""Robert F. Tulloch"" <tultalk@...> wrote in message
news:3C600122.575213FD@......

>
> Sort of understand now. So if I am not using guardian and server is
> running and I try to install IB again, is there a mutex to detect the
> server only?

No. The mutexes (if they get a name) have the name of the file they are
protecting. In the best case, you could try to detect the mutex on isc4.gdb,
but the mutexes take the full path, so it's going to be a nightmarish task
(for example, the expanded filename could be a short file name only).
Better use WMI or query the NT Services API directly to see if the due
service is installed/running or look in the list of active processes if
there's an ibserver. The second technique hopefully works across any Windows
version.

C.
--
Claudio Valderrama C. - http://www.cvalde.com - http://www.firebirdSql.org
Independent developer
Owner of the Interbase® WebRing