 2% for another user
herauthon it started after I inserted a HAM/Ambient modem to test
Chris Calys Sometimes this file utilizes 99% of cpu and my system goes on 100% cpu usage and the system goes dead slow
Ettore98 sometime this file starts using 200% of cpu...so you'll can open task manager and kill the process...
Locum Harmless and apeared after the installation of a 56HP92-PCT. See the following link for various other PC Tel Modem Drivers.  See also: Link
Colin It loads automatically (not always) and puts CPU usage at 100%. My P4 chip then over heats and the system can crash.
Eric All i know is mine just starting running this exe and i dont use a regular modem that requires it.
Jantje Scholten deleted it without any problems. only ate 98% of my CPU. (only remove when you don't use a modem! just read the normal thing and don't mind me, just sharing my experience. Running on a HP Pavillion btw).
sloty75 my computer was running at 100% and everthing was running slow and crashing i ended it process in task maneger and my computer is now fine
Comp01 Its just a HSP/PCtel modem software, I've found it to be on the drivers for my modem, its a CNR connected modem, came with my ECS PM800 Socket 478 motherboard, it simulates modem sound through the PC's desktop speakers, uses around 200-400k memory, completly safe, it can be stopped on my HSP modem witohut any negative effects (Minus the modem sound).
Kek I stopped using modem and obtained ADSL. Today the computer (tabletop) slowed down radically. Win XP task manager shows pctspk.exe using between 80 and 100 % of processor capacity. Killing the process did not cause any obvious harm.
horeb As it is written here, it's a modem driver, but why does it use 99% of my CPU? (I've a Dell Latitude Notebook)
bpah dell modem process on my latitude notebook - save
Licorne_sh Annoying, not dangerous. It wasn't apparent on my Dell for the first year & a half.
RadMan PC TEL Modem in Dell 610C; its a hangover of the voice modem function on a PCI card; Its a driver for the voice functions for answering machine software. Yup I took it out of the start up HKLM and the modem still works OK. What do you need an answering machine for on a laptop? Yes, it can mess up bad if the Voice call part is enabled- then it will constantly look for a call- taking up cpu cycles.  See also: Link
RadMan PC TEL Modem in Dell 610C
jack jack pierre makes cpu usage 100% and pretty sucks. you will need good fun to handle it.
Kathryn All I know is that I can't run Word at the same time this file is taking up 99% of my CPU. So I delete whenever it causes me problems, and it seems to always come back. I guess I need to delete it from my Startup, as well.
antman@greece Modem v92 file, does not use many resources. Also creates a taskbar icon which handles modem features
JR well i guess it has to do with the external modem for cable internet
Dan the Man. When trying to sync offline files in Outlook, this process was using 99%-100% causing the sync to take over an hour. Once I killed the process (via Ctrl+Alt+Del and task manager) the sync only took 2 minutes.
fred Also used in Mitac 7521P. With it running, I can hear modem tones thru laptop speakers, without, can barely hear modem dialing.
Bob This file was using 99% CPU and slowed my Dell Latitude note book to a crawl. Deleted it from registry with no ill effects and computer returned to the speeds I'm use to. I do not use the modem.
padaguan Sometimes a bug causes this process to take over the CPU usage, but just update the modem driver and that's all
Simon W My computer goes really slow when running this file and I don't know what it's fpr.
E-Man When I disabled this file (figuring it was an unneeded startup process) we no longer got "Call Interrupt" notices when we were online! This file apparently pops up a window when someone is calling on the line that is being used by the modem, with a little box that says "Accept Call? Yes/No" VERY HELPFUL! I would not disable this if you use the modem and have call waiting.
Neo This file is not dangerous and the 100% usage comes from incorect speed setting for the onboard modem. it does not take more than 0% of my cpu because of proper config
Andy It is "PCTell Speaker Phone" and runs as a system service so it can be disabled in the services app in XP Pro
comes with modem drivers, uses 100% cpu, safe to end process in task manager
Bob Found it in my System32 folder I don't have a modem so why is this running?
muppet At my Pc it makes that the use of the CPU goes up to 100%
Nandi I don"t know very much about it
José Arturo García Vázquez About 1 year ago i did a hard drive image with norton ghost. I restore that image today and my system slowdown because PCTSPK.EXE, but is the same file that was ok all last year! Only reboot my CPU and it is fine now. I guess a bug is inside that file but, at least in my case, it is not so bad. - For all last year i never had virus reports related on this file (norton antivirus)
blue oblivion uses 90+% of CPU - Dell latitude
XPD - NZ Causes 100% CPU use on a dual CPU server - very annoying
John It consumed 99% of my CPU about every 5 minutes
Bob Harris It appears after booting up the Dell Latitude notebook and uses most of it's resources. Have to re-boot to release it's grip.
Fabian este archivopone lenta mi mauquina yo detuve el proceso y inmediatamente el consumo de cpu disminuyo a su trabajo normal, por que con este proceso se me consume el 100% de cpu
Julian El arcnhivo es peligroso porque consume full la maquina AMD que tengo
zenphot I deleted PCTSPK.exe from my system32 file with no negative effects. It started recently for no apparent reason and it began using 50-98% of my resources.
Sam Assists the Dell Latitude internal modem with special features. These are normally not used, so it can be disabled safely in MSCONFIG. Of course, if you lose the particular function that this provides, simply leave it running or start it manually before using the modem. I rated this a "2" only because it does use resources upon startup regardless of modem/program use.
G Do not delete this file for any reason. I did and was instantly transported to a parallel universe which then exploded, and left me without a universe for about 15 minutes.
Cory pcspk.exe is part of the Diamond Supra LE-PCT setup. If not installed, you will not be able to use the "voice" features availabe to that modem. It is true that it is a resource hog... but only when dailing.  See also: Link
Intel Factory Technician It uses lots of virtual memory (Page File) and can cause your CPU to slow to a halt. I just removed it from a system and it was causing him to need to set an additional 2500mb for the page file. Overloads CPU and unneeded for modem to connect and work properly.
Yaeli This file is needed for audio function. For example, in my computer it's nedded for printer.
Peter Guo When my computer was running IE.6
Darren Annoying, I recommend disabling it

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