Fix COM Surrogate has stopped working in Windows 10

Some users have reported that they encounter error “COM Surrogate has stopped working” on their Windows 10 PC when trying to print or browse folders containing Media files (Video / Images). Com surrogate is another name for dllhost.exe process and you really do not worry as their is a fix for this error.

Table of Contents

Method 1 – Add dllhost.exe to the Data Execution Prevention Exception

1. Press Windows key + R key together to open RUN.

2. Now, write sysdm.cpl in the text field and click OK.

3. Click on Advanced Tab.

6 – Now, click on Settings under performance section.

7 – Select Data Execution Prevention Tab

8 – Now, Turn on DEP for all programs and services except those I select:

9 – Next, Click on Add.

Now, the next step differs for 32 Bit or 64 Bit Version.

To check if you have 32 or 64 Bit , just do this.

Press Windows key and R key together.

Write msinfo32 and hit enter.

Now, System Type will tell you it is a 32 Bit or 64 Bit PC

Step 10: –

Case 1 – If your Windows PC is 64 Bit.

Browse to C:\Windows\SysWOW64\dllhost.exe

Case 2 – If your Windows PC is 64 Bit.

Browse to C:\Windows\System32\dllhost.exe

In my case My PC was a 64 Bit System and hence i went to SysWOW64.

11 – Now, Double click on dllhost.exe to select it.

12 – Now, Click on Ok and then Apply.

Method 2 – Re Register DLL through CMD Admin.

Try to re register vbscript.dll and jscript.dll through Command prompt. Here is the method to do this.

1 – Open command Prompt as admin.

2 – Now RUN these two commands one by one in CMD.

regsvr32 vbscript.dll
regsvr32 jscript.dll

If the problem still persists , Move on to next method.

Method 3 – Disable Thumbnail Previews

1 – Search file explorer Options in Windows 10 Taskbar Search, click on file explorer options.

2 – Now, click on View Tab

3 – Uncheck the Option saying Always show icons, never thumbnails

4 – Click on Apply.

Now, our goal is to remove already existing thumbnails in your PC.

1. Press Windows key + R together to open RUN.

2. Now, type cleanmgr in it and click OK.

3. Click on OK.

4. Uncheck all the options except thumbnails and click OK and delete all thumbnail files.

5. Now, enable Thumbnail option once again. Just open file explorer option once again and check always show icons, never thumbnails.

Hope the methods given solved your Problem.

Method 3 – End COM Surrogate process

1. Press CTRL + SHIFT + Esc keys together from the keyboard to open task manager.

2. Now, Locate COM Surrogate process.

3. Right click and choose end task.

Now, try again.

Method 4 – In File explorer choose list or details view

1. Open file explorer.

2. Click on View.

3. Choose List or details view.

Method 5 – Roll Back display adapters

1. Press Windows key + R together to open RUN.

2. Write devmgmt.msc in it and click OK.

3. Expand Display adapters.

4. Right click and choose properties.

5. Click on driver tab and choose roll back driver.