Receiving message: "The action can't be completed because the file is open in Preview Handler Surrogate Host." and unable to delete a file or change the name.

Anonymous

Original title: What is Surrogate Host and why is it inhibiting me from changing or deleting a file

I just recently download ecopy which is a pdf program. Now, when I try to delete a file or change the name, it gives me the following message "The action can't be completed because the file is open in Preview Handler Surrogate Host." What is this and how can I get around this?

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Anonymous

2016-05-25T16:24:55+00:00
1. Right-click the time/clock (bottom right) > Open Task Manager > Find and/all "Preview Handler" processes running > END TASK.
2. Reopen Window Explorer > DISable Preview Pane (under "View" tab). You can now delete the PDFs!
I am an IT professional and even I found this stupid and a bit tedious!! Ultimate solution: Uninstall Adobe READER (Edge works by default in Win10)!!
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Anonymous

2016-05-25T16:26:55+00:00
This is *not* good advice and it is NOT helpful!! Here is the real solution to this problem:
1. Right-click the time/clock (bottom right) > Open Task Manager > Find and/all "Preview Handler" processes running > END TASK.
2. Reopen Window Explorer > DISable Preview Pane (under "View" tab). You can now delete the PDFs!
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Anonymous

2016-02-22T22:51:24+00:00

I am seeing the same error on a very large .obj file (rendering geometry file). I suspect it has something to do with either Windows trying to figure out how to show a preview of this 16GB file and it's mind is getting blown. I killed off the process prevhost.exe and was able to delete the file.
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Anonymous

2016-11-29T15:23:15+00:00
- The below instructions are for Windows 7.
- The settings can be accessed in Windows 10 by clicking "File > Options >View Tab". (note: no "organize" option in Windows 10.)
Windows Explorer:
1. Click one of the following: Tools > Folder Options > View or Organize >Folder and search options.
  
  Clear Show pop-up description for folder and desktop items.
  
  Clear Show preview handlers in preview pane.
2. Click Organize -> Layout.
  
  Clear Details Pane.
  
  Clear Preview Pane
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Anonymous

2017-02-27T22:54:02+00:00
Right-click the time/clock (bottom right) > Open Task Manager > Find and/all "Preview Handler" processes running > END TASK.

Reopen Window Explorer > DISable Preview Pane (under "View" tab). You can now delete the PDFs!

I am an IT professional and even I found this stupid and a bit tedious!! Ultimate solution: Uninstall Adobe READER (Edge works by default in Win10)!!
That is not a solution, it is a painful work around. For the record, this is not software based since the same things happens on PDF files and Image files - it is a microsoft issue that doesn't happen on my Windows 10 machine at home, but does on my Windows 7 at work.

What I can't understand is why Microsoft can have this error reported since 2011 and not have provided a fix. To my eyes, it seems when the preview handler 'previews' a file, it doesn't close it. I need to preview to work my way through images, so doing what you suggest every time is a nightmare, and having to save as every time on a PDF is even more annoying.
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Receiving message: "The action can't be completed because the file is open in Preview Handler Surrogate Host." and unable to delete a file or change the name.

14 answers