What Is COM Surrogate, its causes and How to Fix it

This tutorial explains What is COM Surrogate error, its types, causes and the best methods to fix COM Surrogate errors in windows 10 and 11.

“COM Surrogate has stopped working” is one of the common errors that Windows users face when trying to open folders, see pictures, watch videos, and print any documents. Sometimes, the dllhost.exe process will lead to increased CPU usage or constant system crashes. However, there is a positive point because COM Surrogate is a valid part of the Windows operating system, and this error can be solved without reinstallation.

This article tells you what COM Surrogate is, why the error occurs, whether COM Surrogate is safe, and how to solve COM Surrogate has stopped working error in Windows 11 and Windows 10.

What Is COM Surrogate

COM Surrogate is a legitimate Windows process (dllhost.exe), allowing Windows to host software components known as COM (Component Object Model) objects in separate processes in order to protect Windows applications, like the File Explorer, from getting shut down in case there is some problem with the thumbnail generator, codec or file extension.

So, if you see COM Surrogate in your Task Manager, it means that Windows is preparing the preview of an image, video, PDF or any other type of file. Any crash of a COM object will affect only the COM Surrogate process, and not the whole application.

While working on Windows operating system, it is possible that you may come across error like COM Surrogate has stopped working,” and this error occurs due to corrupted media files, damaged codecs, outdated drivers, or even malware pretending as dllhost.exe.

Besides this, it is also responsible for hosting all the DLL files, and therefore, it is known as DLLhost.exe. It is one of the critical components behind the working of Windows.

What Does COM Stand For and What Is dllhost.exe

Windows uses the term COM as an abbreviation of Component Object Model. This is one of the key technologies of Microsoft that enables communication between various software applications and components regardless of the language in which they were written.

dllhost.exe is the process through which COM objects can run. Windows runs these objects separate from the application to increase its efficiency.

Why Windows Uses COM Surrogate

COM Surrogate is one of the important processes that must run in Windows and thus cannot be disabled. The error messages received for COM Surrogate indicate that there is something wrong with the file system, damaged codecs, old drivers, or malware rather than COM Surrogate.

The actions carried out using COM Surrogate are as follows:

• Creation of image and video thumbnails
• Previewing of files
• Running codecs and shell extensions

When a COM object fails, the application does not crash.

Is COM Surrogate A Virus

It is one of the primary files of the system, and it manages the working of the system and makes sure that all the extensions for the software are generated, and the software works smoothly. It is not a virus, but people with malicious intentions design the virus to look like a COM surrogate and thus can harm the system.

What Causes the COM Surrogate Error?

COM Surrogate problem is caused by the inability of Windows to launch a COM object using dllhost.exe. This may be the result of software conflicts, damaged files, and other similar reasons. Here are some of the main factors causing this error.

• Damaged Video Codecs : Video codecs are used to make sure that your PC can process video files and create thumbnails. In case if any codec installed on your computer is outdated or corrupted, you will get an error message from COM Surrogate.
• Incompatible Shell Extensions: Shell extensions are add-ons for the File Explorer and give it new functionality. A faulty or incompatible shell extension can result in COM Surrogate crashing and errors.
• Outdated Graphics Drivers: Graphics drivers contribute to the creation of thumbnails and previewing files. Outdated or corrupted graphics driver can also cause the error.
• Corrupted System Files: If some Windows system files are missing or damaged, dllhost.exe might not be able to run properly. This would cause continuous crashes and performance problems with COM Surrogate.
• Malware pretending as dllhost.exe: There are certain malware applications that pretend to be dllhost.exe in order to conceal their identity. If COM Surrogate has unusual CPU consumption, crashes, or runs from an unusual place, a malware scan should be done.

What are the types of COM Surrogate Error

There are various types that users can face. We list some of these errors below:

1. COM Surrogate high CPU, disk usage
2. COM Surrogate stopped working
3. COM Surrogate keeps crashing, opening
4. COM Surrogate always running
5. COM Surrogate taking memory
6. COM Surrogate is not responding, freeze
7. COM Surrogate virus

Suggested Read => Fix For WSAPPX High Disk & CPU Usage Issue

How to Identify and Remove a Fake COM Surrogate Process

The people with malicious intentions try to replicate the COM surrogate file and cause harm to the system. Still, this fake file can be easily identified and removed by following the steps mentioned below:

Warning:- Do not try removing the COM surrogate file manually as it might harm the system.

#1) Make right-click on the taskbar and click on “Task Manager” as displayed in the below image.

#2) Now, a dialog box will open as presented in the below image. Make click on “Processes” and then further locate “COM Surrogate”. Right-click on it, and click on “Open file location”.

#3) If the directory path matches the one shown in the image below, then it is the actual COM surrogate file, or else it’s a replica.

If the file is a replica, do not directly delete the file and rather scan the folder with Antivirus. When the process is completed, then delete the file. When you restart the system, run an antivirus scan to remove every trace of the virus.

How to Fix “COM Surrogate errors in Windows 10 and 11

There are numerous ways to fix this error, and we listed some of them below:

Method 1: Reset Internet Explorer

#1) Press Windows +R from the keyboard. Type “inetcpl.cpl,” and click on “OK”.

#2) A dialog box will open as displayed in the below image. Click on “Advanced” and further click on “Reset”.

Now restart your system and all the system files will get back to their original configurations, which will help to fix COM surrogate error.

Method 2: Rollback Display Driver

You can also fix the COM surrogate error by rolling back the driver to the previous version. Follow the steps listed below to roll back the driver:

#1) Press Windows + R from the keyboard and search for “hdwwiz.cpl” as you can see in the image below. Then click on “OK”.

#2) Make right-click on the Display adapter and click on “Properties” as depicted in the below image.

#3) Now, a dialog box will open as presented in the image below. Make a click on “Roll Back Driver” as presented in the image below.

After performing the above steps, the driver will be rolled back to the previous version and then you need to restart the system.

Method 3: Re-register DLLs

#1) Search for Command Prompt in the Windows search bar and right-click on “Run as Administrator” as you can see in the image below.

#2) A black screen will appear. Type “regsvr32 vbscript.dll” and press Enter. Similarly, type “regsvr32 jscript.dll” and press Enter.

Now restart your system as by re-registering DLLs the system configuration and DLL files issues will be resolved and thus it will resolve the error as it is also known as DLLHost.exe.

Method 4: Update Antivirus

Antivirus is one of the essential software present on the system, as it helps in avoiding any harmful files that could harm the system. So it would help if you would keep your antivirus updated to the latest version to detect all the dangerous and infected files in the system.

Prevent Further Entry Of COM Surrogate Virus: Steps

The following things should be kept in mind to avoid being re-infected by COM surrogate virus:

1. Do not download files from insecure sites.
2. Use the best antivirus software to make your system secure.
3. Keep your system up to date and keep all your drivers updated.
4. Keep your codec updated.
5. Prefer using VPN.
6. Make a regular antivirus scan of the system.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

The COM surrogate process is one of the crucial processes of the system, and people with malicious intentions might try to disrupt the working of the system by using the replica of dllhost.exe. Therefore, getting rid of the file will be the only available solution.

In this article, we discussed the COM surrogate process and also learned how to find the virus and remove it from the system.