Recently, we have seen how to fix the issue of COM Surrogate has stopped working error in Windows 8 or later, in following article:

FIX: COM Surrogate Has Stopped Working In Windows 8.1

The article will help you to carry out the steps and fix the problem easily on a 32-bit edition of Windows. However, if you use same steps mentioned there on a 64-bit architecture machine, you’ll see following warning:

You can not set DEP attributes to 64-bit executables.

FIX - You Can Not Set DEP Attributes On 64-bit Executables

Hence because of this warning, you can’t suppress the COM Surrogate has stopped working error on a 64-bit edition of Windows OS. One of our reader Matt McGrath has provided us the way to solve this problem. He slightly modified the approach we are using to set DEP attributes and this worked when we tested it. Here are the steps you need to try as per his approach:

FIX : You Can Not Set DEP Attributes On 64-bit Executables

1. Follow steps 1-3 of this article.

2. When you’re at step 3 of that article and you click Add button, the file browser dailog will open, where you need to change Look in folder and set it to SysWOW64. Now type File name as dllhost.exe and click Open. In this way, you’ve added C:\Windows\SysWOW64\dllhost.exe (assuming C: is system root drive) into exception list.

FIX - You Can Not Set DEP Attributes On 64-bit Executables

3. Click Apply followed by OK in below shown window.

FIX - You Can Not Set DEP Attributes On 64-bit Executables

PS:  In case if you’re getting COM Surrogate has stopped working error due a specific program and you’re trying this fix so that the program work correctly, then we hardly suggest you to restore the original configuration in case if you stop using or uninstall that program for which you’ve tried the whole process. Restoring the original configuration here implies to set DEP settings to Turn on DEP for essential Windows programs and services only option. Restoring to default settings will enhance your system security.

Hope this helps! Thanks to our reader Matt McGrath for this trick.

21 Comments

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  • Kats

    Hi,
    I was trying to get through this and the step-by-step explanations were really great and easy to follow.
    My problem now, though, is that every time I get to step 3 and try to select anything related to the “OS (C:)” section, I get a “change computer settings has stopped working” error, preventing me from getting to the SysWOW64 folder. Selecting any other folder works just fine.
    I’m at a loss and couldn’t really find anything to help me with that problem.
    Can you give me any advice?

  • Kapil Arya

    ^^ Suggest you to boot into Safe Mode and re-try the steps, see if it helps.

  • Kats

    I tried that now, but this way it just crashes without leaving me a warning or error.

  • Derek Crooks

    Hi
    Plenty of effort has gone into this. Me on Windows 10 64 bit the fix has failed. I am trying to change one of my file icons to one I have stored in a private folder. The process has been working perfectly up to now.

  • Anirudh Aynala

    hye there i was trying to add a .exe file from other hard drive but that 64 error was popping up. Help please!!!

  • Kapil Arya

    ^^ Try the above mentioned steps and let me know if this helps :)

  • SWIZZY

    How’s it going?
    The problem I’m having is with the COM Surrogate “Not Responding” and seems to happen the most when I’m trying to add properties to my media files. They are on an external hard drive, but even when moving them to my C: drive and trying to add them the COM Surrogate still becomes unresponsive.

    I’m running Win 10 64x bit.
    Any help would be appreciated!

  • Kapil Arya

    ^^ Can’t get your question, what do you mean they’re on external drive? Please let me know so that I can help.

  • Akmad

    I can’t change the name of the folder to SysWOW64. Help please.

  • Gabriel Addo

    Please i have gone through the process as directed but the popup is still “You can not set DEP attributes on 64-bit executables”.
    Please is there any alternative or how do i fix this?

  • Debjit

    It’s not working, I m trying to add call of duty ghost, but it’s not working. Help me plzzz

  • wanted

    I cant change my LAN ethernet IP, it will show error COM surrogate. After make exception into DEP still got the popup. Pls help. urgent

  • Kapil Arya

    ^^ I believe the things are not related here. COM surrogate error might be due to involvement of some other factor, that’s why you’re still getting the pop-up. Please re-check.

  • Payal

    Hey! I tried everything u have mentioned but even after that when I m trying to add acs.exe (of a game) it shows u can’t set dep for 64 bit executables pls help!!

  • Shiva

    I’m still getting that stupid error .. Followed each and every step..u mentioned above.. Is there anyother way to resolve the problem!?!

  • Tuaha Nasir

    Hi Kapil,

    I have followed the steps you had explained (thank you for those btw, very easy to navigate my way through).

    However now that i had done that, the error code is still reappearing?

    Any advise? Thank you very much in advance.

  • Vietbuffet

    C:\Windows\SysWOW64\dllhost.exe was added to the Data Execution Prevention but however all of the COM Surrogate tied to the 32 bit version (C:\Windows\System32). Is there a way to set SysWOW64\dllhost.exe as the main driver instead of the 32 bit version?

  • Joshua

    Hi Kapil,
    It was so useful.
    I just scrolled back from System32 and found SysWOW64 and set it right.
    Thank you

  • Kapil Arya

    ^^ Glad we could help 😎

  • duftopia

    Running Windows 10, message like above “cannot set DEP on 64-bit” have no sys64wow directory, how do I fix issue if possible. This problem is causing serious usb issues

  • River

    I tried to add dllhost.eye from syswow64 there (success) but it still doesnt let me add 64bit executables, neither dllhost from system32, which most other websties tell me to do

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