COM surrogate stopped working error - no solution seems to work

[writhziden]

If you try the repair install with your DVD and it tells you that you have a newer version of Windows, then the DVD you have does not have SP1 installed.

Also, as a precaution, I would recommend backing up any important user files before doing the repair install, just in case.

 

[PrinorB]

Thanks, What crucial things are saved in user files. Except for I tunes settings I don't keep anything in my user folder (I think). I think everything is either in Crogram files or on my Data drive (Images, Music data files, videos etc.). Is there anything in particular that is usually saved in user that I might overlook (except themes, account settings etc which I can change afterwards)?

 

[PrinorB]

Also (sorry for double post), I am not quite sure how the ISO image works. I just downloaded the image from the link indicated by FliGi7 Download Windows 7 ISO (Official 32-bit and 64-bit Direct Download Links) « My Digital Life Thats a 3GB file. Can I put that on an external hardrive and boot from there rather than burning it to a DVD? Also, can I use the same license number that I got with my retail DVD?

 

[writhziden]

Thanks, What crucial things are saved in user files. Except for I tunes settings I don't keep anything in my user folder (I think). I think everything is either in Crogram files or on my Data drive (Images, Music data files, videos etc.). Is there anything in particular that is usually saved in user that I might overlook (except themes, account settings etc which I can change afterwards)?

Check your user folders by clicking the folder on the task bar. Go through Documents, Pictures, Music, Videos and make sure there is nothing you want to keep. Also, check C:\Users\yournamehere\Downloads for any downloaded files you might want to keep from the internet.

Also (sorry for double post), I am not quite sure how the ISO image works. I just downloaded the image from the link indicated by FliGi7 Download Windows 7 ISO (Official 32-bit and 64-bit Direct Download Links) « My Digital Life Thats a 3GB file. Can I put that on an external hardrive and boot from there rather than burning it to a DVD? Also, can I use the same license number that I got with my retail DVD?

If you have a USB flash drive, you can install from it. You cannot install from an external hard drive because your drivers are not loaded during boot (unless you happen to have an eSATA connection). http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2432-usb-windows-7-installation-key-drive-create.html

You may use your retail key as long as it is only used on this one system. If you have used it on another computer, then you will need to remove Windows from the other system before installing it on this one. If the key you are currently running with on this system is already the retail version you speak of, then you are fine using it again after the repair install finishes.

 

[PrinorB]

I used Panda vaccine to vaccinate the drive (this disables autorun). Will that be a problem or will that be removed in the process of creating the bootable drive?

 

[PrinorB]

Also; just to make sure I understand. In step 21 on the tutorial it says I need to copy files from the disk. Now with the ISO image, do I need to open the ISO file it with a program (e.g. MagicDisk) and then copy the files to the thumb drive or do I just copy the ISO disk image file as a whole? (or does it not matter)?? Thanks so much for all the help by the way... I hope I won't have to bug you too often anymore... BTW just reinstalled with my original retail disk and the problem is still there...)

 

[writhziden]

You will need to extract the contents (7-zip works nicely for this, as well) and put them on the drive you are installing from.

Autorun probably does not need to be enabled as long as you know how to start the setup off the drive without it.

 

[PrinorB]

Ok; I just tried it with a DVD. I burned a DVD with free ISO burner and tried to install. However, it said that the current windows is too advanced to upgrade. Thus I followed step 5 in the tutorial http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html. However, the "setup.exe" file on the DVD cannot be changed (or at least I don't see a "compatibility" tab). I can change it when open the ISO file with say magic disk. Is there any way to fix this? Or is it easier with a thumb drive (i.e. I extract the files, change the setup and copy it on the thumb drive)? In that case I need to buy one. I realized that the one I have doesn't work... Finally, will the program install SP1 afterwards/is there a way to get SP1 afterwards and will my license key still work even though the retail DVD that I have is a newer version? Thanks so much

 

[writhziden]

So to be clear: You removed SP1 and are you still receiving the message that Windows is too advanced to upgrade?

Which version did you download and burn from ISO? You should have Windows 7 with SP1 integrated downloaded... Windows 7 Professional x64 with SP1

 

[john129d]

I have had the same problem.
Windows 7, 64 bits Home Edition.
COM Surrogate problem only happens when using the MS picture and Fax viewer.
None on the suggestions in this thread had any impact on the problem.
The error started about 2 weeks ago, so I searched back throught updates and program installs until I found the culprit.
It turned out to be "Intel HD Grachics driver" update, which was an optional update. Rolling back the driver has fixed the problem.
Hope this helps

 

[PrinorB]

That is interesting. I have that driver installed on both my computers but it wasn't an update. For my home Laptop it was on there before I bought it and for my work PC I think it was one of the drivers that I installed as part of setting the system up. I searched through "windows updates" and didn't find any updates that have been done for that driver. What graphics driver did you take instead?

if I was to uninstall that, I feel I need some kind of alternative...

 

[john129d]

I rolled back the driver.
The version that was originally on the pc and that I rolled back to was :-
version 8.15.10.2509 dd 31/08/11
Not sure what the updated version was, as I have now removed it.
I see that in the optional updates on MS Update its (the upgraded version) available for download again - I'm not going to select it this time !!!
I'm not sure what benefits the new version offered - I didn't notice anything different.

 

[PrinorB]

Hmm ok. I could possibly dig out older versions of the driver (I haven't updated the driver from the point of installation so i would have to dig through Intels website and download an older driver. I think for now, downloading a different photo viewer (e.g. Picasa) is easier... However, it is good have narrowed down to know what the error might be.

Thanks for the help!

 

[chouste]

To all: I'm having the same issue on 3 different laptops all with ssd drives, this is an ssd issue, I hold a MCITP certification and have been working directly with Microsoft on this issue the past few days. I will post results and possible fixes when I have more info, but just wanted you all to stop the marry go round of troubleshooting, drivers, re-installs fresh installsm etc are not going to fix this problem only getting rid of the ssd. We have not been able to narrow it down to a specific brand of ssd's either, two of my drives are crucial the other is Intel. It takes time to convince MS the problem is on their end.

 

[PrinorB]

Both my desktop and my laptop have the problem.

Desktop has SSD

Laptop has NO SSD !!!

Just to let you know...

 

[john129d]

To all: I'm having the same issue on 3 different laptops all with ssd drives, this is an ssd issue, I hold a MCITP certification and have been working directly with Microsoft on this issue the past few days. I will post results and possible fixes when I have more info, but just wanted you all to stop the marry go round of troubleshooting, drivers, re-installs fresh installsm etc are not going to fix this problem only getting rid of the ssd. We have not been able to narrow it down to a specific brand of ssd's either, two of my drives are crucial the other is Intel. It takes time to convince MS the problem is on their end.

My PC does NOT have a SSD. The problem was caused by the INTEL driver downloaded as an optional update from Windows Update. I can turn the problem on/off by installing/rolling back the said driver. The only time the problem appears is when using MS picture/fax viewer.

Seems there maybe more than one cause to this problem

 

[essenbe]

I am not convinced it is a Windows problem. I have 5 SSDs (3 Crucial M4s, an Intel X-25M, and a Vertex2) installed on 3 computers and use Windows photo viewer to view pictures. I have never had that error or any error on any of my systems. Besides that, if it were a Windows problem associated with SSDs, then everyone who has Windows and an SSD would be having the same error messages. That is not the case. I would be more inclined to think it may be an issue with conflicting drivers from some other software or drivers you have installed. If I am correct, you seem to believe there is some compatibility issue between the Windows OS and SSDs. If that is a correct assumption on my part, why not clone your OS from the SSD to an non SSD drive and see if the problem persists. If it does, you may try a clean install with updates and without adding any other programs, use the photo viewer to test it out. Then slowly install one program at a time, testing after each install until you begin to experience the problem. That may tell you where the problem lies.

 

[writhziden]

I agree with the steps that essenbe laid out to determine the culprit.

I am in agreement that it is likely not a Windows/SSD combination causing the problem given that it happens with HDDs and there are not more reports regarding this problem for people with SSDs.

If you want to find the true underlying problem, follow the excellent advice in essenbe's post.

 

[hardy gunanda]

First, make sure Windows files are as they should be:

• Run http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1538-sfc-scannow-command-system-file-checker.html up to three times to fix all errors with a restart in between each. Post back if it continues to show errors after a fourth run or if the first run comes back with no integrity violations.

Also, do you have ANY codecs installed beyond what comes with Windows 7?


Please provide us with your Event Viewer administrative logs by following these steps:

1. Click Start Menu
2. Type eventvwr into Search programs and files (do not hit enter)
3. Right click eventvwr.exe and click Run as administrator
4. Expand Custom Views
5. Click Administrative Events
6. Right click Administrative Events
7. Save all Events in Custom View As...
8. Save them in a folder where you will remember which folder and save as Errors.evtx
9. When asked, save the display information in English.
10. Go to where you saved Errors.evtx
11. Create a new folder by right clicking in a blank area within the folder Errors.evtx is saved in. You could also click New Folder at the top of the directory under the directory path box.
12. Name the new folder Errors.
13. Place Errors.evtx and the LocaleMetaData folder into the new Errors folder.
14. Right click the Errors folder -> send to -> compressed (zipped) folder
15. Upload the .zip file here.

i do, this is my folder error, problem like "com surrogate"

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/783-elevated-command-prompt.html

 

[tehinternet]

I Fixed it when no other solutions on the internets seemed to work!

TL;DR: My COM Surrogate was related to Acronis True Image 2013 and I fixed it. Even if Acronis is not causing your COM Surrogate error, this method may still help you diagnose the root cause of your error.

Hi,

I registered to these forums simply to post. I am considering it my good deed for the day. I found a solution to my specific issue with the COM Surrogate error on a fresh install of Windows 7 64 bit after about 2 days of having issues.

As many people with this issue, all my Googling kept leading me to these forums. Many people in this thread (and others in other forums) had great ideas. I tried the following, but none of them fixed my COM Surrogate error:

-Re-registering dll libraries via command line
-Forcing win7 to show icons vs thumbnails
-Turning on DEP for only dllhost.exe (COM Surrogate)
-Uninstalling Adobe Photoshop CS2
-I do not use Nero
-Clean booting and not running any non-system programs
-Updating chipset, motherboard, and audio/video drivers.
-I don't have any additional codec packs installed.
-Running SFC /SCANNOW

My issue wasn't only related to viewing photos, but nearly anything which used windows explorer windows. Even logging into windows threw the error.

My specific error mentioned DLLHOST.exe and rpcrt4.dll as the culprits, but that was not enough info determine the root cause

I had a breakthrough when i came across the following sites:
'COM Surrogate has stopped working' - Microsoft Community
In the above link, in Andre.Ziegler's Sept 2010 post he provides a link to a .reg file which when added to your registry spits out a .dmp file of the application crash to C:\localdumps. You can easily remove the registry key when you done as it only adds a new key, not del/mod existing ones.

The next time I got the COM Surrogate error, sure enough i had a .dmp file in C:\localdumps. Now what to do with the dump?

How to open DMP files in Windows 7?
From this site I obtained the Microsoft debugging software. Follow the instructions closely as you do not need to install the entire program, only the debugging portion. Set up/configure the program as the site says and then load your .dmp file. Then run the !analyze -v command to get more detailed info from the dump. My results weren't as clear as the example on the website, but at the bottom of the analysis it referrred to a new file besides DLLHOST.exe and rpcrt4.dll: syncagentsrv.exe

After some googleing syncagentsrv.exe is a part of Acronis True Image 2013. It makes sense this was causing errors as this version of Acronis gets very embedded into windows. Once I googled 'Win7 COM Surrogate and syncagentsrv.exe' I then found many sites detailing the problem.

Basically my COM error originated when I installed Acronis True Image, but disabled it's 'Acronis Sync Agent service'. I had disabled it because I considered it junk I didn't want running on my system since I only use Acronis to create HD Images a couple times a year. Once I realized this was the cause, as soon as I started the service and switch it back to Automatic as the boot time, my error went away instantly, even without a reboot. (I could probably also set it to 'manual' as well)

So I guess there can be lots of potential causes for this error.

I hope this helps at least one other person out there struggling with this BS error.


TL;DR: My COM Surrogate was related to Acronis True Image 2013 and I fixed it. Even if Acronis is not causing your COM Surrogate error, this method may still help you diagnose the root cause of your error.