SteveStrummerUK
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Help appreciated - Process: dllhost.exe running constantly at about 50% CPU
Hi guys - I'd really appreciate some advice. Every now and then I notice my CPU usage starts running at around 50% - sometimes it rises so that both cores are at 100%. I checked in Task Manager tonight and under 'Processes' it shows dllhost.exe (Description: COM Surrogate) seems to be the 'culprit':  I looked up 'COM Surrogate' on the web but every mention of it seems to be concerned with an error associated with it. When it comes to this sort of stuff I defer to those who understand it, so my questions are: - What exactly are dllhost.exe and COM Surrogate and what do they actually do?
- Can I safely turn the process off when using SONAR (when surely I need as much CPU available as possible)
Details: - AMD Athlon 64 x2 Dual Core 6000+ 3.01GHz - 3GB RAM - Windows Vista SP2 32-bit - Internet Explorer 7 Many thanks in advance.
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Mooch4056
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Re:Help appreciated - Process: dllhost.exe running constantly at about 50% CPU
2010/07/27 17:44:47
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The COM+ hosting process controls processes in Internet Information Services (IIS) and is used by many programs. For example, it loads the .NET runtime. There can be multiple instances of the DLLhost.exe process running. Note: The dllhost.exe file is located in the folder C:\Windows\System32. In other cases, dllhost.exe is a virus, spyware, trojan or worm! Check this with Security Task Manager. Virus with same name: Worm/Nachi.A.1 - antivir.de WHAT!? from http://www.neuber.com/tas...t.exe.html WHAT!?
I don't know anything else about it other than the google info. WHAT!?
From Now On Call Me Conquistador!
Donate to the cure Bapu Foundation Email: mooch4056@gmail.com for more info
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ohgrant
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Re:Help appreciated - Process: dllhost.exe running constantly at about 50% CPU
2010/07/27 17:55:10
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Hi Strummy, I agree sounds like malware or registry error, I would download malwarebytes and run the scan and if that doesn't get it you may want to clean the registry with this. Free Registry Cleaner Hope that helps Bro.
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jasonthurley
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Re:Help appreciated - Process: dllhost.exe running constantly at about 50% CPU
2010/07/27 17:58:27
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I have seen it on all my computers (PC) running in the background... I closed it once and nothing really happened at the time but it restarted itself. It could be a Windows component but it could also be a Trojan.....
Get a MAC! Never have to worry about it again my friend
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Alegria
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Re:Help appreciated - Process: dllhost.exe running constantly at about 50% CPU
2010/07/27 18:00:24
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As mentionned above, it's a service often associated with running a server (IIS) on your machine. If that's not your case, you can disable the following service:
COM+ System Application
This service is rarely needed (under normal computer usage), and I have disabled it in my system without any repercussions whatsoever. That should take care of it.
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Jonbouy
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Re:Help appreciated - Process: dllhost.exe running constantly at about 50% CPU
2010/07/27 22:10:16
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Hi Steve One of the common causes of issues like this on Vista is that some dll that dllhost.exe is being surrogate for has hung or is busy creating thumbnails or some such. I can't see from the part of the list you've shown there what it may be but some Nero and other burning software, Windows Photo Gallery have often been cited as causing big processor hits. Video codecs and third party picture gallery apps, are also prime suspects. Check the process list with Process Explorer from Sysinternals next time you get this happening and it should reveal what dependencies dllhost has and it should give you a clue as to what errant dll is causing it. You can then choose to uninstall the app that's causing it or simply nobble the bad dll by unregistering it from a command prompt (run with admin priviledges) and enter for example; regsvr32 -u "C:\Program Files\Crapapp\Picture Viewer\nastyfile.dll"
post edited by Jonbouy - 2010/07/27 22:14:10
"We can't do anything to change the world until capitalism crumbles. In the meantime we should all go shopping to console ourselves" - Banksy
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SteveStrummerUK
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Re:Help appreciated - Process: dllhost.exe running constantly at about 50% CPU
2010/07/28 11:55:34
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Wow! You guys never let me down - thanks to all who have chipped in for your help and advice  Jon, if this happens again, I'll take a screenshot of all the applications and processes that are running. As it happens, I did have a couple of 'issues' yesterday, do you think either could have been responsible for the problem? - Paint.net started crashing every time I try to change the font size of text - the first time it prompted me to create a 'pdncrash.log' which I e-mailed to their error report address
- I opened a song in SONAR which reported a problem with the Baxxpander VST plug-in in the project. I don't use it anymore so I opened up Cakewalk Plug-in Manager to remove it from my list. I removed all trace of anything to do with the plug (including the .dll) from my PC but when I tried to exclude it from my VST folder, SONAR offered to remove it from my registry so I clicked OK. The Plug-in Manager then hung for over half an hour before I had to close it with Task Manager. I guess I did all this the wrong way round but I intend to learn from this mistake!
Thanks again.
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bapu
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Re:Help appreciated - Process: dllhost.exe running constantly at about 50% CPU
2010/07/28 12:00:48
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"C:\Program Files\Crapapp\Picture Viewer\nastyfile.dll" But I always use that program to view nasty files. Not any more I guess? 
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Moshkiae
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Re:Help appreciated - Process: dllhost.exe running constantly at about 50% CPU
2010/07/28 14:58:38
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As a wise Guy once stated from his holy chapala ... none of the hits, none of the time ... prevents you from becoming just another turkey in the middle of all the other turkeys!
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Moshkiae
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Re:Help appreciated - Process: dllhost.exe running constantly at about 50% CPU
2010/07/28 15:02:01
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Alegria
As mentionned above, it's a service often associated with running a server (IIS) on your machine. If that's not your case, you can disable the following service:
COM+ System Application
This service is rarely needed (under normal computer usage), and I have disabled it in my system without any repercussions whatsoever. That should take care of it.
I was also thinking that one could go over to the Control Panel and in the Windows Components remove the IIS stuff and the advanced Networking features since they are not being used and your computer is not a server. I am not a Windows guru, however ... and would recommend that this be advised by someone that understands this stuff better than I. I get the NET upgrades fine and I don't have that listed.
As a wise Guy once stated from his holy chapala ... none of the hits, none of the time ... prevents you from becoming just another turkey in the middle of all the other turkeys!
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Alegria
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Re:Help appreciated - Process: dllhost.exe running constantly at about 50% CPU
2010/07/28 16:24:52
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Hi Moshkiae, Yes, that's also an option. Although I do believe that IIS is not a default service to begin with and thus implying a user's need for it, when present. If their is a recommendation I can make at this point for anyone running a DAW alongside productivity applications (let's not forget that not everyone can afford a dedicated DAW), is to seriously consider using HARDWARE profiles, where a minimun of services would be available when running the DAW (maximizing available system resources), and then another more generic profile that caters to all productivity applications, networking, security etc. I use to enjoy talking about this stuff some years ago, not so much anymore though. And yes, I'm not a Microsoft fan. 
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mgh
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Re:Help appreciated - Process: dllhost.exe running constantly at about 50% CPU
2010/07/28 16:48:46
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unfortunately hardware profiles were phased out in vista...
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jamesg1213
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Re:Help appreciated - Process: dllhost.exe running constantly at about 50% CPU
2010/07/28 17:35:48
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Steve, have you joined any Clockwork Chicken forums recently?
No pigs in blankets.
Jyemz Thrombold's Patented Brisk Weather Pantaloonettes with Inclementometer
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SteveStrummerUK
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Alegria
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Re:Help appreciated - Process: dllhost.exe running constantly at about 50% CPU
2010/07/28 19:42:11
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"mgh"
unfortunately hardware profiles were phased out in vista... Well, so much for that... And the next thing I'm going to find out, is that IIS is a default service in Vista. 
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Moshkiae
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Re:Help appreciated - Process: dllhost.exe running constantly at about 50% CPU
2010/07/30 16:24:21
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jamesg1213
Steve, have you joined any Clockwork Chicken forums recently?
No pigs in blankets.
I wanna reply to this one .... the droogies already wiped all those forums out!
As a wise Guy once stated from his holy chapala ... none of the hits, none of the time ... prevents you from becoming just another turkey in the middle of all the other turkeys!
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