zombie process made me crazy

hy to everyone...

I've got a little problem whit the zombie process, but start at the beginning...
I had to connect Linux red hat 6.1 with W2K (IIS); I hat to estabilish a connection, open an ftp session, put a file then close the ftp and the connection. Well, I do it with some shell scipts and the execpl() instruction. Now where is the problem??? The problem is: if the modem cannot estabilish the connection (the line is busy or...) the wvdial process become a zombie and lock my ttyS0. I used the waitpid() instruction under my code but it's of no use. If someone could help me... even if you known if exist an instruction such "rasdial" under W2K...

thank a lot, my best regards...

pbm

I don't understand exactly what you mean. But if there is a zombie process what prevents you from killing the process and then going on?

sorry, I was a little bit confuse in my explanation...
In order to achieve my goal (put a file in a W2K system using ftp) I had to start a connection (via modem); to do so, I execute by execlp() the program wvdial. This program is an internet dialer useful to connect the linux machine with some ISP (in this case W2K with IIS). If everything go rigth, No-problem but, if there is a problem with the modem (such as modem disconnected, line busy etc..) the process wvdial nerver die and remain zombie. This fact lock the serial port ttyS0.
Because I'm little new in linux, I also ask if there is something like the "rasdial" under W2K...

Thanks a lot for your patience
Best regards pbm