[SOLVED] Blank icons/white thumbnails + slow My Computer + COM Surrogate crashes

Question

I've published this in another forum so I'll copy/paste my posts:

Post 1:

After some time on the computer the icons become blank and **My Computer**doesn't load.

It all returns to normal after I end the task "dllhost.exe", and after some time the problem comes back again.

I've tried these solutions:

• SFC /scannow
• Recreating IconCache.db

System:

Windows 7 Home Premium x64

Laptop - Toshiba Satellite P775

8GB RAM

Intel HD Graphics 3000

Mobile QuadCore Intel Core i7-2670QM, 2400 MHz

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Post 2:

After some grace period following the format - the problem came back.

So I did a System Restore, the problem disappeared for a few hours, and then came back again.

I've managed to pin point what exactly is causing the problem inside the dllhost.exe process with the help of Process Explorer (by Sysinternals) and its listing of Handles inside each process.

When the problem happened I went into the list of Handles inside dllhost.exe and started closing handles one by one to see after which one the problem disappears.

It turns out to be something called "ALPC Port/RPC Control"

I really hope this info will help in figuring out this annoying problem.

Thanks!

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Post 3:

Apparently it has something to do with codecs installed on the pc - in my case it is K-Lite.

I've uninstalled and things got back to normal - and when I installed the codecs again (I've tried different codec packs) it came back.

Furthermore, now there is another problem of "COM Surrogate has stopped working" with this error event:

"Faulting application name: DllHost.exe, version: 6.1.7600.16385, time stamp: 0x4a5bc6b7

Faulting module name: RPCRT4.dll, version: 6.1.7601.17514, time stamp: 0x4ce7ba59

Exception code: 0xc0020043

Fault offset: 0x0005cd99

Faulting process id: 0x778

Faulting application start time: 0x01cdbf761de92209

Faulting application path: C:\windows\SysWOW64\DllHost.exe

Faulting module path: C:\windows\syswow64\RPCRT4.dll

Report Id: 5cc678d8-2b69-11e2-a5c6-dc0ea12f8458"

And so I've followed these instructions:

http://helpdeskgeek.com/help-desk/fix-com-surrogate-has-stopped-working-in-windows-7/

But it didn't solve it.

Answer 1

Apparently it has something to do with Acronis True Image:

After some searching, this is what I've done:

1. Logged out of the Sync in Acronis (\[DUPLICATE\] Slow folder display issues possibly caused by Acronis True Image 2013? | Knowledge Base) [I already had "Acronis Nonstop Backup Service" and "Acronis Sync Agent Service" stopped and set to manual, and so I started "Acronis Sync Agent Service", logged out of Sync and stopped the service. Left "Acronis Scheduler2 Service" on and set to Automatic]
2. Renamed ti_manager_proxy_1.dll (Com Surrogate failure | Knowledge Base)

Now I have dllhost.exe running but the problem doesn't happen. Hopes it stays this way.

If not, apparently it only happens with Acronis 2013, so I'll install the 2012 or 2011 version.

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Edit: this fixed it.

Answer 2

I have been having this problem for several months, and tried everything on this site and others to no avail. I also have Acronis 2013 and turning that off did nothing to correct this program..

What did finally work was going into My Computer > Advanced System Setting > Advanced > Performance Options > Visual Effects. I turned off Aero Peak, and several others, and it solved my issue.  I also turned off all the "Fade" options and few others as well.  Now my system is stable and windows explorer opens without incidence. 

My suggestion is look at your graphic intensive processes and go from there.

Answer 3

I had same issue regarding the event viewer info from above (Windows 7 ultimate 64-bit).  Took me a while to figure out why dllhost.exe kept causing my thumbnails in windows file explore and elsewhere from not showing.  I would have to end task the dllhost.exe everytime and then dllhost.exe would restart and at the same time the thumbnails would appear normally as they should at that instant.

I had recently installed Acronis TrueImage 2013 on my system and had identical error as you had.  I removed Acronis TrueImage 2013 as I was just testing it out and now dllhost.exe is working normally the way it should.

Thanks for the sollution.

Answer 4

@1_Guy_1

Your method worked for me, but the file names were:

AcronisTIFolder\ti_managers_proxy.dll

AcronisTIFolder\ti_managers_proxy_stub.dll

AcronisTIFolder\x64\ti_managers_proxy_stub.dll

Rather than simply rename the files I used a little utility called Dud.  I first copied the .DLLs to a safe place in my own Home\Settings folder then, using the command console, I copied Dud.Exe to each file in the appropriate TI folder, retaining the file names - ie Copy FolderName\Dud.Exe AcronisTIFolder\WhicheverDLLFileName.dll.

Dud.Exe runs when a replaced .DLL or .Exe is called and immediately exits without causing any replaced .EXE or .DLL to trigger an AppCrash or application repair/restore function - At least it never has over the many years I have used it on various unwanted updaters and the like.  It can be downloaded here:

http://www3.telus.net/\_/dud/

(Or if links are not allowed, substituting xx for tt, hxxp://www3.telus.net/_/dud/)

Note: I wouldn't recommend using Dud.Exe to replace any Windows System files, as these are almost certainly protected and would most probably be replaced on a subsequent reboot.

Answer 5

Thank you. I have been looking for a solution all over the internet. This has fixed my problem. Thank you.