Windows 10: How can I prevent launching multiple instances of apps and programs?

Is there a way in Windows 10 to prevent apps and programs from opening more than one instance? I am aware of a very few that have an internal setting to prevent this (eg Irfanview), but most do not.
I am finding that I am being asked for help because older friends' computers have slowed, to find that they have 2 or 3 browser windows open (as well as tabs in them), and sometimes a couple of instances of other apps.

This is particularly a problem on older slower PCs - which they are likely to have.
The issue seems to be that if an app does not immediately start up or show an egg timer, the expectation is that the click to open did not register, so a second or third click is made. Then when I log in using TeamViewer, I find all of those instances open, and the computer almost at standstill. In some cases it is the user pressing the windows key and typing the app name - which instead of opening the existing instance, creates a new one.

I've searched, and there are no threads I can find that cover this issue. Some cover problems with corrupted apps when many multiple instances are launched, or by a system error. There is one website that is shown in search results with a summary recommending an app called 'single instance', but I cannot find any reviews of that site, nor of the app, nor other mentions. I am not inclined to risk either visiting that site or that of the app, let alone installing it.

Does anyone please have any solutions to restrict apps to a single instance?

Windows 10 v1909. Build 18363.959.
Most of the people I help out have v 1909, one still has 1903 because their hardware is inadequate.

:)

 

How can I prevent launching multiple instances of apps and programs?

Is there a way in Windows 10 to prevent apps and programs from opening more than one instance? I am aware of a very few that have an internal setting to prevent this (eg Irfanview), but most do not.
I am finding that I am being asked for help because older friends' computers have slowed, to find that they have 2 or 3 browser windows open (as well as tabs in them), and sometimes a couple of instances of other apps.

This is particularly a problem on older slower PCs - which they are likely to have.
The issue seems to be that if an app does not immediately start up or show an egg timer, the expectation is that the click to open did not register, so a second or third click is made. Then when I log in using TeamViewer, I find all of those instances open, and the computer almost at standstill. In some cases it is the user pressing the windows key and typing the app name - which instead of opening the existing instance, creates a new one.

I've searched, and there are no threads I can find that cover this issue. Some cover problems with corrupted apps when many multiple instances are launched, or by a system error. There is one website that is shown in search results with a summary recommending an app called 'single instance', but I cannot find any reviews of that site, nor of the app, nor other mentions. I am not inclined to risk either visiting that site or that of the app, let alone installing it.

Does anyone please have any solutions to restrict apps to a single instance?

Windows 10 v1909. Build 18363.959.
Most of the people I help out have v 1909, one still has 1903 because their hardware is inadequate.

 

How to prevent multiple instances of an application

Hi all

I have a problem with one of my applications.. I use some CAM software to generate large text files (G code for machine tools). The CAM program then launches another text editor application that opens the text file created and allows me to hand edit it
and then send it via RS-232 cable to the machine tool.

The problem is that the Text editor program is old, like Windows XP era old.. It's propriety software made by the the machine tool company and it is the only thing i can use with this machine tool. I've set it to Windows XP compatible mode and it works
OK, in the Windows 10 environment.. The problem is that because it's launched by another program, if i forget to close it down before re-posting any changes in the CAM software, it causes another instance of the editor to be launched. In this situation
i would expect the text editor to simply load the new text file, but instead it launches a whole new instance of the editor.

Is there a way to prevent multiple instances of the same program? Perhaps some kind of command line switch etc?

I have tried using a batch file that performs a "taskkill" operation to end the program if it's already running before launching it again, thereby preventing the multiple instances, but this seems to interfere with the COM port operation and causes it to
lock up and stop working. Incidentally the same thing happens when multiple instances of the editor program are open. The only way to get the COM port to work again is a system reboot..

It's getting really frustrating having to do re-boots just because i forget to close a program down..

Anyone have any ideas how i can get around this problem?

Cheers

Lee

 

How to prevent multiple instances of an application

the only time that works is when the program itself is written to prohibit multiple instances

if the programmer didn't do that with this program

then there really isn't any method to preventing multiple instances