SOVLED! The Action Cannot Be Completed Because The File Is Open In COM Surrogate

Once it comes to the error “the action cannot be completed because the file is open in COM Surrogate”, COM Surrogate is the leading cause. That is why it’s wise to end COM Surrogate via Task Manager if the error gives you a hard time. Also, you could disable Preview Pane, perform DISM and SFC scans, turn on Data Execution Prevention, take ownership, etc. Continue reading to be able to dismiss the error and modify files on your PC as you see fit. 

The Root Of The Problem

For most of the time, it takes little time and effort for Windows users to tweak files on their computers. However, if the error “the action cannot be completed because the file is open in COM Surrogate” get in your way, you should keep in mind the following possibilities: 

• COM Surrogate.
• Preview Pane.
• Corruption. 
• Data Execution Prevention.
• Ownership. 

Getting Rid Of The Error: Recommendations 

End COM Surrogate

• Step 1: Right-click an empty space on the taskbar and pick Task Manager.
• Step 2: Locate COM Surrogate in Processes tab, select it and choose End task. 
• Step 3: Alter the target file according to your preferences. 

Note: On occasions, it’s a good idea to restart Windows Explorer as well. To do so, open Task Manager, locate Windows Explorer in Processes tab, right-click it and pick Restart. Alternatively, select Windows Explorer in Processes tab of Task Manager, choose End task then click File, pick Create new task, type explorer.exe and hit OK. 

Disable Preview Pane

• Step 1: Press Windows + E to open File Explorer. 
• Step 2: Open View then hit Preview Pane once to disable it.
• Step 3: Modify the target file and see how things turn out. 

Perform DISM And SFC Scans

• Step 1: Press Windows key, type cmd and hit Run as administrator. 
• Step 2: In Command Prompt (Admin), run the command sfc /scannow to perform SFC scan. 
• Step 3: Following the conclusion of the SFC scan, run the following commands in Command Prompt (Admin) to perform the DISM scan:
  • DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
  • DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
  • DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
• Step 4: Proceed to run the command exit to close Command Prompt then restart your computer. 
• Step 5: When the screen comes back on, tweak the target file and determine whether the issue persists. 

Take Ownership

• Step 1: Locate the target file, right-click it and pick Properties.
• Step 2: Go to Security tab, select Advanced and choose Change beside Owner.
• Step 3: Hit Advanced, click Find Now and pick your account. 
• Step 4: Click OK, pick OK, check the Replace owner on subcontainers and objects checkbox, select Apply and choose OK.
• Step 5: In Properties, proceed to select Edit under Groups or usernames and choose your account. Next, check the checkbox next to Full control under the Allow column, select Apply and choose OK. Last but not least, close everything then restart your computer. 

Turn On Data Execution Prevention

• Step 1: Press Windows key, type sysdm.Cpl and hit Enter to open System Properties.
• Step 2: Go to Advanced tab then hit Settings under Performance.
• Step 3: Go to Data Execution Prevention tab and tick the circle next to Turn on DEP for essential Windows programs and services only.
• Step 4: Select Apply then choose OK.
• Step 5: Restart your computer. 

Commonly Asked Questions

What is COM Surrogate?

For your information, COM Surrogate (Dllhost.exe) is a Windows process used to run extensions that programs require to operate. COM Surrogate is designed to be sacrificial: if extensions crash, COM Surrogate would crash in place of programs. 

Is COM Surrogate a virus? 

No, COM Surrogate processes form part of the critical components needed by other programs. Still, viruses can sometimes masquerade as COM Surrogate which is why you should run an antivirus scan once in a while. As a precaution, you may also check the legitimacy of COM Surrogate:

• Step 1: Right-click the taskbar then select Task Manager.
• Step 2: Right-click COM Surrogate in Processes tab and pick Open file location. 
• Step 3: The legitimate COM Surrogate should have the path: C:/Windows\System32 or C:/winnt/system32.

What is the difference between files, folders and directory paths?

A file is a set of related information stored in secondary storage while a folder is a place to store a group of related files. About the directory path, it is a string of characters used to identify the location of files and folders.