Why does dllhost.exe Com surrogate consumes memory untill crash

Anonymous
2013-04-24T21:17:11+00:00

Why does dllhost.exe  Com surrogate consumes memory untill crash.

It happens when I highlight or view a folder containing video files, Even if I close the folder or select a different folder the memory keeps getting consumed.

It seems to happen mostly with 3D Video files but it has done the same with 2D files.

So it seems to be a problem with the windows thumb nail system dealing with these files.

By the way trying to delete or move the file or folder while the Com Surrogate is consuming memory Delete can not complete the task.

What I have been doing is finding offending file selecting Delete, then go to task manager stopping Com Surrogate, then the file will delete.

Fix

"MS are aware of problems with certain chipset/driver combinations and the KB2670838 update

They are also aware of problems with the IE10 install

They are working on both issues, and will update as and when they are satisfied that they have solved the problems.

The recommendation in the meantime is that if the update doesn't install first time, make sure it's uninstalled, and then hide it - Windows Update will unhide it when it is updated."

So Uninstall IE10 and KB2670838 update, hide them from auto updating when thy pop back up to be updated the problem should be fixed.

Proof that MS knows that IE10 has problems on some hardware platforms is here.

  http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/ie/jj898509.aspx

Hope this helps Every One.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Files, folders, and storage

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments

158 answers

Sort by: Most helpful
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2013-06-09T16:51:49+00:00

    I didn't install any updates from the fresh install of windows pro 64 bit, and I still had the problem on the machine I'm using now.  I used the sysinternals autoruns to remove useless startup programs as well. This fixed the problem of viewing thumbnails of images. 

    Now, last night I performed a search of on one of my drives of all 2D .wmv files, and the problem returned.  I have icons, but not thumbnails.  I can open the performance monitor, look at the memory tab, and see a dllhost.exe process is growing like a monster on steroids.  I tried to delete on one of the 2D .wmv files and my computer had to think about deleting this file for several minutes.  While I had the performance monitor open, I ended the dllhost.exe process tree several times, till thumbnails began to appear, and the deletion was quick, once I ended the process tree of dllhost.exe several times.  For now, I can keep playing whack-a-mole with dllhost.exe, by ending the process tree if I'm reviewing .wmv files.

    *Problem isn't solved, my apologies to all.

    While Windows 7 installs it will check for updates and put them in as it installs.

    You should try installing Windows  with no access to the internet then you can be sure that there are not updates installed.

    Whak-A-Mole that is the correct saying I feel your pain.

    I am hoping that You have enough time and patient's to try and do a new install without internet access.

    Then you should have a clean install with only the service pack stated on your install disk.

    Soon as you get to Your desktop for the first time turn off auto updates after that you can plug in your internet access and review and install the updates catching IE10 and KB2670838 before thy can install and block them till a fix is released.

    Sorry You are having a  bad time with this.

    Good luck.

       The method you explain is exactly how I did this reload.  I used a backup of my activation key to activate Windows as well.  I was wanting to start with a fresh install, and forbid any unknown possible updates.  I turned off all updating ability that I could and updated my hosts file blocking known update URLs.  Still KB976902 jumped into my system without my knowledge. This is supposed to pave the way for other updates, but I don't want any updates for now, and cannot remove KB976902.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2013-06-09T16:44:08+00:00

    Take a look at these two links to help you troubleshoot this issue.

     

    Com Surrogate keeps failing.

    http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/fix-for-com-surrogate-has-stopped-working-error-in-vista/

     

    http://www.mydigitallife.info/how-to-fix-com-surrogate-problem-when-opening-video-format-files/

    Yes this is a very similar problem and I remember the Vista thing and went through it also.

    The problem with this one is that MS is installing the codec and that codec will be Lord over Your favorite Encoder/Decoder making Yours secondary.

    Basically I am running 2 identical systems 1 with the update 1 without I am Hot swapping boot drive same exact OS Windows7 Pro 64Bit.

    The boot with the updates has blocked My favorite Video Encoder from showing up in my video editing software.

    The other works just fine My Encoder shows up 4th on the list.

    I think we are suffering because of the Video/audio pirate's, They have made MS need to install a DRM Digital rights managed Version of a codec that puts My open source codec out to pasture.

    As for a work around I am not qualified to make a patch without breaking something else.

    So I am going to wait this one out and hope that MS can come up with a good fix.

    It took them a little while but they fixed Vista, If memory serves in about 2 months and things got better.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2013-06-09T16:29:31+00:00

    Take a look at these two links to help you troubleshoot this issue.

     

    Com Surrogate keeps failing.

    http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/fix-for-com-surrogate-has-stopped-working-error-in-vista/

     

    http://www.mydigitallife.info/how-to-fix-com-surrogate-problem-when-opening-video-format-files/

    I do not have nero or DIVX.  The com surrogate itself doesn't crash on mine.  dllhost.exe however, grows until it consumes so many resources that I have to end the tree process of dllhost.exe.  Their idea of disabling thumbnails doesn't really sound like a solution at all because of two reasons;  this is a feature that should work fine with the amount of resources I have available, and I use the thumbnails to quickly identify video video clips and images. 

    On a side note: I tried turning off Data Execution Prevention on dllhost using the method described on the howtogeek.com forum, but this will not work because it says "you can not set DEP attributes on 64-bit executables".

    I went to the mydigitallife.info page as mentioned and found that programs such as Nero, DivX, KMPlayer with incompatible codecs, might cause this problem (or the comm surrogate crash. I am using VLC player, and as such the problem I'm having might emanate from that program's current incompatibility with this version of Windows. Again, however the author suggests a workaround of disabling thumbnails.  Microsoft needs to fix this.  Might it be possible this is fixed in Windows 8?

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  4. Anonymous
    2013-06-09T16:14:36+00:00

    I didn't install any updates from the fresh install of windows pro 64 bit, and I still had the problem on the machine I'm using now.  I used the sysinternals autoruns to remove useless startup programs as well. This fixed the problem of viewing thumbnails of images. 

    Now, last night I performed a search of on one of my drives of all 2D .wmv files, and the problem returned.  I have icons, but not thumbnails.  I can open the performance monitor, look at the memory tab, and see a dllhost.exe process is growing like a monster on steroids.  I tried to delete on one of the 2D .wmv files and my computer had to think about deleting this file for several minutes.  While I had the performance monitor open, I ended the dllhost.exe process tree several times, till thumbnails began to appear, and the deletion was quick, once I ended the process tree of dllhost.exe several times.  For now, I can keep playing whack-a-mole with dllhost.exe, by ending the process tree if I'm reviewing .wmv files.

    *Problem isn't solved, my apologies to all.

    While Windows 7 installs it will check for updates and put them in as it installs.

    You should try installing Windows  with no access to the internet then you can be sure that there are not updates installed.

    Whak-A-Mole that is the correct saying I feel your pain.

    I am hoping that You have enough time and patient's to try and do a new install without internet access.

    Then you should have a clean install with only the service pack stated on your install disk.

    Soon as you get to Your desktop for the first time turn off auto updates after that you can plug in your internet access and review and install the updates catching IE10 and KB2670838 before thy can install and block them till a fix is released.

    Sorry You are having a  bad time with this.

    Good luck.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  5. Anonymous
    2013-06-09T15:52:52+00:00

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments