diff --git a/Class/LiteTaskService.vb b/Class/LiteTaskService.vb
index b3552a0..091b8e9 100644
--- a/Class/LiteTaskService.vb
+++ b/Class/LiteTaskService.vb
@@ -569,34 +569,5 @@ Namespace LiteTask
             End Using
         End Sub
 
-        Private Sub RunAsService()
-            Try
-                If Not EventLog.SourceExists("LiteTaskService") Then
-                    EventLog.CreateEventSource("LiteTaskService", "Application")
-                End If
-
-                InitializeContainer()
-
-                Using service = ApplicationContainer.GetService(Of LiteTaskService)()
-                    EventLog.WriteEntry("LiteTaskService", "Starting service...", EventLogEntryType.Information)
-
-                    service.EnsureRequiredPermissions()
-
-                    Dim servicesToRun() As ServiceBase = {service}
-                    ServiceBase.Run(servicesToRun)
-                End Using
-
-            Catch ex As Exception
-                LogServiceError("Error starting service", ex)
-                EventLog.WriteEntry("LiteTaskService", $"Error starting service: {ex.Message}", EventLogEntryType.Error)
-                Throw
-            Finally
-                Try
-                    ApplicationContainer.Dispose()
-                Catch disposeEx As Exception
-                    LogServiceError("Error disposing container", disposeEx)
-                End Try
-            End Try
-        End Sub
     End Class
 End Namespace
diff --git a/Class/UpdateManager.vb b/Class/UpdateManager.vb
index 72baea4..080d800 100644
--- a/Class/UpdateManager.vb
+++ b/Class/UpdateManager.vb
@@ -329,12 +329,17 @@ try {{
 try {{
     $service = Get-Service -Name 'LiteTaskService' -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
     if ($service) {{
-        Start-Service -Name 'LiteTaskService' -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
-        # Wait briefly for service to start
+        try {{
+            Start-Service -Name 'LiteTaskService' -ErrorAction Stop
+        }} catch {{
+            # Direct start failed (e.g. insufficient privileges), try elevated
+            Start-Process powershell -ArgumentList '-NoProfile -Command ""Start-Service LiteTaskService""' -Verb RunAs -WindowStyle Hidden -Wait -ErrorAction Stop
+        }}
+        $service.Refresh()
         $service.WaitForStatus('Running', (New-TimeSpan -Seconds 30)) | Out-Null
     }}
 }} catch {{
-    # Service not installed or failed to start, ignore
+    # Service not installed, user declined UAC, or failed to start
 }}
 
 # Restart the application
diff --git a/Program.vb b/Program.vb
index f2ffcc7..9f30bdc 100644
--- a/Program.vb
+++ b/Program.vb
@@ -30,14 +30,30 @@ Namespace LiteTask
                     Application.SetCompatibleTextRenderingDefault(False)
                 End If
 
+                ' For GUI modes (no args or -elevated), check single instance
+                ' BEFORE initializing the container so a duplicate exits immediately
+                ' without spinning up DI services, timers, etc.
+                Dim isGuiMode = args.Length = 0 OrElse
+                                (args.Length > 0 AndAlso args(0).Equals("-elevated", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase))
+
+                If isGuiMode Then
+                    Dim createdNew As Boolean
+                    _mutex = New Mutex(True, MutexName, createdNew)
+                    If Not createdNew Then
+                        MessageBox.Show("Another instance of LiteTask is already running.", "LiteTask",
+                              MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Information)
+                        Return
+                    End If
+                End If
+
                 ' Initialize container
                 InitializeContainer()
-                
+
                 ' Clean up any orphaned temp files from previous runs
                 Try
                     Dim logger = ApplicationContainer.GetService(Of Logger)()
                     logger.CleanupAllTempFiles()
-                    
+
                     ' Also cleanup config files and backups
                     Dim xmlManager = ApplicationContainer.GetService(Of XMLManager)()
                     xmlManager.CleanupConfigFiles()
@@ -53,15 +69,6 @@ Namespace LiteTask
                 If args.Length > 0 Then
                     HandleCommandLineArguments(args)
                 Else
-                    ' Check for single instance only in UI mode
-                    Dim createdNew As Boolean
-                    _mutex = New Mutex(True, MutexName, createdNew)
-                    If Not createdNew Then
-                        MessageBox.Show("Another instance of LiteTask is already running.", "LiteTask",
-                              MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Information)
-                        Return
-                    End If
-
                     ' Create and show the main application context
                     Application.Run(New ApplicationContext())
                 End If
@@ -190,11 +197,9 @@ Namespace LiteTask
 
         Private Sub HandleElevatedMode()
             Try
-                ' Perform elevated operations here
-                _logger?.LogInfo("Application running in elevated mode")
-
-                ' Initialize with elevated privileges
-                InitializeContainer()
+                ' Container already initialized in Main(); mutex already acquired
+                Dim logger = TryGetService(Of Logger)()
+                logger?.LogInfo("Application running in elevated mode")
 
                 ' Run the application
                 Application.Run(New ApplicationContext())
@@ -389,21 +394,8 @@ Namespace LiteTask
                 InitializeEventLogSource()
                 EventLog.WriteEntry(ServiceName, "Starting service...", EventLogEntryType.Information)
 
-                ' Initialize app with secure defaults
-                InitializeContainer()
-                
-                ' Clean up any orphaned temp files from previous runs
-                Try
-                    Dim logger = ApplicationContainer.GetService(Of Logger)()
-                    logger.CleanupAllTempFiles()
-                    
-                    ' Also cleanup config files and backups
-                    Dim xmlManager = ApplicationContainer.GetService(Of XMLManager)()
-                    xmlManager.CleanupConfigFiles()
-                Catch ex As Exception
-                    EventLog.WriteEntry(ServiceName, $"Warning: Failed to cleanup temp files: {ex.Message}", EventLogEntryType.Warning)
-                End Try
-                
+                ' Container and temp-file cleanup already performed in Main()
+
                 Dim service = ApplicationContainer.GetService(Of LiteTaskService)()
 
                 Dim servicesToRun() As ServiceBase = {service}