Second startup of a service which is allready running

Roderik van Zevenbergen 21

Hi all,

At my company we are encountering a strange issue:

A manually started Service is automatically started for the second time, however this causes the application to crash.

Has anyone any idea were to look for this issue? Why the service is started for the second time? What triggers this action?

Regards,

Roderik van Zevenbergen

Accepted answer

MotoX80 32,076 Reputation points

2020-09-24T12:42:49.567+00:00

My experience is that services sometimes launch sub processes and at times the main program may terminate, but the other programs continue to execute which prevent the service from restarting.

Download and run Process Explorer. process-explorer

Process names will be indented by process parent. Here SearchInder.exe has launched 2 sub programs.

You need to find any orphan processes associated with your service and terminate them. If the parent has terminated, then the orphan's name may be in the left most column of the display.

Look at a test server that is running the same software and see what the process tree looks like.
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3 additional answers

Dave Patrick 426.1K Reputation points MVP

2020-09-22T13:20:41.16+00:00

You may be able use a tool like ProcMon to determine what starts it.
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/procmon

May also want to bring the issue to the application developer.

--please don't forget to Accept as answer if the reply is helpful--
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Roderik van Zevenbergen 21 Reputation points

2020-09-24T12:07:54.647+00:00

Thank you for your quick response, the application does the check for an already running instance, but still there is a new process created causing our core application to shutdown.

We tried to start it manually, but this is prevented by the application.

Dave Patrick 426.1K Reputation points MVP

2020-09-24T12:16:35.677+00:00

What application? May need to contact the developer for assistance with debugging the issue.

--please don't forget to Accept as answer if the reply is helpful--

Roderik van Zevenbergen 21 Reputation points

2020-09-24T12:18:30.393+00:00

The supplier send us to consult with Microsoft, there is no mechanism in the application that causes this.

Dave Patrick 426.1K Reputation points MVP

2020-09-24T12:28:41.077+00:00

What service is causing the problem?

Roderik van Zevenbergen 21 Reputation points

2020-09-24T12:42:04.103+00:00

Navis XPS

C:\Program Files\Navis\xps\NavisXPS.exe -d D:\Navis\xps is how we start this service and with that the application.

Dave Patrick 426.1K Reputation points MVP

2020-09-24T12:47:04.197+00:00

From a windows perspective you can check the event logs for errors. This assumes the developer has chosen to write any diagnostic info.

the application does the check for an already running instance, but still there is a new process created causing our core application to shutdown

This seems to be an unexpected condition caused by the application itself. I think the developer needs to answer this one.

--please don't forget to Accept as answer if the reply is helpful--
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TimCerling(ret) 1,156 Reputation points

2020-09-22T14:41:36.44+00:00

I agree with Dave that you need to check with the application developer. Generally if an application only works properly with a single instantiation, the application should check to see if there is another copy already running before it instantiates itself.
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Roderik van Zevenbergen 21 Reputation points

2020-09-24T12:06:48.66+00:00

Thank you for your quick response, the application does the check for an already running instance, but still there is a new process created causing our core application to shutdown.

We tried to start it manually, but this is prevented by the application.

TimCerling(ret) 1,156 Reputation points

2020-09-24T12:30:34.28+00:00

What is the service that is getting a second instantiation? In my previous response, I was using the term 'application' to refer to the service, which should be checking for a previous instantiation because from your description, it sounds like the second instantiation of the service is what is causing the error.

Roderik van Zevenbergen 21 Reputation points

2020-09-24T12:40:16.94+00:00

The application is started by a special command and using the applications executable.

C:\Program Files\Navis\xps\NavisXPS.exe -d D:\Navis\XPS\

MotoX80 32,076 Reputation points

2020-09-24T23:29:42.227+00:00

If this application is a true Windows service, then it should be started by a "NET START command. What is the name of the service? Do you see it in services.msc?
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Molly Lu 761 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2020-09-23T09:34:15.457+00:00

Hi,

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A.

Try disable the service to check if your system has any other error, if the system runs normally without this service, check if this service is an official one or a third party service.

Beat regards,
Molly

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Molly Lu 761 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2020-09-28T03:17:41.087+00:00

Hi,
Just want to confirm the current situations.
Please feel free to let us know if you need further assistance.
Best regards,
Molly

Roderik van Zevenbergen 21 Reputation points

2020-09-28T08:04:48.39+00:00

This being a production server, which cannot be down due to the containerterminal to shutdown, we are doing most off the suggested steps. So still in progress but no luck so far. We had two crashes/second startup last week again.

MotoX80 32,076 Reputation points

2020-09-28T16:46:21.757+00:00

If it's still crashing, are error reports being generated?

Control Panel\System and Security\Security and Maintenance\Problem Reports

Or C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER

Molly Lu 761 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2020-09-29T01:50:36.96+00:00

Sure, any update, feel free to let me know.
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