How To Remove Syswow64.DLLHost.exe

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Is dllhost.exe in your syswow64 folder a bad thing?

We always become nervous whenever we see a computer file pop up that we don’t immediately recognise right away. We become even more nervous when, after running a virus scan, we see that this file is, in fact, a malicious one. A particularly troublesome one is Syswow64.DLLHost.exe, which is a file created by hackers to attack various types of Windows computer systems. Additionally, this file is also considered to be part of the Trojan family, which means that it is entirely possible for it to escape being quarantined and removed by even the most powerful antivirus software programs.

This begs the following question to be asked: “if even the most powerful antivirus software programs can’t remove something like Syswow64.DLLHost.exe, then how exactly can something so malicious be removed?” Thankfully, there is an answer.

Firstly, it should be explained how something like Syswow64.DLLHost.exe can actually show up on your computer to begin with.

What is the Syswow64 virus?

The SysWOW64 folder is where 64-bit Windows systems use to store 32-bit Windows system files. It can run 32-bit applications and is a vital folder. The 64-bit system of win7 relies on it to run 32-bit software. And this folder exists on all 64-bit versions of Windows. Therefore, the SysWOW64 folder is a legitimate folder and not a virus. Please don’t just delete it!

It has been widely reported that the SysWOW64 folder in Windows can often use a lot of system resources. Although C:\\Windows\SysWOW64 typically only uses a few gigabytes of computer RAM, some users have reported that it can utilise up to 40 GB. As a result, the computer may become sluggish or even crash. This in itself is not an indication that that you have a syswow64 virus though.

SysWOW64 folder and file names to hide malicious programs including malware and cryptocurrency miners, which can silently do their thing undetected.

Viruses like SysWow64 infect many computers and are often located in system folders where they disguise themselves as legitimate processes.More sophisticated viruses like the wow64 virus can difficult for antivirus software to detect as they are regularly updated and evolving.

Using a tool like Restoro can remove spyware, malware and other viruses hiding in system folders and restore Windows to it’s stable, pre-virus state.

Generally, SysWOW64 can show up via the following means:

This means that, obviously, you should be as cautious as possible whenever you browse the internet, which is something that you should already be doing anyway.

What does the wow64 virus do?

Once Syswow64.DLLHost.exe installs itself, it has the potential to do a great deal of harm to your computer, as it can attach itself to one or more of your internet browsers (Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, etc.), hack your personal information (name, address, credit card information, bank account information, etc.) without your knowledge or permission, and even ruin the overall security of your system. All of these activities can open the door for even more malicious viruses to make their way in and cause further damage to your system.

So how do you go about removing something like Syswow64.DLLHost.exe if it is found on your system?

Step by Step Guide on How to Remove SysWOW64 Virus

Syswow64.DLLHost.exe is a Windows process used to host some of the DLLs that are not compatible with 64-bit versions. This file is safe most of the time, but sometimes it can cause system crashes and other problems.

We do not recommend you delete the SysWOW64 folder, unless you have performed a thorough check and concluded it had been hijacked. You can use several syswow64 virus removal tools to scan your system to help you detect if it is affected by a virus.

We recommend Total AV advanced Antivirus protection. Tech Wagyu readers can save up to 80% on Total AV software by clicking the banner below.

However, if the syswow64 file happens to be a legitimate folder, deleting the folder can cause harm to your PC. The system might malfunction once the sysWow64 is removed, since it is a legitimate folder used by the Windows operating system. This is why it’s crucial that you check using reputable anti-virus scanner before deleting anything.

There are many ways to remove Syswow64.DLLHost.exe from your system, but you should use only one method to ensure the safety and effectiveness of your actions. Some methods for removing Syswow64.DLLHost.exe from your PC include:

Deleting the file from your computer manually
Using System Restore
Uninstalling applications that may contain this file
Running a virus scan or system restore application

Removing suspect files and folders using a syswow64 virus removal tool

As I mentioned briefly above, a tool like Restoro can remove unwanted problem files and restore Windows to the way it was before it was infected.

We strongly recommend trying one of these tools before resorting to manual removal, to eliminate the risk of human error.

Removing the file from your computer manually using Safe Mode with Networking

Manual removal of the file from your system can be complicated as it often requires vast knowledge in the IT world. But if you approach it carefully with our step-by-step guide, you will complete it with ease. If you want to perform the manual removal, it is best accessed in the Safe Mode environment. Accessing the computer’s safe mode is different depending on the windows. Therefore we will be highlighting how to access it on Windows 7, Vista, XP, 8, and 10.

Step 1: Accessing Safe Mode

Before manually removing the SysWOW64 virus, restart your computer in “safe mode with networking” by constantly pressing the F8 key before starting Windows.

For Windows 7, Vista, and XP

If your PC is currently on, Click the Start (Window Icon) on the Toolbar > Shutdown > Restart > OK.
When your computer starts coming up, press the F8 button repeatedly (In some computer models, the motherboard configuration is different, so F8 might not work; instead, you can try F2, F12, Del, e.t.c.) until you see an Advanced Boot Options window.
In this Advance Boot Options window, select the Safe Mode with Networking option from the listed options.

For Windows 8 and 10

Log on to the infected computer and wait until you see the desktop.
The user switching interface will come up when you press the key combination Ctrl+Alt+Del.
Keep the “Shift” key pressed on your keyboard while hitting the “Turn off” button in the bottom right corner of the page.
There you will get three options: “Sleep,” “Shutdown,” and “Restart.” Click on the reboot option.
The following window will display the message “Select an option” and then click “Troubleshoot.”

On the troubleshooting page, click Advanced Options. In the next window, select Launch Settings.
Select Startup Settings and press “restart”, then wait a minute. The Safe Mode Options will be shown automatically by Windows.
Lastly, press the F5/5 key to select the “Safe Mode with Networking” option. After that, the Windows 8/10 operating system will boot into safe mode with a network connection.

Step 2: Shut down Suspicious Processes

The malware can be running in the background, and the Window Task Bar is a valuable tool that helps show all the processes running in the system background.

To access the Window Task Bar, press the combination CTRL + SHIFT + ESC / CTRL+ALT+DEL, or you can click the Start button, select the Run option, type “taskmgr,” and click OK.
Click on More details at the bottom-left part of the computer.
Scroll down to the Background processes section, and look for anything that appears dubious.
When you find the dubious file, Right-click and select Open file location to view the file.

Go through the process again and right-click, then pick End Task.
After successfully ending the task, delete the contents of the dubious hostile folder.

Step 3: Check the program Startup

Access the Window Task Manager with CTRL + SHIFT + ESC / CTRL+ALT+DEL, or you can click the Start button, select the Run option, type “taskmgr,” and click OK.
Go to the Startup tab and locate the fishy program.
Right-click on it and select Disable.

Step 4: Delete Virus Files

Malware files hide in several places on your PC. You probably need help locating them, which is why we have listed the several ways you can find them below:

On the Window search bar, type Disk Cleanup and press Enter when it pops up.
Select the drive you want to clean up, which is usually the local disk C: by default, and it often houses the fishy program.
Scroll through the files you want to be deleted and select the following: Temporary Internet Files, Temporary files, Downloads, and Recycle Bin.
After selecting the above-listed files, click the option Clean up System Files.

Other folders can also house suspicious files on your system. You can search for the following folders: %AppData%, %LocalAppData%, %ProgramData%, and %WinDir% on your Window Search.

Ensure to reboot your PC in normal mode after you are through.

How to remove SysWOW64 using System Restore

Step 1: Using the system restore is more like using the manual safe mode networking method. To access the system restore mode, you have to follow the first step of the Safe mode networking. After following the first step, you will choose the “Safe Mode with Command Prompt” instead of selecting the “Safe Mode with Networking” from the list.

The same procedure you used for Windows 8 and 10 is what you will follow, but here you will press the F6/6 to select the “Enable Safe Mode with Command Prompt” option from the list.

Step 2: After the Safe Mode with Command Prompt window shows up, restore your system files and settings by entering “cd store” (without quote)and press enter. After that, type rstrui.exe and press enter again.

After successfully executing that and pressing enter, a new window will appear. Click Next and select the restore point that results from the infiltration of SysWOW64. Click OK after selecting the file. Finally, click Yes to begin the system restore.

Install Reimage and run a scan to ensure SysWOW64 virus removal is complete once you’ve restored your system to an earlier point in time.

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