svchost.exe

rmg1

Hi all

Probably a really stupid question, bu can someone please explain what this is, what is does and why I would have multiple copies in the task manager?

And can I have everything in laymans terms please, I'm not all that technical?

tripled

Taken from the very first search result in google...

svchost.exe is a system process belonging to the Microsoft Windows Operating System which handles processes executed from DLLs. This program is important for the stable and secure running of your computer and should not be terminated.

And from the third result searching for 'dll'

Short for Dynamic Link Library, a DLL is a library of executable functions or data that can be used by a Windows application.

Chippy_Minton

http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000517.htm

Use Windows Defender or Process Explorer to find out which each svchost.exe process does.

Whitefiver

Hi,

I am no techie, but this is an integral part of Windows, and is a "wrapper" that handles windows processes. It is OK to have multiple instances.

If one instance is hogging your system resources, then that is often caused by Windows Update - and if you turn off Windows Update, then it will revert to normal. (Remember to run update manually though! MS say they have fixed this, but it still gives me problems!)

If you want to know exactly what is behind each instance of this program, google for Process Explorer from Sysinternals, which is freeware, and gives MUCH more information than Windows own taskmanager.

All above assumes you are using XP.

Hope that helps,

Regards,

White.

[Deleted User]

Hi,

here's a handy wee tool, it's an add on to Task Manager, puts an icon beside each process and lets you check out any that you are not sure about, helpful forum also.

rmg1

Thanks for all your responses.
Seems like these are necessarybits so I won't worry any more, but when you see up to half a dozen, it made me a bit nervous.
I'll check out that add-on to Task Manager (thanks frugal) and see what is actually running and if I can kill anything.