Why does dllhost.exe Com surrogate consumes memory untill crash

" I can't even boot into safe mode"

• If you can start your computer, you should be able to press F8 and boot into safemode... do you mean it still gobbles up RAM in safemode?

-Here are things that have worked for me so far:

1. Remove all temp files, and any malware using favorite tools (malwarebytes, eset online scanner, etc.) while in safemode
2. Setup Windows Clean Boot: msconfig.exe, selective startup (uncheck load startup items); services tab: hide, Microsoft services, then disable all
3. Change file folder options (organize > folder & search options > view) and check ONLY "Always show icons, never thumbnails" uncheck the rest.

Reboot - should work now.  Booting in clean boot is really only helping diagnose, but it gives you most functionality, you can add things one at a time to isolate the source.

This is happening to a computer at my work.  There are multiple instances of the COM Surrogate (dllhost) appearing and using up 90%+ of the available RAM.  I was able to sort by ram usage and kill the dllhost files that were taking up the majority of the RAM.  No negative impact when this was done -- only freed up RAM to allow for other functions.

I am diagnosing the problem now.  I have determined that it appears to be malware in my instance, or I have malware and a microsoft issue.  I have seen at least one trojan on the computer after a malwarebyts scan.  The malware is generating new folders in a temp directory under one of the users on the PC. When I boot in safemode with Networking, I was able to run Ccleaner to wipe temp files (in normal mode, it can't keep up with the files/folders being created -- thus it never finishes the initial scan).  I will post more about this when I've identified the virus/malware responsible.

I am also using (and highly recommend) the use of "eset online scanner" (google it) for finding and removing viruses/malware.  It will ALWAYS find stuff that malwarebytes, spybot, and anti-virus misses.  

Good luck!  I will post more when I've resolved the issue.

Glad you can do something - I can't even boot into safe mode, nor can I use a System Restore.

This is happening to a computer at my work.  There are multiple instances of the COM Surrogate (dllhost) appearing and using up 90%+ of the available RAM.  I was able to sort by ram usage and kill the dllhost files that were taking up the majority of the RAM.  No negative impact when this was done -- only freed up RAM to allow for other functions.

I am diagnosing the problem now.  I have determined that it appears to be malware in my instance, or I have malware and a microsoft issue.  I have seen at least one trojan on the computer after a malwarebyts scan.  The malware is generating new folders in a temp directory under one of the users on the PC. When I boot in safemode with Networking, I was able to run Ccleaner to wipe temp files (in normal mode, it can't keep up with the files/folders being created -- thus it never finishes the initial scan).  I will post more about this when I've identified the virus/malware responsible.

I am also using (and highly recommend) the use of "eset online scanner" (google it) for finding and removing viruses/malware.  It will ALWAYS find stuff that malwarebytes, spybot, and anti-virus misses.  

Good luck!  I will post more when I've resolved the issue.

The KB2670838 is a Windows Update.  Not a program.  So search for it in your Windows Update History log.

When I removed the update, the leak disappeared.  But KB2670838 seems to be required for Internet Explorer updates in some computers.  

Ok so I both removed KB2670838 and installed Media Preview.  I also put the killdllhost script into my Startup folder.

The killdllhost script gives me errors at Line 3, something about it can't get the object called 'GetObject'.

Upon doing this it set me to a different version of Internet Explorer, which is fine because I am switching to Chrome.

Initially, doing all of this didn't work.  As it is I just had to manually kill a few of the COM Surrogates that show up...although it doesn't seem like they're coming back.

As I type this, a Surrogate shows up currently at 8,600K which isn't going away on its own - this means the killdll script isn't working.  As I type this sentence - another shows up for 28K.

Something is definitely not right here....if implementing all 3 of the major fixes on this thread aren't working...then what will?

I would also like to indicate that I am now unable to run a simple game (Hearthstone) since I made these changes, as the Battle.net Update Agent is repeating itself in Task Mgr like dllhost is.  For some reason I am also unable to use System Restore to go to a point before all of this started happening...

It is becoming very irritating.

Thanks David.Lum... I can't seem to locate this update.  I'll try again.  Thanks again!