In the standard “Task Manager”, for example, when an application crashes, users of Windows computer systems often encounter the presence of a running taskhost.exe process. Few people know the Task Host Window service. What is it? In this regard, even in the help system, nothing is particularly explained. We will figure out what it is.
Task Host Window: what is it?
If you translate this term literally from English, it means "task host window." But, in principle, the very use of this term refers more to operating systems and is more correctly referred to as a process or Taskhost Windows service (meaning a platform for executing some processes of the “OS” itself, through which they are able to connect at a certain point), and not otherwise . Please note that even when searching for a service description on the Internet, a query such as “Taskhost Window” is absolutely not applicable. This is the primary mistake in the name of the process itself.
In principle, the service itself can be described as a component of launching additional program libraries such as DLLs, which cannot be started by the standard method in the form of opening an executable EXE file. Now a little more about what Task Host Windows is.
Service Principles
This is actually a system process. Let's take a closer look at the concept of Task Host Window. What it is, it is easy to understand exactly with the example of using dynamic libraries (although the application does not use its own task window, based on the specified translation). The fact is that in Windows, not all programs run only from executable files. Some of them contain extractable program code that is available in dynamic libraries.
So, for example, many plugins connected to music sequencers or ordinary software players like WinAmp or AIMP have the exact format of the libraries that work when you request access to them. Yes, the simplest example: you can’t start the equalizer for the player without starting the main program, but in the program to which it is connected, the plug-in works one hundred percent.
On the other hand, if you look, the developers claim that the service is responsible for running applications and libraries of 32-bit systems that are different from executable components.
Note that in the system itself there are two more similar services. These are Rundll32 and Svchost. The first refers exclusively to the launch of dynamic libraries with 32-bit architecture, while the second is responsible for launching applications in general.
So it turns out that the service, expressed as a Taskhost Window, is the usual understudy of the two processes described above.
Shutdown
Now a couple of phrases at last about the Task Host Window service. What can it be from the point of view of disconnection in the system, what are the consequences? Yes, no. It can be safely stated that all those who are critical of the complete shutdown of this process, believing that this may disrupt the system’s performance, are absolutely wrong.
Believe me, there’s nothing wrong with that. As practice shows, disabling the described service in most cases only frees up system resources and helps increase the performance of any Windows OS.