Why your Oculus Rift just stopped working (and how to fix) – CNET

oculus-runtime-service-issue

Can’t Reach Oculus Runtime Service? A fix is on the way.

Screenshot by Sean Hollister/CNET

Are you locked out of your Oculus Rift? There’s a pretty decent chance you have — Facebook appears to have goofed, and now its Windows-based virtual reality headset is totally unusable. (We confirmed with our own Rifts.)

Good news: Your headset isn’t bricked, and there’s a fix on the way.

Better news: You can use a simple workaround to get back in VR almost immediately… albeit a risky one you may want to immediately revert afterwards.

  • Right-click on the clock, likely located in the lower-right hand corner of your Windows desktop
  • Select adjust date/time.
  • Uncheck set time automatically, then click Change.
  • Set your computer’s time and date to a few days in the past.

Why does that work? Most likely because Facebook failed to update the Oculus Rift software’s security certificate, which Windows uses to tell whether programs are legitimate. You know, instead of being spoofed by a malware company or something.

But that’s also why it’s risky to set your Windows system’s time to a date that’s already past. So maybe wait for the official fix instead? 

“We are aware of and actively investigating an issue impacting ability to access Rift software. Our teams apologize for any inconvenience this may be causing you and appreciate your patience while we work on a resolution,” reads the current official statement from Oculus. You can check out the official support thread or this Reddit thread to stay informed about a fix.


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