Windows 10: Does 'svchost.exe' being in the 'SysWOW64' folder, constitute a Virus?

I have read at multiple places that the file 'svchost.exe' should only be in the 'System32' folder. I searched my PC and this file is also present in the 'SysWOW64' folder. Does this mean that there is a virus/malware?
Note:- I have also read at wikipedia that this file has one of its image located in SysWOW64 folder. So, I am a little confused.

:)

 

Does 'svchost.exe' being in the 'SysWOW64' folder, constitute a Virus/Malware?

I have read at multiple places that the file 'svchost.exe' should only be in the 'System32' folder. I searched my PC and this file is also present in the 'SysWOW64' folder. Does this mean that there is a virus/malware?

Note:- I have also read at wikipedia that this file has one of its image located in SysWOW64 folder. So, I am a little confused.

 

Does 'svchost.exe' being in the 'SysWOW64' folder, constitute a Virus/Malware?

Download Process Explorer (freeware from Microsoft) and further information:

Process Explorer - Windows Sysinternals



Open Process Explorer and click View on the menu bar. From the drop down menu click Select Columns and then the Process Image tab. Check the boxes before Description, Image Path, Image Type, and Command Line. I suggest you also click on two other
options on the View dropdown menu, namely Show Processes from All Users and
Show Fractional CPU.



Place the cursor on the svchost process showing the high CPU activity, right click and select
Properties. Click the Services tab and you will see a list of services that use the process. The image below shows the services for command line C:\Windows\system32\svchost.exe -k LocalService. The
command line is displayed as a column in the main Process Explorer window if it has been selected as a View option but if you click the Image tab for the selected process it is also detailed there.



You can Stop and Restart any service from that window by placing the cursor on the service and clicking the appropriate button. You can see what impact it has on CPU usage. Before stopping any service read the
summary describing the service so that you have a better understanding of the implications of stopping the service.

 

In a 32 bit OS there should only be one copy of svchost.exe and that in windows\system32. But in a 64 bit OS there will also be one in windows\syswow64. They are not the same file. This is a critical system file.