In Windows Task Manager 10, 8 o Windows 7 you can find the procedure dllhost.exe, in some cases it may cause high CPU load or errors like: COM Surrogate has stopped working, the name of the failed application is dllhost .exe.
This instruction details what type of program is COM Surrogate, whether dllhost.exe can be uninstalled and why this procedure causes the error “The program stopped running”.
What is the dllhost.exe procedure needed for?
The COM Surrogate procedure (dllhost.exe) it is a procedure “intermediate” system that enables you to connect COM objects (Component Object Model) to expand the capabilities of the program in Windows 10, 8 and Windows 7.
Example: by default, Windows Explorer does not display thumbnails for non-standard image or video formats. Despite this, when relevant programs are installed (Adobe Photoshop, Corel Draw, photo viewers, video codecs and the like), these programs register their COM objects in the system and Explorer, via the COM Surrogate procedure, connects to them. and use them to display thumbnails in your window.
This is not the only option when it comes to dllhost.exe, but it is the most common and, at the same time, the one that most frequently causes errors “COM Surrogate stopped” the high CPU load. The fact that more than one dllhost.exe procedure may appear in Task Manager at the same time is normal (each program can execute its own procedure instance).
The original system file for the procedure is in C: WindowsSystem32. Deleting dllhost.exe is not feasible, despite this, in general there are possibilities to fix the problems caused by this procedure.
Why does dllhost.exe COM Surrogate load the processor or cause the error “COM Surrogate stopped running” and how to fix it?
Most of the time, High system load or sudden termination of COM Surrogate procedure occurs when opening certain folders containing video or photo files in Windows Explorer, even though this is not the only option: sometimes, errors also occur simply when third-party programs are run.
The most common causes of this behavior are:
- A third-party program has incorrectly registered the COM objects or they are not working correctly (incompatibility with current version of Windows, outdated software).
- Outdated or malfunctioning codecs, especially if the problem occurs when rendering the thumbnails in the browser.
- Sometimes: the operation of viruses or malware on the computer, or damage to Windows system files.
Use restore points, delete codecs or programs
First, whether there has been a recent high CPU load or errors “COM surrogate programs have stopped working”, try to use System Restore Points (see Windows Restore Points 10) O, if you know after installing which program or codecs the error occurred, try deleting in Control Panel – Programs and components or, in Windows 10, in Settings – Applications.
Note: Even though the error has been around for a long time, but it happens specifically when opening folders with videos or images in Explorer, first try clearing the installed codecs, como K-Lite Codec Pack, make sure to restart the computer after completing the removal.
Corrupt files
If dllhost.exe high CPU load appears when opening a specific folder in explorer, it may contain a corrupted media file. Form, even if not always viable, to detect a file of this type:
- Open Windows Resource Monitor (presione Win + R, type resmon and press Enter. You can also use the Windows taskbar search 10).
- In the tab “CPU”, check the dllhost.exe procedure and then check (paying attention to the extension) if there is any video or image file in the file list “Related modules”. Yes there is one, it is most likely the file causing the problem (you can try to remove it).
At the same time, if COM surrogate problems occur when opening folders with certain specific types of files, COM objects registered by the program responsible for opening those types of files may be to blame: you can check if the problem persists after deleting that program (Y, preferably restart your computer after deleting it).
COM registry errors
If the above methods don't help, you can try to fix COM registry errors in Windows. The method does not always lead to a positive result, can lead to a negative one, so I highly recommend creating a system restore point before using it.
You can use CCleaner to automatically fix these errors:
- On the registration tab, Mark “ActiveX class and errors”, click on “Fix problems”.
- Make sure the items “ActiveX errors / WITH” are selected and click “Correct selected”.
- Accept save backup of registry entries to delete and specify save path.
- After correction, restart your computer.
More information about CCleaner and where to download the program: Use CCleaner to your advantage.
More alternatives to fix COM surrogate errors
In conclusion, some additional information that can help you fix the dllhost.exe problem, if you have not been able to fix the problem so far:
- Run a malware scan on your computer with tools like AdwCleaner (and your antivirus also).
- The dllhost.exe file itself is usually not a virus (but malware using COM Surrogate can cause problems). Despite this, in case of doubt, make sure the procedure file is in C: {WindowsSystem32} (right-click the procedure in Task Manager – open file location) and Microsoft will digitally sign it (right click on the file – properties). In case of doubt, See How to check Windows processes for viruses.
- Try to run an integrity check on Windows system files.
- Try disabling DEP for dllhost.exe (only systems 32 bits): go to Control Panel – System (or right-click on “This team” – “Properties”), select “Advanced equipment settings” system ”to the left, in the Tab “Advanced” in “Throughput speed”, click on “Setting” and open the tab “Data execution prevention”. Please select “Enable DEP for all programs and services except those selected below”, click on “Add” and specify the file path C: WindowsSystem32dllhost.exe. Apply settings and restart the computer.
In summary, if nothing has worked and you have Windows 10, you can try rebooting the system with the saved data: How to restart Windows 10.
