sihost.exe Unknown Hard Error On Windows 10 [Solved]

Windows users often face a notification “sihost.exe – System Warning Unknown Hard Error” after upgrading to Windows 10. This message indicates that an error may have occurred while you were trying to play a game or run a program.  

Sometimes, this error comes in various forms such as “Explorer.exe unknown hard error” and “Ctfmon.exe unknown hard error”. These messages indicate that there are some broken or corrupted system files within the system that is preventing the system to run properly. 

sihost.exe Unknown Hard Error

Basically, sihost.exe represents the Shell Infrastructure Host that works as a core component of Windows OS. It is the main component that handles the graphical elements (such as Taskbar, Strat menu, etc) of the system.

So, if the sihost.exe or Shell Infrastructure Host is removed, corrupted, or stopped, then users may face several problems. It can hamper the overall function of the system and results in this error. 

If you are also getting the same issue, then you can go through this guide carefully to get rid of this error. 

What Causes the sihost.exe Unknown Hard Error?

There are several reasons behind this error. Misconfigured or faulty Windows registry files or keys may lead to this error. 

If the system is infected by viruses or malware or some malicious software, then it also might be the reason behind this issue. If the sihost.exe file gets deleted accidentally then it may trigger this error to occur. 

Due to the corrupted or incomplete download of the Windows 10 Operating System, you can also encounter the sihost.exe unknown hard error.   

4 Easy Hacks to Fix sihost.exe Unknown Hard Error

In this section, we have listed the solutions which can help you to eradicate this error within a flicker of time. You can perform the hacks explained below: 

Way 1: Perform a Clean Boot

Before applying any complicated solutions, you can perform a clean boot of the computer. To perform this, you just need to log in to the computer with admin privileges. 

How to Perform a Clean Boot on Windows 10? 

  1. First and foremost, launch the Run dialog box by pressing the Windows key and R simultaneously from the key. 
  2. Next, type “mscconfig” in the Run Command box. Tap on the OK button to proceed. 
  3. It will navigate you to the System Configuration window. Afterward, go to the Services tab. 
  4. Tick the box that prompts ‘Hide all Microsoft services’. Then, tap on the ‘Disable all’ button. 
  5. Navigate to the Startup tab and choose the ‘Open Task Manager’ option from the list. 
  6. Now, select all the Startup items and click on the Disable button. 
  7. Afterward, you can exit from the Task Manager window and tap on the OK button from the System Configuration window. 
  8. At last, restart the system to apply the change. 

If this method solved the sihost.exe unknown hard error, then you can enable the services one by one that you have disabled previously. Find out the faulty service and delete it. 

If you are unable to proceed then you can move on to the further ways provided below. 

Way 2: Run the SFC or System File Checker

You can also solve the sihost.exe unknown hard error by running the System File Checker on your computer. It is an in-built utility of Windows OS that has the ability to scan the entire system for any corrupted system file. 

To do this, hit the X and Win key both at the same time from the keyboard. Then, select the ‘Command Prompt (Admin)’ option from the list to open the Command Prompt with admin privilege. 

Type “sfc /scannow” in the command line and hit the Enter key to execute the command. Now, you have to wait for at least 10-15 minutes until the SFC checker scans the entire system. 

If it detects any damaged or corrupted system files, then it will repair that automatically. Once the process completes, close the Command Prompt window and restart the system to apply the changes. 

Now, you can check if the error is resolved. Otherwise, you can perform hacks described further. 

Way 3: Roll Back the Update 

Since most of the users faced the sihost.exe unknown hard error after installing the latest update, so you can try to uninstall the latest update. 

How to Uninstall the Latest Update? 

  • First of all, go to Settings by pressing the I and Win key simultaneously from the keyboard. 
  • Navigate to the ‘Update & Security’ category and click on the ‘Update History’ option. 
  • Choose the ‘Uninstall Updates’ option from the next page.  
  • Now, it will open the list of all the updates in the Control Panel. Choose the Update that you wish to remove and click on the Uninstall option from the drop-down menu. 

In case, the above steps do not work, you can try to enable the System Restore Point. You need to select a point that was created before the error. 

  1. In the beginning, go to the Start menu and type “create a restore point” in the search bar.
  2. Now, go to the ‘System Protection’ section and tap on the ‘System Restore’ option. 
  3. Tap on the Next button and choose the restore point. 
  4. Afterward, tap on the Next button and then click on the Finish button to complete this procedure. 

Lastly, restart the system and check if the issue is fixed. Else, you can run the CHKDSK command to eradicate this error from the system. 

Way 4: Run the CHKDSK Command 

The unknown hard error may also appear due to the corrupted or damaged hard drive of the system. You can solve this easily by running the CHKDSK command. 

How to Run the CHKDSK Command? 

First, open the Command Prompt with admin privilege by following the steps we have mentioned above. Afterward, type the command “chkdsk /f /r” in the command line and hit the Enter key to run this command. 

Wait for a few seconds until the scanning process completes. At the end of this procedure, you will note that the problem is fixed. 

Summing Up…

Here, we have provided 4 simple ways through which you can easily eradicate the sihost.exe unknown hard error from the computer. All the methods are quite easy to apply and highly effective. 

But still, if you face any kind of trouble while executing the above procedures, then you can share that through the comment box.