Is there another GL app runnng?

I am having a problem determining if there is
there is another GL app running on my PC that uses the hardware accelerated ICD. When I run two apps which both use an accelerated ICD the second one activated will stop responding if it uses the same
driver for choosepixelformat as the first. I assume this is because only one app can use the graphics accelerator at once.

I would like to be able to determine before initializing my GL app if some other program is using the graphics accelerator, that way I can run in software mode.

In directX you simply query thru com for the
device, if someone else is using it, it is not an available choice and you use software.
How do I do this in GL??

The behaviour you are seeing is not mandated. Some accelerators can handle graphics context switching very well, it sounds like a policy which has been determined by the drivers written for your card.

I don’t know of an easy way for testing for other ogl apps.

You have no legal ways to determine whether your app uses GL alone or not.

Are you sure you are switching GL context correctly or have set OWNDC style for window?