# "COM Surrogate Has Stopped Working" Widows 7



## spirit

I get this error message a LOT when browsing through photos using Windows Photo Viewer - "COM Surrogate has stopped working". It's annoying me! I understand that this is caused by incompatible codecs or pieces of software such as DivX and Nero right? I don't have DivX at all on my system but I do have Nero (Nero 9 Essentials). Is there anything I can do to resolve the issue? I've been using Nero 9 Essentials for a long time now and never had any issues with COM Surrogate up until now. Thanks.


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## spirit

I have tried removing Nero to see if it solves the problem, but it doesn't, I've tried the solution here but it only works on a 32-bit OS (I have 64-bit) and I have run a Malwarebytes full scan in Safe Mode and it found no infections. I also heard it's an issue with the dllhosts file? Anybody else got any clues as to what I can do - I don't want to reinstall Windows 7 yet again.


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## spirit

Bump. Anybody any ideas??? I no longer have Nero on my PC and I uninstalled PowerDVD 9 and I'm still getting this bloody error message when I view photos. Reinstalled Windows 7 twice by the way, once with an OEM copy of Ultimate SP1 and once with a retail copy of Professional RTM, still crashing. What else can it be????

Edit::: Solved the problem. It was a file related to my HD 3000 graphics driver that causing the crash. Installed an older driver and the crashes seem to have disappeared for the time being.


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## mjsbbs

Hi vistakid10, has the problem remained solved?

I am having the same problem and have not found a solution that works yet. This computer has been in use for less than two weeks now since it's purchase. The adapter type is "Intel HD Graphics 2000". I am also using Windows 7, 64-bit.

When advancing through pictures in the Windows Photo Viewer, at some point, either soon, or later, this error dialog appears and the program crashes. This did not happen in Windows XP.

[Window Title]
COM Surrogate

[Main Instruction]
COM Surrogate has stopped working

[Content]
A problem caused the program to stop working correctly. Windows will close the program and notify you if a solution is available.

[Close program]

- Mike


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## mjsbbs

Problem solved. It was a video problem as you suggested.

I found discussion if it here:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/dell-xps-studio-xps/655540-com-surrogate-has-stopped-working-2.html

The solution, for me, was to go to the Driver tab of the "Intel HD Graphics Family Properties" screen of the Display control panel, and click on the "Roll Back Driver" button. This removed the new, buggy driver, and replaced it with the previous, working driver, 8.15.10.2291 from 1/27/2011.

- Mike


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## spirit

Yeah the newer drivers are buggy. I'm using a driver released in August 2011 and it's working fine now.


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