BullsEdges algo trading guide: MetaTrader terminals freeze, disconnect and get restarted by Windows updates. Here is how to keep EAs running around the clock and know quickly when they don't.
A VPS gives MetaTrader a place to run. It does not guarantee that it keeps running. Terminals crash, lose their connection, get closed by updates, or keep running with the EA quietly disabled. Reliable automation needs a plan for each.
BullsEdges algo trading application: Test the restart process and alert system so that a terminal failure is detected even when nobody is watching the chart.
What goes wrong
- Terminal closed by a Windows update restart, a crash or a manual mistake.
- Disconnected from the broker - the terminal is open but "No connection" in the corner.
- Algo Trading switched off - by a user, a dialog, or a platform update.
- EA removed from the chart after an error or a changed symbol.
- Terminal updated itself and restarted without the expected settings.
- Out of memory on the server, making terminals unresponsive.
Automatic restart
- Start terminals at logon with a scheduled task, so a reboot brings everything back.
- Use portable installs (one folder per account, started with the /portable switch) so each terminal has its own settings and logs.
- A watchdog - a small script or service - checks every minute that each terminal process is alive and restarts it if not, with a limit on retries so a broken account does not restart forever.
- Configure Windows Update to avoid restarts during trading hours.
Monitoring that actually helps
Check more than "is the process running". Useful signals:
- Connected: is the terminal logged in to the broker?
- EA status: is Algo Trading on and is the EA attached?
- Heartbeat: is the EA still processing ticks? A timestamp written by the EA every minute is a simple test.
- Last trade time: has the strategy traded as often as expected? A long silence during open market hours can mean a hidden problem - but check the market was actually open, or you will get false alarms every weekend.
- Margin level and drawdown: early warning before a stop-out.
Alerts
Send alerts where you will see them - mobile push, Telegram, email - and keep them few and meaningful. An alert that fires ten times a day will be ignored on the day it matters.
A dashboard for many accounts
If you run several accounts, a single dashboard showing status, balance, equity, open positions and EA version for each one saves time and catches mismatches - such as one account still on an old EA version after an update.
Test your recovery
Once in a while, deliberately close a terminal or restart the server outside market hours and watch whether everything comes back on its own. It is much better to find a gap on a quiet Sunday than during NFP.
BullsEdges takeaway for algo trading
Assume something will fail. Automatic restarts handle the common failures; monitoring and alerts catch the rest before they become expensive.
Trading forex and gold carries a high level of risk and may not be suitable for every investor. Past performance and backtests do not guarantee future results. This article is education, not financial advice.