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Does anyone know what COM Surrogate actually is??

Anonymous
2024-11-05T23:48:58+00:00

I have been encontering that files from a folder do not want to get deleted and it says the file is opened in COM Surrogate so I am just trying to understand what that is I have found a solutionalready but just curious.

Thanks,

Kaleb

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Files, folders, and storage

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Solamillo Charity 20,260 Reputation points Independent Advisor
2024-11-06T18:02:25+00:00

Thank you for getting back to me. There are other ways doing it, like:

Disable Thumbnails in File Explorer :

In File Explorer, go to the "View" tab, select "Options," then "Change folder and search options."

Under the "View" tab, check "Always show icons, never thumbnails." This can reduce COM Surrogate's background activity.

Or you can clear Thumbnail Cache via Disk Cleanup.

Also, please keep Windows Updated to prevent issues.

Please let me know if you have any more questions, I'll do my best to respond as soon as possible.

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  1. Anonymous
    2024-11-06T19:13:14+00:00

    Thank you for this information

    I will keep you updated if this issue still occurring.

    Thank you again

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  3. Anonymous
    2024-11-06T16:12:04+00:00

    Hello Thank you for reaching out to me,

    I figured it was something running in the background good to know that it is safe and normal

    What would you say the solution would be to stop that issue occurring.

    Only thing that I have found out is doing a restart on the computer and then I can remove the files that are open in COM Surrogate.

    Thanks,

    Kaleb

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  4. Solamillo Charity 20,260 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2024-11-06T01:36:20+00:00

    Hello there! I am Charity, I'm an Independent Advisor. I'm glad to help you today!

    Thank you for the information.

    COM Surrogate (dllhost.exe) is a Windows process that handles tasks like generating thumbnails for files in File Explorer. When you can’t delete a file because it’s "open in COM Surrogate," it usually means Windows is actively accessing it for these tasks.

    And yes, COM Surrogate is a safe and legitimate Windows process essential for managing certain system tasks, like thumbnails and previews.

    Please let me know if you have any more questions, I'll do my best to respond as soon as possible.

    Kind Regards,

    Charity

    Please note that things might need more than one reply to completely resolve your issue, as it will completely depend on the complexity of the question and the amount of detail that you have provided me.

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