How to determine if windows restarted?

Question

I want my WPF application run just one time. I have no problem with this.
My problem is how can I determine if windows currently restarted?

Are you wanting this WPF application to automatically restart when windows restarts? I think a little more information is needed on exactly what you are trying to do. — Jonathan Nixon, Jun 28 '11 at 16:37

score 7 · Answer 1 · answered Jun 28 '11 at 16:48

You could write a file to disk, and then immediately mark it as 'delete on reboot' using MoveFileEx:

MSDN: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa365240(v=VS.85).aspx
Pinvoke.net: http://www.pinvoke.net/default.aspx/kernel32.movefileex)

So in psuedocode:

if(File.Exists(CheckFileName))
   return false; // already ran once
else {
   // write out the check file
   using(checkFile = File.Create(CheckFileName, ...)) {
      // and mark it as delete on boot
      MoveFileEx(checkFile.SafeHandle,
         null,
         MOVEFILE_DELAY_UNTIL_REBOOT);
      return true; // ok to run
   }
}

score 4 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 11:55

4

You could check and store the system uptime along with the last runtime and compare that with the current uptime.

Retrieve system uptime using C#

Some psudeocode:

   DateTime computerLastStarted = Now - Uptime;
   if (computerLastStarted > storedComputerLastStarted + or - tollerance) {
      storedComputerLastStarted = computerLastStarted;
      StartProgram();
    }

edited May 23 '17 at 11:55

Community

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answered Jun 28 '11 at 16:33

Daniel A. White

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How to determine if windows restarted?

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