vpn problems

I use Cisco vpn to connect to a secure site. Using XP
this worked fine for several months. I have Sygate
personal firewall installed as well.

Yesterday I installed the XP SP2 and everytime I now try
to use the vpn connection (on entering name/password) the
screen goes black and the computer re-boots. In re-
booting there is automatically a "disc check for
consistency" and a number of *.pf files (what are these?)
are "not valid". The message indicates that these
are "fixed" by copying old files!! One of these is called
vpngui.pf, which seems sort of relevant.

Any suggestiomns would be appreciated. I have tried
turning off the Windows XP firewall (which appeaerd with
the XP SP2) but this makes no difference to the propblem.

Peter.

Lance
Fri Aug 27 12:29:52 CDT 2004

Peter said the following on 8/26/2004 8:26 PM:

> I use Cisco vpn to connect to a secure site. Using XP this worked
> fine for several months. I have Sygate personal firewall installed as
> well.
>
> Yesterday I installed the XP SP2 and everytime I now try to use the
> vpn connection (on entering name/password) the screen goes black and
> the computer re-boots. In re- booting there is automatically a "disc
> check for consistency" and a number of *.pf files (what are these?)
> are "not valid". The message indicates that these are "fixed" by
> copying old files!! One of these is called vpngui.pf, which seems
> sort of relevant.
>
> Any suggestiomns would be appreciated. I have tried turning off the
> Windows XP firewall (which appeaerd with the XP SP2) but this makes
> no difference to the propblem.

You don't say which Cisco VPN you use. I use 3000 v4.05. I've never
experienced your particular problem before, but for me a complete manual
uninstall and reinstall usually clears up problems caused by my Cisco VPN.

You might also try the Discussom Forums at Cisco
<http://forum.cisco.com/eforum/servlet/NetProf?page=main>

The real trick to a complete uninstall is to remove the ZoneLab firewall
components that Cisco VPN installs. So follow the uninstall directions
at BOTH these links:

Instructions for complete ZoneAlarm removal:
<http://nh2.nohold.net/noHoldCust25/Prod_1/Articles55646/CompleteUninstallNonNT.html>

How to Manually Uninstall the Cisco VPN Client 3.5 and Later for Windows
2000
Document ID: 18840
http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/471/vpn3K_uninstall.html

Lance
*****

Kent
Sat Aug 28 12:27:41 CDT 2004

Peter wrote on 26-Aug-2004 8:26 PM:

> I use Cisco vpn to connect to a secure site. Using XP
> this worked fine for several months. I have Sygate
> personal firewall installed as well.
>
> Yesterday I installed the XP SP2 and everytime I now try
> to use the vpn connection (on entering name/password) the
> screen goes black and the computer re-boots. In re-
> booting there is automatically a "disc check for
> consistency" and a number of *.pf files (what are these?)
> are "not valid". The message indicates that these
> are "fixed" by copying old files!! One of these is called
> vpngui.pf, which seems sort of relevant.
>
> Any suggestiomns would be appreciated. I have tried
> turning off the Windows XP firewall (which appeaerd with
> the XP SP2) but this makes no difference to the propblem.
>
> Peter.

As Lance said, uninstall and reinstall. Anything that touches the IP
stack will break the cisco code. Even updating anti-virus software can
break the Cisco VPN app. Since SP2 installs a new firewall and updates a
great many things, I expect that the Cisco VPN won't run until re-installed.

--
Kent W. England, Microsoft MVP for Windows Security

anonymous
Sun Aug 29 07:30:11 CDT 2004


>-----Original Message-----
>Peter said the following on 8/26/2004 8:26 PM:
>
>> I use Cisco vpn to connect to a secure site. Using XP
this worked
>> fine for several months. I have Sygate personal
firewall installed as
>> well.
>>
>> Yesterday I installed the XP SP2 and everytime I now
try to use the
>> vpn connection (on entering name/password) the screen
goes black and
>> the computer re-boots. In re- booting there is
automatically a "disc
>> check for consistency" and a number of *.pf files
(what are these?)
>> are "not valid". The message indicates that these
are "fixed" by
>> copying old files!! One of these is called vpngui.pf,
which seems
>> sort of relevant.
>>
>> Any suggestiomns would be appreciated. I have tried
turning off the
>> Windows XP firewall (which appeaerd with the XP SP2)
but this makes
>> no difference to the propblem.
>
>You don't say which Cisco VPN you use. I use 3000 v4.05.
I've never
>experienced your particular problem before, but for me a
complete manual
>uninstall and reinstall usually clears up problems
caused by my Cisco VPN.
>
>You might also try the Discussom Forums at Cisco
><http://forum.cisco.com/eforum/servlet/NetProf?page=main>
>
>The real trick to a complete uninstall is to remove the
ZoneLab firewall
>components that Cisco VPN installs. So follow the
uninstall directions
>at BOTH these links:
>
>Instructions for complete ZoneAlarm removal:
><http://nh2.nohold.net/noHoldCust25/Prod_1/Articles55646/
CompleteUninstallNonNT.html>
>
>How to Manually Uninstall the Cisco VPN Client 3.5 and
Later for Windows
>2000
>Document ID: 18840
>http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/471/vpn3K_uninstall.html
>
>Lance
>*****
>.
>Lance,

Thanks for quick reply. Did as you suggested re Cisco
uninstall (I have 4.0.3 and ZoneLab not present). Problem
still remained so uninstalled SP2 as well, but no
difference.

Looks like problem a bit deeper - I'll get some local
help as I think the problem is a bit beyond me.

Regards,

Peter.

anonymous
Sun Aug 29 07:31:03 CDT 2004


>-----Original Message-----
>Peter wrote on 26-Aug-2004 8:26 PM:
>
>> I use Cisco vpn to connect to a secure site. Using XP
>> this worked fine for several months. I have Sygate
>> personal firewall installed as well.
>>
>> Yesterday I installed the XP SP2 and everytime I now
try
>> to use the vpn connection (on entering name/password)
the
>> screen goes black and the computer re-boots. In re-
>> booting there is automatically a "disc check for
>> consistency" and a number of *.pf files (what are
these?)
>> are "not valid". The message indicates that these
>> are "fixed" by copying old files!! One of these is
called
>> vpngui.pf, which seems sort of relevant.
>>
>> Any suggestiomns would be appreciated. I have tried
>> turning off the Windows XP firewall (which appeaerd
with
>> the XP SP2) but this makes no difference to the
propblem.
>>
>> Peter.
>
>As Lance said, uninstall and reinstall. Anything that
touches the IP
>stack will break the cisco code. Even updating anti-
virus software can
>break the Cisco VPN app. Since SP2 installs a new
firewall and updates a
>great many things, I expect that the Cisco VPN won't run
until re-installed.
>
>--
>Kent W. England, Microsoft MVP for Windows Security
>.
>
Kent,

Thanks for reply - but see my response to Lance.

Regards,

Peter.