Workarounds for Link "can't reach Link service"

A recent update to the Link app on Windows PC broke the launching Fixer.exe in the \Oculus\software\support folder. Previously this would check the health of the app by checking if the Link OVRservice was installed and running. If not running, it would start the service before launching the Oculus-Client.exe in the \Oculus\support\client folder.

1. the update renamed Oculus-Client.exe to Client.exe
2. Fixer.exe now fails with "can't reach Link service" even if the service is installed and running properly. Clicking "repair app" fails.

Workarounds:

You can change your shortcut for Fixer.exe to Client.exe.

or

If you are like me and seldom use Link/Air Link and have set the startup for the OVRservice to manual so it doesn't start with Windows:

Create a batch/cmd file "LinkLaunch.bat/.cmd" in any folder or your desktop

net start OVRService
timeout /t 2
C:\Oculus\Support\oculus-client\client.exe
exit

1. Right click on the .bat/.cmd file and pick properties.
2. on the shortcut tab add "cmd /c " before the path to the file (note the space after "/c". So target should look something like this "cmd /c "C:\batch\LinkLaunch.cmd")
3. Change "Run" to "Minimized" if you don't want the command window open on desktop.
4. on the same shortcut tab click on "Advanced" and check "Run as administrator". The net command needs administrator rights in order to run. If the account you are logged into does not have admin rights you will be prompted to supply credentials of an account that does.

*Notes: you may have to adjust the timeout time of 2 seconds depending on your system in line 2. Change the drive letter in line 3 to where the Link app installed. By adding the "cmd /c " to the target you can pin the shortcut to the Start Menu or the Taskbar. If you run this batch/cmd file and the service is already running the command will be ignored without pausing the file.