Fix COM surrogate error in Windows Vista

Windows Vista has numerous minor irritating problems that need fixing. Fortunately, most problems have solutions (like disabling security center popups and setting power button to shut down).

If you open media files often, you may come across a “COM surrogate error”. One reason for this error is incompatible or lack of codecs. Common solutions to this problem are

• Upgrade Nero / DivX.
• Disable thumbnail previews. Unfortunately, thumbnail previews is a time-saving feature and is unlikely to be turned off.
• Use an alternative to ffdshow codec, if you have installed it.

Alternative COM Surrogate Error fix

1. Click Start> right-click Computer and click Properties.
2. Click on Advanced System Settings. Within the Performance section, click settings. In the window that comes up, click Data Execution Prevention tab.
3. Click “Turn on DEP for all programs and services except those I select”. Click the Add.. button.
4. Go to C:windowssystem32 and select dllhost.exe. Click OK and then Apply.
5. Restart Vista.

Related reading

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• How to get Windows 7 calculator on Vista
• How to flush DNS cache in Windows XP / Vista
• How to find MAC address (Windows Vista)