A user reports that their Windows desktop application, which has been operating correctly for months, has suddenly stopped working. Upon launching the application, it fails to start, and an error message indicates that a required service is not running. As a technician, you have verified that all application dependencies are satisfied and the program is up to date. What is the BEST next step to resolve this issue?
Run a full system update to ensure all components of Windows are at their latest versions.
Perform a system file check (sfc /scannow) to look for and repair any corrupted system files.
Check the event log for errors and look for any coinciding application or system errors.
Open the Services console, find the service that the application depends on, and start the service if it is not running.
Restarting the service that the application depends on is often the simplest and most direct method to recover an application's functionality. If the service has stopped, the application that relies on it will not start properly. Therefore, the best next step is to open the Services console, find the non-running service that the application requires, and start it manually. While checking the event log might reveal some issues or updating Windows could solve compatibility problems, these steps are more time-consuming and not as directly related to the service dependency problem as simply restarting the required service.
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What is the Services console in Windows?
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What should I do if the required service is not listed in the Services console?
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