Component Object Model (COM) surrogate is related to a legit process that runs in the background and makes the functioning of your PC effective. COM surrogate is also referred to as dllhost.exe. The basic function is to manage the DLL files and it also generates thumbnails so that it becomes easier for us to differentiate between the files. Now you must be wondering if it is used for functioning and why it is referred to as a virus. COM surrogate is the primary file and helps in the proper working of the system. It is not a virus but it can connect with malicious intentions which makes it looks like a virus. Outdated software, malware, or outdated codecs can be some possible causes behind this virus. It can make your system use more disk usage, stop working, crash, always running, take a lot of memory, freeze, and more. Therefore, fixing this virus is really important before it starts impacting the core system. In this blog, we will be discussing how we can remove COM surrogate virus in your Windows PC. So, let’s get started. 

How to Identify COM Surrogate Virus in your Windows PC

If you’re wondering how you can detect or identify if the COM surrogate is a virus or malicious in your PC or not, don’t worry this section will help you in proper identification. The fact is that the malicious COM surrogate virus keeps on replicating and it starts causing harm to your system. Follow the below-mentioned steps for identifying COM surrogate virus: 

Step 1: Right-click on the taskbar and now go to the “Task Manager.” 

Step 2: A dialog box is going to appear and from that click on the “Processes” button for locating COM surrogate virus in your Windows PC. Now, right-click on the process and hit the mouse on the “Open File Location.” 

Step 3: Please observe, if you are able to match with the directory path, note that this could be an actual COM surrogate virus or can be its replica as well. 

Step 4: Do not delete the replica, as it will not help in fixing the virus. When the entire process gets completed, you can delete the file. Then, restart the system and instantly run antivirus scanning for removing each and every dash of the COM surrogate virus. 

How to Remove COM Surrogate Virus in your Windows PC 

There are various methods for fixing the error in your Windows PC. In this section, we are going to discuss the different methods: 

1. Reset the Internet Explorer 

By resetting internet explorer, you will be able to delete all the un-required files or data and it will refresh your PC as well. Follow the below-mentioned steps for re-setting internet explorer: 

• Begin the process by pressing the “Windows+R” keys and then type “inetcpl.cpl” and then hit the OK button. You can also copy-paste this action. 
• Now, a dialog box is going to appear wherein you will have to click on the “Advanced” option for resetting the internet explorer. 
• This will reset your Internet Explorer. Now, restart your Windows PC so that all system files can get back to the original configurations. This will also help in fixing the COM surrogate virus. If this didn’t help, move on to the next method. 

2. Rollback the Display Driver

We can also fix the virus by rolling back the display driver to the preceding version. You can follow the below-mentioned steps for rolling back the display driver to the previous version. 

• Begin the process, by pressing the “Windows+R” keys from the keyboard and then hit the search button and look for “hdwwiz.cpl.” After that, hit the OK button to proceed further. 
• Now, right-click on the adapter and then go to the “Properties.” 
• Now, a new dialog box is going to open. From there, hit click on the “Roll Back Driver” button. 
• After completing these steps, please know that your driver will be rolled back to the previous version. Now, you can restart your system for checking if the virus issue is fixed or not. 

3. Re-register DLLs

Follow the below-mentioned steps for re-registering DLLs on your Windows PC: 

• Search for “Command Prompt” in your Windows PC from the Search bar. After searching, right-click on the prompt and click on the “Run as Administrator” button. 
• Now, a black screen is going to appear. From there, type “regsvr32 vbscript.dll” and then hit the Enter button. After that type “regsvr32 jscript.dll” and then hit the Enter key. 
• Now, end the process by restarting your system. 

4. Update Antivirus

Having great antivirus software is really important for your system as it protects your system from harmful files that can harm your Windows PC. Therefore, always keep your antivirus software updated to the latest version for detecting all the infected files and dangerous data from your system effectively and smoothly. If you don’t have any antivirus software yet, consider downloading it immediately to keep your Windows PC protected. 

I hope this blog helps you with fixing or removing the COM surrogate virus in your Windows PC. 

Thanks for reading!