Malware Guide: How to remove OpenCandy

What is OpenCandy?

OpenCandy is an application that downloads and installs software, including other Internet Browsers to a computer system. Used as a bundle, this application installs additional programs that you may knowingly or unknowingly agree to install. Since most users don’t accept the challenge of reading the EULA in its entirety, they tend to download bundled applications unknowingly.

Assessment of OpenCandy PUP

During the initial assessment of OpenCandy, I was a little skeptical about what to look out for or expect. In fact, I had to install the OpenCandy.exe file twice to discern its behavior. I’m not sure how this application got its name but I do believe it has something to do with the fact that it supposedly helps Internet users open a new world of Internet browsing. That conclusion was arrived at after realizing that OpenCandy.exe installed mostly Internet browsers along with a tune-up tool on the test computer. However, as a result of the system requirements, there was a pop-up message indicating that Internet Explorer 8 was not compatible with the computer system in question.

In comparison to the malware I’ve encountered since I started researching malware, OpenCandy is everything but malicious. In fact, this application is only categorized as malware because of its’ subtle covert nature of installing bundled programs unsolicited by the user.

Additionally, OpenCandy coerces users into changing their Internet Browsers by installing those unrequested by the user. In fact, it’s no shock that OpenCandy chose to install the Internet Browser ‘Opera’ as a part of this bundle since it’s one of the least used browsers according to the Federal Government. Clearly, this was a smoothly disguised advertisement or promotion to force users into using the Opera Browser, along with Internet Explorer 8.0.

While these aforementioned browsers in themselves aren’t malicious and are in no way considered malware, they were installed as a promotional tool and without the request of the user. Despite being mentioned within the EULA, advertisers are capitalizing on this since most users do not bother to read the agreements when installing a program.

Furthermore, OpenCandy, like most other bundled applications I’ve dealt with, threw in a tune-up tool as a part of the promotion. I found this tune-up application annoying since I had to hassle my way into getting it to close from the computer screen. I can only imagine the hassle users would go through trying to remove this software.

Image 7: Depiction of a scan performed by Tuneup Utilities. The scan detected that several areas on the test PC could be optimized/tuned up.

Image 8: After a scan was completed using the Tuneup utility program, I was given an option to buy the full version. Nothing is wrong with this marketing strategy. In fact, most utility tools if not all will scan your computer to detect threats or loopholes, but they won't exactly allow you to fix those problems unless you buy the full version. It's not unfair, it's just business.

Programs installed during the installation of OpenCandy include:

  • Web Companion: Developed by Lavasoft, Web Companion is said to be an application that serves as a security defense for your Internet browsers by preventing unauthorized changes (see image below)
  • Tuneup Utilities: Tuneup Utilities does exactly as it says. It cleans up a computer system, whereby preventing unused programs from slowing it down.
  • Opera Stable 30.01.1835.88: Opera is a fast, simple, and effective Internet browser that allows users to get around on the web.

All in all, the intent of installing an application such as OpenCandy is to unleash a world of promotion or advertisements on your computer. They are pretty annoying and in some cases difficult to remove. Furthermore, as a user, you want to control what gets installed on your computer without being dictated to or coerced in some EULA that you probably overlook.

To completely remove OpenCandy PUP from your computer, click here to download and install Spyhunter.

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A Quick Guide to Fixing Error Code 17

Error Code 17 - What is it?

Code 17 is a typical Spotify error code. Spotify is a music streaming service. Through this software, PC users can browse songs and search by artist, album, and playlist. Simply put, it is an audio player available for BlackBerry, iOS, and Microsoft Windows desktop. You may experience error code 17 if the process fails when downloading Spotify from the internet. The error message is displayed in any one of the following formats:
Error 17: Spotify has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience. Spotify could not be started (Error code 17)
Some of the symptoms of this error code are program crash, slow Windows performance, and periodic system freeze.

Solution

Restoro box imageError Causes

Error 17 may be triggered by several reasons such as:
  • Viral infection
  • Incomplete installation of Spotify software
  • Corrupt download
  • Registry corruption
  • Windows Installer service terminated
To use the audio player Spotify successfully on your PC, it is advisable to fix error 17 right away on your system. Delay may cause inconvenience and limit your access to your desired program.

Further Information and Manual Repair

To repair this error code on your PC, you don’t have to hire a professional or be a technical whiz yourself. The good news is that this error is quite easy to fix. You don’t need to be technically sound to resolve it. Here are some proven methods for you to fix error code 17 on your system. So let’s get started:

Method 1 - Make sure that the Windows Installer is running

Sometimes Spotify error 17 may occur if the Windows Installer service is terminated. Therefore before you download, make sure the Windows Installer is running. This is a good way to ensure the error code 17 messages don’t pop up on your PC again. For this here’s what you need to do, first quit all programs. Now go to the start menu and in the search box type RUN, and press enter. In the Open Box, type msiexec /unregister and then press OK to confirm. After that, perform the same steps again, and now in the Open Box type msiexec /regserver and press OK to save. Reboot your PC and try downloading Spotify again. If the program successfully downloads on your system, then this means error 17 is resolved. However, if the error code still persists, then try other methods given below.

Method 2 - Use System Restore to Undo Recent Changes

Another reason for the cause of error 17 is the improper or incomplete installation of Spotify. Improper installations can configure settings and also leave bad entries in the registries. To resolve, use System Restore utility built-in Windows. By using this system tool, you can undo recent changes and resume your computer to its previous condition as it was before the proper installation was attempted. To do this, go to the start menu, then in the search box type System Restore and press enter. Go to System Restore and choose a restore point. Once you’ve selected the point, reboot your PC to activate changes.

Method 3 - Remove Viruses

Viruses can enter and damage your PC if you download software programs from unknown websites. These not only damage your PC but also hinder your ability to install desired programs successfully in this case audio player Spotify. In such an event, simply use an antivirus to remove all viruses infecting your system. After they are removed, make sure you download and install Spotify software from a trusted website.

Method 4 - Repair the Registry

Another cause of error 17 is registry corruption. This occurs due to bad entries, invalid and junk files saved in the registry. To fix the corrupt registry simply download Restoro. This is a user-friendly PC Fixer embedded with a powerful registry cleaner. This software is compatible with all Windows versions. The registry cleaner detects all registry issues, removes all file corrupting the registry, and cleans it immediately in just a few clicks. Click here to download Restoro on your PC and resolve Error 17.
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Software review series: QuickLook
QuickLook app is one of the best options to preview files without opening them in Windows 10. It works similar to the Quick Look feature of macOS. This Microsoft Store app has some really interesting features. It lets you preview images, documents, and media files. Also, just a hotkey is needed to preview the content of a file. There is no interface for the app. Only a preview window is visible. You can also expand the preview window to full size. Apart from that, it lets you keep the preview window on top of the other opened applications. For image files, it also provides the EXIF data. After installing this app, just select some file that you want to preview, and press the Spacebar key. That’s it! The preview window will open immediately to view the file content. If you would like to read more helpful articles and tips about various software and hardware visit errortools.com daily.
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Rise of video-making AI

Recently Meta has gone viral that it is working on an AI video-making algorithm named Make a Video. AI will like in picture making AI take text input and produce a video from it.

Now, a new player enters the AI video battlefield, its name is GOOGLE!

google ai

The Google research project Imagen Video is also text to video generator similar to Meta's Make a Video with one little difference. unlike Meta's offering which includes only sign-up, Google is withholding access for now under the veil of safeguarding issues.

Google has been in the Ai space before with their Imagen, a DALL-E style generator capable of photorealistic picture generation based on text prompts. The new Google tool works in a similar way but with better functions. Ai can generate a diverse range of high-fidelity videos across different aesthetic styles and with a deep understanding of 3D models thus creating high-definition, 24-frames-per-second videos.

"With the help of progressive distillation, Imagen Video can generate high-quality videos using just eight diffusion steps per sub-model. This speeds up video generation time substantially, by a factor of ~18x,”

Jonathan Ho, author of the research paper

Despite filtering for “undesirable content”, the team admits “there is a risk that Imagen has encoded harmful stereotypes and representations”. So, until the AI - and its users - can be trusted, Google refuses to release Imagen Video without additional safeguards in place.

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Fix nVIDIA driver issues in Windows 10
nVIDIA is one of the behemoths of the GPU world, but that not means that they are perfect and that they do not make mistakes, throw WIndows in the mix, and sometimes you have issues with your nVIDIA display drivers for various reasons which could get very unpleasant. But do not worry, we have your back and in this article, we will focus and help you to resolve common nVIDIA driver issues. So sit back and let's start with the repairs.
  1. Rollback to the previous driver and stop automatic updates.

    nVIDIA sometimes publishes really messy drivers which can really cause some serious issues, if by any chance you managed to be unlucky enough to get this kind of driver, do not despair, roll back to the previous working version and wait for the fix. To stop Windows from doing automatic driver updates, navigate to Control Panel > System & Security > System > Advanced System Settings > Hardware > Device Installation Settings. Then choose "No (your device might not work as expected)". Once you have turned off automatic driver updates, uninstall your current driver and install the previous version from the official nVIDIA website. Reboot your system
  2. Reinstall nVIDIA driver

    Reinstalling the driver might fix the issue if by any chance driver files got corrupted during download for example. First, you will need to delete some files in order to perform a clean installation. Log in as administrator if you are not one and delete following files and folders: C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\nvdsp.inf fileC:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\nv_lh fileC:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\nvoclock fileC:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\C:\Program Files (x86)\NVIDIA Corporation\Reboot your system Start driver installation again, choose custom installation, then clean install.
  3. Update driver in the Device Manager

    If driver updates for any reason can not work via the official install package from nVDIDA, try updating the driver in the Device Manager Navigate to Device Manager, expand graphic adapters, right-click on your nVIDIA device and click on update driver. Reboot your system
That's it, 3 solutions on how to remove, reinstall and update your nVIDIA driver, thank you for reading and I hope to see you again.
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Windows PC advantages over Apple Mac

In the last article, we have covered various advantages of Apple hardware over Windows PC, however, PC has their own strengths and advantages over MACs as well. Join us as we explore why would you choose Windows PC over MAC.

Windows PC

Hardware customization

If you like to customize and build your own hardware and customize your existing computer then MACs are out of the picture, on other hand, computers based on Windows operating system are much more flexible in terms of customization.

While Apple hardware is locked and only allows small changes to it, computers running on Windows are free and open to various upgrades and modifications so if you like to play with hardware Windows is your platform.

Gaming

There are games on MAC true but their numbers can not compare to games available for the Windows platform. On top of that, most latest and best gaming hardware is not even available on Apple platforms so if you plan to game in high resolutions and play the latest games there really is no option other than Windows.

Windows Platforms also has multiple emulators that you can use to play games from other older platforms and Microsoft since it owns Xbox has some great plans for both PC and Xbox gaming.

Software back compatibility

Since the introduction of the new MAC OS X, apple really lost a lot of application back compatibility, and a lot of old legacy software can not be run on modern Apple computers. Windows on the other hand have always tried and succeeded in keeping maximum compatibility with older and legacy software.

Also on the Windows platform, there is a lot of community support for old and legacy software so even if it is not officially supported it is backed up by the community.

Software variability

In terms of where can you find the most different software, you need to look no further than the Windows platform. How Windows itself has great backward compatibility and a lot of developers are using it to create new software thanks to Visual Studio and .NET Windows has cemented itself as a platform with the most available software.

The popularity of Windows as the home operating system and as a gaming platform has made it quite interesting in eyes of various developers and tons of small applications are made daily for it. Windows 11 has also brought native android support to it and that has just expanded its already impressive catalog of applications.

Freedom of choice

Overall Windows PC is most appealing for users that like to be able to choose everything, from hardware components to software they would like to use. No other platform will give you larger freedom of choice and better personalization options.

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The Steam Autumn sale is coming!

Oh, gamers rejoice, the Steam autumn sale is just around the corner!!!

The sale starts on November 22nd and lasts until November 29th. A great deal for any gamer, especially for ones that have plenty on their wishlist. Speaking of wishlists now would be a good time to place some interesting titles on them so you can be notified about discounts on them.

If you by any chance are unavailable to participate in the Autumn sale, do not worry, Steam winter sale is coming on December 22nd and it will last until January the 5th so you can save for it.

The best tactic for sale is not to jump on the train right away, it is best to wait until a few days, maybe even until the last 2 days since some games can go even lower on discount in the last days of the sale. Also, there might be also some packages that include games you wish to buy but are packed with other ones in a bundle and even with a higher discount.

So get prepared for the upcoming sale and treat yourself to something nice!

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The executable program that ...
If you are trying to start a service using the Windows Services Manager but you got an error message stating, “The executable program that this service is configured to run in does not implement the service”, then you’ve come to the right place as this post will provide you instructions on how you can fix this error. Since almost all program requires service to run on your computer, if the service is not listed in the corresponding registry key, then you will most likely encounter this error on your Windows 10 computer. Here’s the entire content of the error message:
“Windows could not start the service on Local Computer. Error 1083: The executable program that this service is configured to run in does not implement the service.”
To fix this error, you have to add the service name in the respective host in the Registry Editor, and to do that, here are some steps you need to take on. Step 1: The first thing you have to do is to take note of the service name that’s given in the error message. For instance, you get the “Windows Management Service. Step 2: Next, you need to open the Services Manager by tapping the Win + R keys and typing “services.msc” in the Run dialog box, and then tapping Enter. Step 3: After opening the Services Manager, look for the Windows Management Service and once you see it, double click on it. This will open a new mini window. Step 4: From the newly opened window, copy the Service name and the Path to executable under the General tab. If the path to the executable is displayed as “C:/Windows/system32/svchost.exe -k netsvcs –p”, you need the “netsvcs” part only. Note that it can be different for different services and you need the part that comes after “-k”. Step 5: Now tap the Win + R keys again to open Run utility and type “Regedit” in the field and click OK to open the Registry Editor. Step 6: After that, navigate to the following registry path:
ComputerHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionSvchost
Step 7: From the given registry path, look for a key named “REG_MULTI_SZ” located on your right-hand side. This key is named after the “Path to executable” part. For instance, you should see “netsvcs”. Step 8: Double click on the REG_MULTI_SZ key and enter the Service name that you’ve copied earlier and then write it down at the end of the preset list. Step 9: Now save the changes you’ve made and try to open the program or run the service again.
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How to Fix Windows 10 Error Code 0x80070008

Error Code 0x80070008 - What is it

Error Code 0x80070008 generally appears on machines running Windows 10, although it may sometimes also appear on earlier versions of the software, going all the way back to Windows 7, when the error was first introduced.

Common symptoms include:

  • Inability to complete the Windows 10 Update process fully
  • Machine running slowly
  • Messages about a lack of memory on the device in question

If Error Code 0x80070008 has appeared on your computer, there are several things that you can do in order to fix the error and be able to install updates as necessary. Most of these methods are simple enough to use, even for the most inexperienced users, but at least one of the methods may require advanced knowledge or comfort in changing your settings on a deeper level.

If you don’t feel comfortable in your ability to use the steps below to resolve Error Code 0x80070008, get in touch with a qualified technician who is experienced in memory issues and Windows 10 error code resolution to assist you.

Solution

Restoro box imageError Causes

There are three basic causes for Error Code 0x80070008. The first is that your machine may not have enough memory to finish the installation of an update. The second possible cause is that another program may be interfering with your machine’s ability to finish the update installation. Lastly, Error Code 0x80070008 can occur when a user has a lot of language packs, which may interfere with the ability to complete updates.

Further Information and Manual Repair

Because there are three different causes for Error Code 0x80070008, there are also three different methods to attempt to resolve the error. If you believe that the error may be caused by the number of language packs installed on your device, you should attempt method three first. Otherwise, use methods one and two first.

If you are not confident that you can do the steps below on your own to resolve Error Code 0x80070008, get in touch with a certified computer repair technician that is familiar with Windows 10 issues in order to fix the issue.

Here are the top three methods to resolve Error Code 0x80070008 on a machine running Windows 10:

Method One:  Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter

When Error Code 0x80070008 first appears on your computer, one of the first steps that you can take to resolve the issue is to open up the Windows Update module and click on the “Troubleshoot” tool. This will run a scan on the Windows Update tool to attempt to identify the root cause of the problem and to resolve it automatically for you.

If the troubleshooter finds a problem, simply follow the steps on the screen to resolve the error. In some cases, you may want to restart your computer after this process is complete before you attempt to run the Windows Update tool again.

Method Two:  Close All Programs Until Updates are Done

In some cases, a lack of memory on the machine can mean that running other programs while you are attempting to run Windows Update will cause the update process to fail. Closeout all of the programs that are running on the device, including any antivirus software or firewalls, before you run the update process. If this allows the Update process to run through to completion, you can then reactivate all of the programs that were running prior to the update.

Method Three:  Remove Unwanted Language Packs

This method generally applies to users who have an abundance of language packs installed on their machine, usually more than 20 in total, which may interfere with the update process. To remove unwanted language packs, follow these steps:

  • Step One: Open the Start Panel and select “Control Panel.”
  • Step Two: Find the setting for “Clock, Language, and Region” and choose “Region and Language.”
  • Step Three: Select the option for “Keyboards and Languages,” then under the settings for “Display language,” choose “install/uninstall languages” and select “uninstall display languages.”
  • Step Four: For any languages that you do not wish to keep, deselect them and choose “Next.” It may require several minutes for the process to complete.
  • Step Five: After the unwanted language packs have been removed from your computer, you can attempt to run Windows Update again. You may want to restart your computer first for maximum efficiency.

Method Four: Use An Automated Tool

If you wish to always have at your disposal a utility tool to fix these Windows 10 and other related issues when they do arise, download and install a powerful automated tool.

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A Guide to Quick Fixing Error 10013

Error 10013 - What is it?

Error 10013 is a type of Socket Windows PC error. Socket error 10013 occurs when the attempt to access the server is denied. This indicates that the needed socket connection is denied which further implies that a port is blocked or unreachable.

Solution

Restoro box imageError Causes

The socket error 10013 can occur due to multiple reasons:
  • Antivirus or firewall software
  • Incompatible drivers
  • Registry corruption
  • Misconfigured files

Further Information and Manual Repair

To resolve the socket error 10013 on your PC, here are some methods that you can try:

1. Disable Firewall

To resolve this issue on your PC, you may have to temporarily disable Firewall. Sometimes Firewall can stop you from connecting to the server. Try doing this; it is most likely to resolve the error. If the Firewall is the reason for the denied access, turning it off will surely help.

2. Disable your Antivirus Software

If disabling the Firewall doesn’t resolve the issue, try disabling your antivirus software temporarily. If the error still persists, then try other solutions listed below.

3. Upgrade Drivers

Incompatible drivers could be a reason too for denied server access. Your server may no longer be using the drivers that you have on your PC which is why you may not be getting permission to access it. If this is the cause, then the best way to resolve it is to upgrade drivers. To find out about new drivers, visit the software manufacturer’s website for new drivers and then download them to your PC.

4. Registry Issues

Sometimes the underlying cause of the error could be registry issues and misconfigured files. If you don’t wipe out unnecessary and obsolete files from your systems like junk files, cookies, internet history, temporary files, and other files from your PC, it can damage and corrupt the registry and misconfigured files thereby causing socket error 10013 on your system. To resolve registry issues and repair your PC, download Restoro. It is an advanced, easy to use, and highly functional PC fixer embedded with multiple utilities including a powerful registry cleaner. It is deployed with an intuitive algorithm that scans and detects all registry issues in seconds. It removes all the unnecessary and obsolete files stored in your PC overloading your registry. This registry cleaner repairs the damaged and misconfigured files and restores the registry, thereby resolving socket error 10013 on your system right away. It has simple navigations and a user-friendly interface which makes it very easy for all levels of users to work around and use it to its maximum advantage.  Furthermore, it can be installed on all Windows PC. Restoro is compatible with all Windows versions. In addition to this, it also includes several other value-added features such as an antivirus, a system optimizer, and an Active X controls and class scanner. These utilities can be used to resolve numerous other PC-related errors. Click here to download Restoro today and resolve socket error 10013 on your PC right away.
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How to Fix Unable to contact your DHCP Server
If your IP address expires, you will most likely experience interruptions when browsing the web. In such cases, you have to release and renew the IP address by executing the following commands:
  • ipconfig /release
  • ipconfig /renew
So if you are trying to renew the IP address of your Windows 10 computer using the commands given above but you encounter an error message instead that says, “Unable to contact your DHCP Server”, then you’ve come to the right place as this post will guide you in fixing this error. This kind of error indicates that the NIC can’t communicate with the DHCP server which is why it’s not able to release new IP addresses. It could be due to many reasons. To fix this error, you can try to roll back, update or reinstall the Network Adapter drivers. You could also run the built-in Network Adapter troubleshooter, as well as start or restart the DHCP client service.

Option 1 – Try to rollback your Network driver

If you have updated the driver software as of late and you suddenly got this error, you might have to roll back the device driver – in other words, switch back to the previous working version. To do that, follow these steps:
  • Tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run window and then type in the “devmgmt.msc” command and hit Enter to open the Device Manager window.
  • Under the Device Manager, you will see a list of drivers. From there, look for the Network Adapters and expand it.
  • Next, select the driver entries that are labeled appropriately other than anything in the context of the WAN Miniport.
  • Then select each one of them and double click to open a new mini window.
  • After that, make sure that you’re on the Driver tab and if you are not, just navigate to it then click the Roll Back Driver button to switch back to the previous version of your Network adapters.
  • Now restart your computer to successfully apply the changes made.

Option 2 – Try to update the Network drivers

If rolling back to the previous version of the Network adapter drivers didn’t help, then you need to update them instead. To do so, here’s what you have to do:
  • Tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run window and then type in the “devmgmt.msc” command and hit Enter to open the Device Manager window.
  • Under the Device Manager, you will see a list of drivers. From there, look for the Network Adapters and expand them.
  • Then right-click on each one of the Network drivers and update them all.
  • Restart your PC and see if it helped in fixing the BSOD error.
Note: If updating the network drivers didn’t help in fixing the problem, you can also try to uninstall the very same drivers and restart your Windows 10 PC. After that, the system itself will reinstall the drivers you just uninstalled. Alternatively, you can also download and install the drivers from the manufacturer’s website directly.

Option 3 – Run the Network Adapter troubleshooter

Running the built-in Network Adapter troubleshooter can also help in fixing the “Unable to contact your DHCP Server” error. To run the Network Adapter Troubleshooter, refer to these steps:
  • Open the Search bar on your computer and type in “troubleshoot” to open the Troubleshoot settings.
  • Next, scroll down and select the “Network Adapter” option from the right pane.
  • Then click on the Run Troubleshooter” button.
  • After that, your computer will check for any possible errors and will pinpoint the root cause of the problem if possible.
  • Restart your computer.

Option 4 – Try disabling the IPv6 in the Network Center

  • Tap the Win + X key combination and click on Network Connections.
  • This will open the Settings app on a specific page. Now on the right-side panel, click on the Network and Sharing Center link.
  • After that, it will open the Control Panel and from there, click on the network that your computer is connected to and then click on Properties.
  • Next, uncheck the entry that says, “Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6)” in the list that populates.
  • Now click on OK and close all other windows.
  • Restart your computer and see if the error is now fixed.

Option 5 – Start or restart the DHCP client service

If the DHCP client service is either inactive or stopped, you can try to start or restart it to resolve the error. You can do this via the Services Manager.
  • Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run utility.
  • Then type “services.msc” in the field and tap Enter or click OK to open the Services Manager.
  • After that, look for the DHCP client service from the list of services displayed.
  • Once you found it, right-click on it and select the Start or Restart option.
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