You may have noticed a process named COM Surrogate or dllhost.exe Task Manager . You might be wondering what it is and what it does. We'll explain everything you need to know about this Windows process .

What is the purpose of the COM Surrogate process?

The COM Surrogate process 's main role is to manage the display of thumbnails of multimedia files (images, videos, music, etc.) in Windows Explorer .

This helps prevent Windows Explorer crashes if a COM object is faulty or incompatible.

Indeed, if a COM object causes an error during thumbnail generation, it is the COM Surrogate process that will close and not WindowsExplorer.

The COM Surrogate process can also be used by other programs that need to access COM objects, such as Windows Media Player or the Control Panel .

Therefore, there may be multiple instances of the COM Surrogate process running simultaneously on your computer, depending on the programs you are using.

Is the COM Surrogate process dangerous?

The COM Surrogate process is normally a legitimate and safe that does not consume many system resources . It has no graphical interface and does not appear in the taskbar .

You can see it in the task manager , under the name COM Surrogate or dllhost.exe .

However, there is a possibility that the COM Surrogate process could be infected by a virus or malware . Some hackers may indeed use the COM Surrogate process name to conceal their malicious activities and evade antivirus detection.

Therefore, one must be vigilant and verify whether the COM Surrogate process is legitimate or not.

How can I verify if the COM Surrogate process is legitimate or not?

There are several methods to verify whether a COM Surrogate process is legitimate or not. Here are a few examples:

• You can use Task Manager to check the location of the dllhost.exe file. If it's located in the C:\ Windows \System32 , it's likely a legitimate process. If it's located in another folder, it could be a virus or malware.

• You can use an antivirus or anti-malware program to scan your computer and detect any infections. You can also use specific tools like Malwarebytes Anti-Rootkit or RogueKiller to remove rootkits or rogue programs that may be hiding behind the COM Surrogate process.
• You can use a process analyzer like Process Explorer or Process Hacker to get more information about the COM Surrogate process. Specifically, you can see the DLL modules loaded by the process, the network connections established by the process, and even the process's digital signatures .

How to resolve problems related to the COM Surrogate process?

If you encounter problems related to the COM Surrogate process, such as error messages, crashes, or excessive system resource consumption, you can try the following solutions:

• You can try to resolve some driver loading errors, such as graphics drivers, by updating them, as they can be the cause of thumbnail display problems.
• You can disable third-party extensions Windows Explorer , such as codecs, converters, or media file editors, as they can interfere with the COM Surrogate process.
• You can reset Windows Explorer to default settings , using the System Restore or by running the sfc /scannow in the command prompt.

• You can repair or reinstall Windows components , such as the .NET Framework or the Visual C++ Redistributable , because they may be damaged or missing.

You're welcome, I'm glad I could help. Here's a 2000-word FAQ with questions that haven't yet been addressed in my text. The questions are relevant to the topic, which is: “COM Surrogate: What is it?” and are not out of context.

FAQs

What is the difference between COM and COM+?

COM (Component Object Model) is a technology that allows different programs to communicate with each other and use common features. COM+ is an extension of COM that offers additional services such as transaction management, security, scalability, etc. COM+ has been integrated into Windows since Windows 2000.

What is a COM object?

A COM object is a software entity that exposes interfaces for interacting with other programs. An interface is a set of methods (functions) and properties (variables) that define the behavior and characteristics of an object.

A COM object can be implemented in any programming language that supports COM technology, such as C++ , Visual Basic , C# , etc.

Conclusion

The COM Surrogate process is essential for the proper functioning of your Windowscomputer. It manages the display of thumbnails for multimedia files and prevents WindowsExplorer crashes. It can also be used by other programs that need access to COM objects.

However, you must be vigilant and verify whether the COM Surrogate process is legitimate, as it may be infected with a virus or malware. If you encounter problems, you can try various solutions to resolve issues related to the COM Surrogate process.