How to Download Taskhost.exe and Fix Runtime Error Messages

Last Updated: 11/27/2024
[Time Required for Reading: 3.5 minutes]

Host Process for Windows Tasks files such as taskhost.exe utilize the EXE file extension. This file is considered a Win32 EXE (Executable application) file, and was first created by Microsoft for the Microsoft® Windows® Operating System software package.

The release of taskhost.exe introduced for Windows was on 07/22/2009 in Windows 7. The most recent release for Windows 8.1 launched on 10/18/2013 [version 6.3.9600.17415 (winblue_r4.141028-1500) release]. taskhost.exe is included in Windows 8.1, Windows 8, and Windows 7.

This article discusses complete file details, EXE file troubleshooting instructions for problems with taskhost.exe, and a comprehensive set of free downloads for every file version that has been catalogued by our team.

File Analysis Provided by Jason Geater (Author)

File Overview

General Information ^✻
File Name:	taskhost.exe
File Extension:	EXE file extension
Description:	Host Process for Windows Tasks
Object File Type:	Executable application
File Operating System:	Windows NT 32-bit
MIME Type:	application/octet-stream
User Popularity Rating:

Developer and Software Information
Software Developer:	Microsoft Corporation
Software Program:	Microsoft® Windows® Operating System
Legal Copyright:	© Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

File Details
Character Set:	Unicode
Language Code:	English (U.S.)
File Flags:	(none)
File Flags Mask:	0x003f
Entry Point:	0x29f0
Code Size:	47104

View Other taskhost.exe Information

File Info	Description
File Size:	69 kB
File Modification Date/Time:	2014:11:21 06:52:45+00:00
File Inode Change Date/Time:	2017:11:05 07:04:30+00:00
File Type:	Win32 EXE
MIME Type:	application/octet-stream
Machine Type:	Intel 386 or later, and compatibles
Time Stamp:	2014:10:29 01:00:27+00:00
PE Type:	PE32
Linker Version:	11.0
Code Size:	47104
Initialized Data Size:	13312
Uninitialized Data Size:	0
Entry Point:	0x29f0
OS Version:	6.3
Image Version:	6.3
Subsystem Version:	6.3
Subsystem:	Windows GUI
File Version Number:	6.3.9600.17415
Product Version Number:	6.3.9600.17415
File Flags Mask:	0x003f
File Flags:	(none)
File OS:	Windows NT 32-bit
Object File Type:	Executable application
File Subtype:	0
Language Code:	English (U.S.)
Character Set:	Unicode
Company Name:	Microsoft Corporation
File Description:	Host Process for Windows Tasks
File Version:	6.3.9600.17415 (winblue_r4.141028-1500)
Internal Name:	taskhost.exe
Legal Copyright:	© Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
Original Filename:	taskhost.exe
Product Name:	Microsoft® Windows® Operating System
Product Version:	6.3.9600.17415

^✻ Portions of file data provided by Exiftool (Phil Harvey) distributed under the Perl Artistic License.

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What are taskhost.exe Error Messages?

taskhost.exe Runtime Errors

Runtime errors are Windows errors that occur during "runtime". Runtime is pretty self-explanatory; it means that these EXE errors are triggered when taskhost.exe is attempted to be loaded either when Windows is starting up, or in some cases already running. Runtime errors are the most common form of EXE error you will encounter using Windows.

In most cases, taskhost.exe runtime errors occurring while the program is running will result in the program terminating abnormally. Most of these taskhost.exe error messages mean that Windows was either unable to locate this file on startup, or the file is corrupt, resulting in a prematurely-aborted startup process. Generally, Windows will be unable to start without resolving these errors.

Some of the most common taskhost.exe errors include:

taskhost.exe - Bad Image.
taskhost.exe Application Error.
taskhost.exe could not be found.
taskhost.exe could not be installed.
taskhost.exe could not be launched. Class not registered.
taskhost.exe could not be started.
taskhost.exe failed to initialize properly.
taskhost.exe has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience.
taskhost.exe is not a valid Win32 application.
taskhost.exe is not running.
Cannot find taskhost.exe.
Error starting program: taskhost.exe.
Faulting Application Path: taskhost.exe.
The file taskhost.exe is missing or corrupt.
Windows failed to start - taskhost.exe.

System Error

The program can’t start because taskhost.exe is missing from your computer. Try reinstalling the program to fix this problem.

Thus, it's critical to make sure your anti-virus is kept up-to-date and scanning regularly.

Finding the source of the taskhost.exe error is key to properly resolving these errors. Although most of these EXE errors affecting taskhost.exe will happen during startup, occasionally you will encounter a runtime error while using Microsoft® Windows® Operating System. This can occur due to poor programming on behalf of Microsoft Corporation, conflicts with other software or 3rd-party plug-ins, or caused by damaged and outdated hardware. Also, these types of taskhost.exe errors can occur if it has been accidentally moved, deleted, or corrupted by a malware infection. Thus, it's critical to make sure your anti-virus is kept up-to-date and scanning regularly.

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How to Fix taskhost.exe Errors in 3 Steps (Time to complete: ~5-15 minutes)

If you're encountering one of the error messages above, follow these troubleshooting steps to resolve your taskhost.exe issue. These troubleshooting steps are listed in the recommended order of execution.

Step 1: Restore your PC back to the latest restore point, "snapshot", or backup image before error occurred.

To begin System Restore (Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, and 10):

Hit the Windows Start button
When you see the search box, type "System Restore" and press "ENTER".
In the search results, find and click System Restore.
Please enter the administrator password (if applicable / prompted).
Follow the steps in the System Restore Wizard to choose a relevant restore point.
Restore your computer to that backup image.

If the Step 1 fails to resolve the taskhost.exe error, please proceed to the Step 2 below.

Step 2: Run SFC (System File Checker) to restore the corrupt or missing taskhost.exe file.

System File Checker is a utility included with every Windows version that allows you scan and restore corrupted system files. Use the SFC tool to fix missing or corrupt taskhost.exe files (Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, and 10):

Hit the Windows Start button
In the search box, type "cmd" but DO NOT PRESS "ENTER".
Press and hold "CTRL-Shift" on your keyboard while pressing "ENTER".
You'll be prompted with a permission dialog box.
In the box, click "YES".
You should have a black screen with a blinking cursor.
In that black screen, type "sfc /scannow" and hit "ENTER".
SFC will begin scanning for taskhost.exe issues and any other system file problems.
Follow any on-screen commands to complete the process.

Please be aware that this scan might take a while, so please be patient while it is working.

If this Step 2 fails as well, please proceed to the Step 3 below.

sfc /scannow

Step 3: Perform a Windows Update.

When the first two steps haven't solved your issue, it might be a good idea to run Windows Update. Many taskhost.exe error messages that are encountered can be contributed to an outdated Windows Operating System. To run Windows Update, please follow these easy steps:

Hit the Windows Start button
In the search box, type "Update" and press "ENTER".
In the Windows Update dialog box, click "Check for Updates" (or similar button depending on your Windows version)
If updates are available for download, click "Install Updates".
After the update is completed, restart your PC.

If Windows Update failed to resolve the taskhost.exe error message, please proceed to next step. Please note that this final step is recommended for advanced PC users only.

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If Those Steps Fail: Download and Replace Your taskhost.exe File (Caution: Advanced)

If none of the previous three troubleshooting steps have resolved your issue, you can try a more aggressive approach (Note: Not recommended for amateur PC users) by downloading and replacing your appropriate taskhost.exe file version. We maintain a comprehensive database of 100% malware-free taskhost.exe files for every applicable version of Windows. Please follow the steps below to download and properly replace you file:

Locate your Windows operating system version in the list of below "Download taskhost.exe Files".
Click the appropriate "Download Now" button and download your Windows file version.
Copy the file into the appropriate directory for your Windows version:

Windows 7: C:\Windows\System32\
Windows 8: C:\Windows\System32\
Windows 8.1: C:\Windows\System32\

Restart your computer.

If this final step has failed and you're still encountering the error, you're only remaining option is to do a clean installation of Windows 8.1.

GEEK TIP : We must emphasize that reinstalling Windows will be a very time-consuming and advanced task to resolve taskhost.exe problems. To avoid data loss, you must be sure that you have backed-up all of your important documents, pictures, software installers, and other personal data before beginning the process. If you are not currently backing up your data, you need to do so immediately.

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Download taskhost.exe Files (Malware-Tested 100% Clean)

CAUTION : We strongly advise against downloading and copying taskhost.exe to your appropriate Windows system directory. Microsoft typically does not release Windows EXE files for download because they are bundled together inside of a software installer. The installer's task is to ensure that all correct verifications have been made before installing and placing taskhost.exe and all other EXE files for Windows. An incorrectly installed EXE file may create system instability and could cause your program or operating system to stop functioning altogether. Proceed with caution.

Windows 8.1

File Name

Software Version

File Version

Architecture

taskhost.exe

6.3.9600.17415

6.3.9600.17415 (winblue_r4.141028-1500)

64-bit (x64)

Expand for Detailed File Information +

OS Version:	Windows 8.1
Software:	Microsoft® Windows® Operating System
Software Version:	6.3.9600.17415
File Version:	6.3.9600.17415 (winblue_r4.141028-1500)
File Size:	70728
File Date:	11/21/2014
MD5 Checksum:	21d814b59852861ca3fa4f39056ac24b
SHA1 Checksum:	caafd637bfb7a16a1b776617bfe52dc85d6fd1e9
SHA256 Checksum:	57246801e7d1b0d81802f791d85d93db13c589d92917ca8dee354ee2dbb5fe3e
CRC32:
File Directory Location:	C:\Windows\System32\

File Version, System, and Machine Information
File Type:	Win32 EXE
Image Version:	6.3
Initialized Data Size:	13312
Linker Version:	11.0
Machine Type:	Intel 386 or later, and compatibles
PE Type:	PE32
Subsystem:	Windows GUI
Subsystem Version:	6.3
File Modification Date/Time:	11/21/2014

Windows 8

File Name

Software Version

File Version

Architecture

taskhost.exe

6.2.9200.16384

6.2.9200.16384 (win8_rtm.120725-1247)

64-bit (x64)

Expand for Detailed File Information +

OS Version:	Windows 8
Software:	Microsoft® Windows® Operating System
Software Version:	6.2.9200.16384
File Version:	6.2.9200.16384 (win8_rtm.120725-1247)
File Size:	53760
File Date:	07/26/2012
MD5 Checksum:	e11a6d3703e745a89e5e059ae88ca863
SHA1 Checksum:	990a21235c3ac5c6e84cf25063e5a6ff489f6539
SHA256 Checksum:	0c718eaa1898934a1c3cf55583b8991dd578f55c184a4f1ee3fe1d1119bb70ea
CRC32:
File Directory Location:	C:\Windows\System32\

File Version, System, and Machine Information
File Type:	Win32 EXE
Image Version:	6.2
Initialized Data Size:	12288
Linker Version:	10.10
Machine Type:	Intel 386 or later, and compatibles
PE Type:	PE32
Subsystem:	Windows GUI
Subsystem Version:	6.2
File Modification Date/Time:	07/26/2012

Windows 7

File Name

Software Version

File Version

Architecture

taskhost.exe

6.1.7601.17514

6.1.7601.17514 (win7sp1_rtm.101119-1850)

64-bit (x64)

Expand for Detailed File Information +

OS Version:	Windows 7
Software:	Microsoft® Windows® Operating System
Software Version:	6.1.7601.17514
File Version:	6.1.7601.17514 (win7sp1_rtm.101119-1850)
File Size:	69120
File Date:	11/21/2010
MD5 Checksum:	517110bd83835338c037269e603db55d
SHA1 Checksum:	61478d71931fb3e304bc341236ab0db1d6c26e09
SHA256 Checksum:	499a803de14905f2ff7bca56d81cc983e16a8d9cea93ec4b84a06a366e7cb939
CRC32:
File Directory Location:	C:\Windows\System32\

File Version, System, and Machine Information
File Type:	Win64 EXE
Image Version:	6.1
Initialized Data Size:	30720
Linker Version:	9.0
Machine Type:	AMD AMD64
PE Type:	PE32+
Subsystem:	Windows GUI
Subsystem Version:	6.1
File Modification Date/Time:	11/21/2010

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Files Related to taskhost.exe

EXE Files Related to taskhost.exe

File Name	Description	Software Program (Version)	File Size (bytes)	File Location
WmiPrvSE.exe	WMI Provider Host	Microsoft® Windows® Operating System (6.2.9200.16384)	375808	C:\Windows\inf\
icacls.exe	Windows Executable	Microsoft® Windows® Operating System (10.0.15063.0)	29696	C:\WINDOWS\Tasks\
smbinst.exe	System Management BIOS Driver Installer	Microsoft® Windows® Operating System (5.1.2600.5512)	8192	C:\Windows\System32\winevt\Logs\
msdtc.exe	Microsoft Distributed Transaction Coordinator Service	Microsoft® Windows® Operating System (6.3.9600.17415)	136704	C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\...
alg.exe	Application Layer Gateway Service	Microsoft® Windows® Operating System (6.2.9200.16384)	71168	C:\$WINDOWS.~BT\Sources\Boot\EFI\zh-TW\

Other Files Related to taskhost.exe

File Name	Description	Software Program (Version)	File Size (bytes)	File Location
OneX_v1.xsd	XML Schema Definition	Windows 8.1	5957	C:\Windows\L2Schemas\
OneX_v1.xsd	XML Schema Definition	Windows 10	5957	C:\Windows\L2Schemas\
WLANAP_profile_v1.xsd	XML Schema Definition	Windows 7	7504	C:\Windows\L2Schemas\
WLANAP_profile_v1.xsd	XML Schema Definition	Windows 10	7548	C:\Windows\L2Schemas\
WLAN_profile_v1.xsd	XML Schema Definition	Windows 8	15591	C:\Windows\L2Schemas\

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