dllhost.exe crash / com surrogate

Goto the control panel (if it crashes, leave the crash report up and open another explorer control panel window, the second one should open).

Goto Control Panel\System and Security\Action Center\Reliability Monitor

At the bottom of the window, goto View Problem Reports and Responses.
Now you should be at:
Control Panel\System and Security\Action Center\Problem History

find the crash report (on mine, COM Surrogate)
Right Click, View Technical Details

Volia... there's the offending control panel applet. Here's the one from mine... it was Adobe's Version Cue

Description
Faulting Application Path: C:\Windows\SysWOW64\dllhost.exe
Problem signature
Problem Event Name: APPCRASH
Application Name: DllHost.exe
Application Version: 6.1.7000.0
Application Timestamp: 49431fe1
Fault Module Name: VersionCueCS4.cpl
Fault Module Version: 4.0.0.0
Fault Module Timestamp: 4848046d
Exception Code: 40000015
Exception Offset: 00020fc0
OS Version: 6.1.7000.2.0.0.256.1
Locale ID: 1033

Hi

Yeah, It appears that Windows 7 uses a different form of .cpl (Control Panel Items) to Vista(maybe something to do with action center??) and Adobe CUE dies, as so I imagine Nero's Lightscribe Utility(I think, or whatever Nero stick in the control panel)

Probably going to have to wait for adobe to update

Hope that helps a little?

You can un-install that perticular application... or just remove its CPL files and put them for safe keeping.

I do not believe that the blame lies at the feet of any specific application. It is more likely that the "problem" is with Windows CP not getting "all it's ducks in a row" correctly when you open the Control Panel.

I am using Windows 7 (6.1(build 7000)) 64bit

Opening CP with the "basic" view I never get a problem, but opening CP viewing "All Control Panel Items" will sometimes(but not always) present the problem as described.

If you view other forums where this item is discussed, you will see that a number of applications have come under the microscope for blame. The description provided by DaCeige where :

"Description
Faulting Application Path: C:\Windows\SysWOW64\dllhost.exe
Problem signature
Problem Event Name: APPCRASH
Application Name: DllHost.exe
Application Version: 6.1.7000.0
Application Timestamp: 49431fe1
Fault Module Name: VersionCueCS4.cpl
Fault Module Version: 4.0.0.0
Fault Module Timestamp: 4848046d
Exception Code: 40000015
Exception Offset: 00020fc0
OS Version: 6.1.7000.2.0.0.256.1
Locale ID: 1033"

does not mean - with absolute certainty - that VersionCueCS4.cpl is to blame. The term "Fault" in a windows report does not mean with certainty that that module caused the problem, it could just as easily be that the system caused the problem, and that - in this instance - VersionCueCS4.cpl was being loaded(or referenced) at the time - so, the "victim" not the "culprit". This would explain why the many reports of this "seem" to be listed against a multitude of applications.

DaCeige said:

You can un-install that perticular application... or just remove its CPL files and put them for safe keeping.

the cpl file option works great!

Removing the .cpl files is only reducing the amount of work needed to be done by the Control Panel when you open/view/load it. Whilst it may provide you with "relief" to the problem, it neither fixes, nor addresses the real underlying problem - Control Panel.

This is not to say it is not worth doing, if users are happy to then all is good, but this is a little like sweeping the dust under a rug. It looks better, but the dust is still there.

josjoslyn said:

Removing the .cpl files is only reducing the amount of work needed to be done by the Control Panel when you open/view/load it. Whilst it may provide you with "relief" to the problem, it neither fixes, nor addresses the real underlying problem - Control Panel.

This is not to say it is not worth doing, if users are happy to then all is good, but this is a little like sweeping the dust under a rug. It looks better, but the dust is still there.

there is no other proper resolution right now, so if removing the file prevents .dll errors, I would do it. I agree that it is a 'sweep dust under the rug' resolution and should only be used for short term until a proper fix is out.

I totally agree ..... at this moment in time, if you are affected to the point where the OS becomes too difficult to live with & renaming the files works for you, then yes rename .cpl files.

I only wanted to make the point that it is unfair to lay blame at an applications "door", or be appearing to blame. As in the thread it was evident that some expected the fix to come from Adobe, whereas this "appears" to have it's root's in Vista. It is to my mind something that Microsoft need to address, and make CP more resilient, or - and my preferred - design it so that it has proper control over the multitude of threads and orphans it spawns. Currently it is like a mad rush to get the last drink in before the bar closes - a stampede where inevitably someone gets hurt in the rush

Windows 7 is still Beta. These apps were not designed to work with it, so placing blame is not the purpose of this thread or my 'work around'. As most of us all know, the field of IT is nothing more than problem solving and work arounds. In this case. VersionCUE's CPL was not designed for use in Windows 7, and although other CPLs who were not designed for Windows 7 do work, its no indication of fault.

However, the end goal associated with others who find this thread, along with myself, was to resolve the Control Panel crashing problem, my explanation provides a method to research the incompatibility problems, identify it, and leave you with the choice of how to resolve it.

In my case, I removed Version CUE. However, it's worth noting that the CPL file does run without hitch, so simply renaming it, or moving it should work. The problem seems to be related to how the control panel enumerates the different CPL's that are registered or in a directory it scans.

josjoslyn said:

Currently it is like a mad rush to get the last drink in before the bar closes - a stampede where inevitably someone gets hurt in the rush

Had fun using your analogy... so the options are...

A. to make a larger door (change the OS)
B. toughen up the person who keeps getting hurt (change the Application)
C. own a different bar (downgrade the OS)
D. ask the person who keeps getting hurt to go elsewhere (remove the offending Application)

Personally, I'm happy with solution D... but others may take another path. However, the method I posted earlier at least gives you the ability to figure out who keeps getting hurt in the stampede.