Got an email from Mrdomino telling me that he is looking for a software that will allow him to re-run the application if other user closed it. An example is P2P program that his children close. I find his request interesting because I’ve never thought about this kind of program. I understand how he felt when he left his p2p program running and hoping the download would complete as soon as he returns but to find the program is closed and the download is not finished. Disappointing… Sometimes if the program is unstable, it can even crash on its own.

There are some important programs such as webserver, database, mailserver and p2p that we’d want to keep it running at all times but not all has the feature of monitoring itself and re-run whenever it is closed. This is when a third part tool comes to help. Here are a few free tools that can keep an application running by automatically running it when it is closed.

1. Control Running Program (CRP)

CRP (Control Running Programs) is a solution that will control all running programs within your windows session. In the section ‘Instance Controlling’, you can specify how many instances of a particular program will run at the same time, preventing memory overflow and instant program spawning from other programs. In the section ’Instance Launching’, specific programs will be launched once they have been closed, either by accident, from the user or the task manager. Drag & Drop support from explorer is also supported and multiple entries allow unlimited amount of programs to be used.

Note on CRP: CRP works fine by automatically launching programs when closed or closing it when ran. Problem with this program is it takes up an average of 70% CPU usage while it is checking in background. Another possible problem is if CRP is closed, the application that you want to keep it running will not be monitored anymore. Finally, it doesn’t have the ability to include command line switches.

[ Download Control Running Program (CRP) ]

2. Application Monitor

Application Monitor is a program that constantly checks the processes previously chosen by the user, and when it detects that one of those processes has stopped working it will start it again. With Application Monitor you will always be sure that your important processes are running. AppMonitor has been developed keeping in mind all those admin and power users who use programs that must always been running (such as webserver, database, mailserver, p2p) and that don’t have a built-in restart function.

Note on Application Monitor: Takes up very little memory and zero CPU usage while “MINIMIZED” and checks on interval. Support command line arguments and also able to email when error is detected. Problem with Application Monitor is it can be easily closed and the monitored application will no longer be monitored.

[ Download Application Monitor ]

3. Keep Running

Keep Running allows you to launch a program and ensure it stays running. This could be to restart a crashed application or prevent something from being closed accidentally. Useful in a kiosk, library, school, website demo, or web-based application such as a self-registration/signup type of environment. Alternatively, use Keep Running as a custom shell so an application such as Internet Explorer is the only available program and to automatically re-launch it or restart the machine if closed.

Note on Keep Running: Keep Running is a very small program (only 36KB), it doesn’t have a graphical user interface and the configuration is done from an INI file. In my opinion, this program is the best to use to keep an application running because there is no way to close Keep Running program unless you kill the process from Task Manager.

[ Download Keep Running ]

4. ServiceEx

ServiceEx is a freeware Windows application that allows a normal program to run as a Windows service. Currently it is command line only. A version with a GUI is forthcoming. In the meantime, configuration options are specified via an .ini file that must be created prior to running ServiceEx. ServiceEx monitors the program and relaunches it whenever it shuts down for any reason.

Note on ServiceEx: This is very similar to Keep Running but it installs the monitoring program in Windows services.

[ Download ServiceEx ]

Keep Running and ServiceEx would be a better choice to use to monitor running applications and rerun when closed because it can’t be easily terminated. However, it requires a bit of computer skills in modifying the INI file.

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