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I am attempting to connect to a VPN that I have used for quite some time.

I followed these instructions to setup my VPN on both my desktop and my surface pro

Both my desktop and surface pro have all of the current updates for Windows 8.1.

However, my surface pro connects to the VPN without issue and my desktop crashes when I attempt to do ANYTHING VPN related.

If I

  • Attempt to connect to a VPN it freezes and crashes without error as soon as I hit connect
  • Attempt to remove a VPN it freezes and crashes without error as soon as I hit remove
  • Attempt to connect to a newly created VPN it freezes and crashes without error as soon as I hit connect

I have tried disabling all Windows Firewall proticols. I have tried disabling the Windows Defender antimalware shenanigans I have no other antimalware, virus or firewalls on this machine.

I am at a loss on how to fix this so any insight is appreciated.

DotNetRussell
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3 Answers3

1

I know this is a year old, but I wanted to share my experience on solving this problem. Your solution led me in the right direction.

After a little digging around, the root cause was a bunch of WAN Miniport devices in Device Manager not being able to start due to a driver issue (031) I think it was.

So I followed this article:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/2871372

Doing the manual steps:

Let me fix it myself

If you have already installed the operating system and are currently receiving a "code 31" error on the WAN Miniport (Network Monitor) device, follow these steps:

  1. Open Device Manager.

  2. Right-click the WAN miniport (Network monitor) device, and then click Update Driver Software.

  3. Click Browse my computer for driver software.

  4. Click Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer.

  5. Clear the Show compatible hardware check box.

  6. In the column on the left side, select Microsoft, and in the column on the right side, select Microsoft KM-TEST Loopback Adapter.

  7. In the Update Driver Warning dialog box, click Yes to continue installing this driver.

  8. After the driver is installed, right-click the device, and then click Uninstall.

  9. After the device is uninstalled, right-click the computer name in Device Manager, and then click Scan for hardware changes.

  10. On the View menu, click Show hidden devices.

The WAN Miniport (Network monitor) device should now be started and no longer have a yellow exclamation mark next to it.

Scanning for hardware changes immediately after uninstalling still left me with corrupt / missing driver issues on all my WAN Miniport devices (thus reproducing your exact symptoms, and mine, again - locking up, cant remove VPN, can't view properties without crashing).

So I ran DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth from magicandre1981's link and viola, the WAN Miniport devices came back without any errors.

Afterwards I was able to successfully connect to my company's VPN.

Jack
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0

Try a sfc /scannow. You may have some corrupt files.

Kinnectus
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-1

Windows 8.1 eventually fixed itself via a Windows Update.

Only took a year or so.....

DotNetRussell
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