The original dasHost.exe file is a software component of Microsoft Windows by Microsoft. Microsoft Windows is an operating system. DasHost.exe executes the Device Association Framework Provider Host which connects and pairs both wired and wireless devices with Windows OS. Actually, this is an essential Windows file and should not be deleted unless known to cause issues.
What Is Dashost.Exe Device Association Framework Provider Host?
Device Association Framework Provider Host is a Microsoft process which is responsible to pair wired and wireless devices in Windows. The process is part of the official suite of Windows components which execute under the Local Service account. It is a relatively new framework which was introduced with Windows 8, but it is also available on the newer Windows 10.
Cases Of High CPU Usage
Some people reported that the Device Association Framework Provider Host eats up almost all system resources. Usually, the Device Association Framework Provider Host process is extremely light (under 10 MB of RAM usage) and must not exceed 1-2% of CPU usage.
If the service is consuming more system services than it should, it’s usually one of the below three scenarios:
- The issue is associated with the connected device, rather than with the process.
- The dashHost.exe process has glitches and requires to be restarted.
- Malware has displaced the legitimate Device Association Framework Provider Host process with a malicious executable.
How To Fix The Issue Of Dashost.Exe?
We have some methods to fix the issue of Dashost.exe. To find out those methods, you are able to read the text below. Please follow each method until your resource usage returns to normal.
Method 1: Performs Windows Update
As far now, drivers are the biggest culprits for the performance spikes of DasHost.exe. Let us start by making sure that you have the latest drivers. Before doing anything else, you have to ensure every external device which you use is connected. To start performs WU (Windows Update), do these steps below:
- At the first step, you have to press Windows key + R to open a Run command.
- After that, you are able to type control updates.
- Then, hit Enter to open Windows Update. This shortcut will be able to work with every Windows version.
- When you see the Windows Update screen, you are able to click the Check for updates button and see if you have any pending update.
- If you have any pending updates, please wait for them to be installed and applied to your system.
- If prompted to reboot, do that and return to the Windows Update screen to ensure that your system is up to date.
Method 2: Dealing With Drivers Which Are Not Managed By WU (Windows Update)
After you have let Windows update do its thing, now let us do another inquiry on the drivers which are not managed by Windows Update. Drivers which are not managed by WU (Windows Update) are frequently the ones causing the performance spikes of the Device Association Framework Provider process. If a device is not supported by your Windows version, it is best to disable it rather than leaving it to run with compatibility issues. We get information that very few devices achieve the same functionality if the drivers are not written with that particular OS in mind. Even if they do, they frequently cause system issues which are extremely hard to pinpoint.
The easiest method to identify problematic drivers is via Device Manager. To open Device Manager, do these steps:
- Firstly, you are able to hold Windows key + R.
- After that, type devmgmt.msc.
- Then, simply hit Enter.
When you are in Device Manager, you are able to start hunting for outdated drivers. You will be able to identify them via the yellow warning sign. It means that the device is conflicting with other hardware that is not supported, or Windows was unable to discover the right driver for it. If you want to search online for drivers, please do not restrict the search to your Windows version.
You are able to try installing drivers for a slightly older Windows version if you do not find one tailored specifically for your Windows. If you have Windows 10, now you are able to try installing a driver for Windows 8.1 since drivers for the two OS versions are frequently incompatible. If the warning icon goes away after installing a driver, usually it is a sign that the device is functioning properly now.
If you do not manage to find a driver for the device, the only choice is to disable the device. You will be able to do this easily by right-clicking on the device and choosing Disable Device. If you know which device you have just disabled, also physically delete the affected devices if they have a wired connection to your PC. After all unsupported devices have been dealt with, you need to reboot your PC and then return to Task Manager to check if the usage of the Device Association Framework Provider Host process has gone down.
Method 3: Running A Malware Scan On Dashost.Exe
The DasHost.exe executable is an official Windows component. But, you may hear talk about viruses capable of camouflaging themselves as legitimate system 32 processes. Theoretically, a malware is able to replace the Device Association Framework Provider Host with a malicious executable which will do it’s bidding. In reality, Windows has gotten a lot better at avoiding viruses from gaining access or posing as system files. Even, this is less likely if your system is up to date. We have already done a concise online investigation to know if there are any cases of malware camouflaging as the DasHost executable, but there is little evidence to support that.
If you want to be absolutely sure, an way to determine if the Device Association Framework Provider Host process is legit is by checking it’s underlying file location. Simply, you are able to do these steps:
- At the first step, open the Task Manager.
- Then, right clicking on Device Association Framework Provider Host.
- Select Open File Location.
If the executable is located in Windows, you can rest assured as you are not dealing with a camouflaged malware. If you are still doubtful, you are also able to trigger a virus scan on the process by right-clicking on DasHost.exe and selecting Scan with Windows Defender.
AUTHOR BIO
On my daily job, I am a software engineer, programmer & computer technician. My passion is assembling PC hardware, studying Operating System and all things related to computers technology. I also love to make short films for YouTube as a producer. More at about me…
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