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What is SVCHOST.EXE?

svchost.exe
Source: Microsoft Windows Operating System
Author: Microsoft Corporation

Properties:
System Process Yes
Background Process Yes
Application Process No
Common Path: C:\ Windows\ System32\
Uses Network No
Uses Internet No

Download: Try this free scanner to scan your Windows Registry for problems that may lead to system errors and SVCHOST.exe problems.

Description: The file svchost.exe is a generic host process name for the different services that run from DLLs (dynamic link libraries). It is a core file of the operating system Microsoft Windows.

The process svchost.exe is automatically launched every time the computer is started. Before anything else can be started, the svchost.exe process will search through the services part of the Windows Registry and creates a list of services that it must load. The process svchost.exe can be run in multiple instances meaning a number of svchost.exe processes can be run at the same time. Each of the running svchost.exe files will contain a grouping of services. This feature can allow separate services to run and at the same time makes it easier to debug and gives better control.

The groups that the file svchost.exe has created are defined in the Windows Registry HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ Software\ Microsoft\ WindowsNT\ CurrentVersion\ Svchost. For every value under this registry key, a separate svchost.exe group represents it. When viewing through the task manager, these can also appear as two or more separate instances of the process svchost.exe. Each value is considered as a REG_MULTI_SZ value and it contains the different services that run under the particular svchost.exe group.

The list of services where the svchost.exe process builds the list from is located in this part of the Windows Registry: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ System\ CurrentControlSet\ Services\ Service. The services included in the list will then be grouped and separated by the svchost.exe process depending on how and where it was started.

The process svchost.exe will run in the background and does not have a graphical user interface. Different instances of this process can however be seen running when the Windows Task Manager is opened.

The svchost.exe file is a very important component of the operating system Microsoft Windows since it controls most of the services that are needed by the system.

Recommendations: This is a safe process. There is no necessity to remove this process from your system unless you suspect that it may be a malicious program masquarading under the legit svchost.exe file name. If you are experiencing problems with this process we suggest:

• checking your registry for svchost.exe associated errors
• scanning your entire system for spyware, adware or virus threats that may have named a malicious program after a legitimate svchost.exe file.

Download this free registry scanner and find out just how clogged your Windows registry really is.