{"id":11021,"date":"2022-06-21T22:21:33","date_gmt":"2022-06-22T05:21:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.coretechnologies.com\/blog\/?p=11021"},"modified":"2026-04-13T11:20:40","modified_gmt":"2026-04-13T18:20:40","slug":"fail-to-run-program","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.coretechnologies.com\/blog\/alwaysup\/fail-to-run-program\/","title":{"rendered":"Q&A: Why does AlwaysUp Fail to Run my Program?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"TITLE\"<\/div>\n
\n  I set up our application with AlwaysUp but it doesn’t work. When I try to start it, it runs for a few seconds then fails with this error:<\/p>\n

AlwaysUpService was unable to start the application properly, failing at least 5 times in 1 minute. AlwaysUpService will now stop.<\/b><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

How do I fix this?<\/p>\n

— Mark<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Hi Mark.<\/p>\n

AlwaysUp can fail to run your application for a variety of reasons. Here are the most common.<\/p>\n

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\"\"<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Reason #1: Your application cannot run in the account specified on the Logon tab<\/h2>\n

By default, Windows Services run in the LocalSystem account<\/a> — a special, predefined account created and managed by Windows itself.<\/p>\n

LocalSystem is a fine choice for the builtin Windows Services. That’s because it exists on every computer, doesn’t require a password, and is powerful enough to perform a wide range of administrative tasks.<\/p>\n

Consequently, when you setup your application with AlwaysUp, the default is to run in the LocalSystem account. You can see that position on the Logon tab, where the box to override using LocalSystem is not checked:<\/p>\n

\"AlwaysUp<\/a><\/div>\n

But for many applications, running in the LocalSystem account will not work. This is particularly true for regular, desktop applications that are designed to operate in the account where they were installed.<\/p>\n

For example, let’s review a scenario with Dropbox<\/a>, the popular cloud storage program.<\/p>\n

You’ve installed Dropbox on your PC. You’ve also configured it to synchronize your important folders with the cloud. Everything works well and Dropbox copies your files as expected. Happy day!<\/p>\n

Later that week, a co-worker logs on to your PC. They open File Explorer, browse to the Dropbox folder and double-click Dropbox.exe (the executable that runs Dropbox). Dropbox starts, but it comes up “blank”. The files and folders you have configured are nowhere to be seen!<\/p>\n

No, Dropbox isn’t broken. On the contrary, it’s working exactly as designed.<\/p>\n

You see, when you installed and set up Dropbox, the program saved your configuration in a section of the Windows Registry<\/a> that only your account can access. And when your co-worker logged on and started Dropbox, they did not see any of your settings because they don’t have access to your private area in the registry where Dropbox stored your settings<\/b>.<\/p>\n

Well, the same is true of the LocalSystem account. It cannot access your Dropbox private settings either. So if you start Dropbox in the LocalSystem account, Dropbox will come up “blank” as well.<\/p>\n

In essence, the account where you run your application as a Windows Service can have an enormous impact.<\/p>\n

Solution<\/h3>\n

The remedy is simple. Run your application in a Windows account where you know it works.<\/p>\n

In fact, if your application runs fine on your desktop right now, you should use your current account.<\/p>\n

To specify your account in AlwaysUp:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. \n

    Start AlwaysUp<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  2. \n

    Double-click your application to open the Edit\/View Application<\/b> window<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  3. \n

    Switch to the Logon<\/b> tab<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  4. \n

    Check the Instead of running the application…<\/b> box at the top<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  5. \n

    Enter your user name and password:<\/p>\n

  6. \n

    Save your settings<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    \nHopefully your application will behave better now that you’re running it in the correct account.\n<\/p>\n

    However, if you’re still having problems, try starting your application in the current session which will make it visible on your desktop. Select Start in this session<\/b> from the Application<\/b> menu to try:<\/p>\n

    \"Restart<\/a><\/div>\n

    And now that you can see your application, watch out for warnings and errors that are holding up the action.<\/p>\n

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    \n
    \"\"<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    Reason #2: Your application has a problem unrelated to AlwaysUp<\/h2>\n

    An application that fails to start with AlwaysUp often fails to start without AlwaysUp as well!<\/p>\n

    For example, that your application can fail to start because:<\/p>\n