How To Get Cisco VPN to Work on Windows 8

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Well, the short answer is a disappointing no. You can get Cisco Client (version 5.0.0.7.0290) installed no problem on the system but when you try to connect you get this Reason 442 message telling you that:

Secure VPN Connection terminated locally by the client.
Reason 442: Failed to enable Virtual Adapter

image510 - How To Get Cisco VPN to Work on Windows 8

 

Normally if this happens on Windows 7 computer that would be probably because the Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) service was on. But in this case on Windows 8, the ICS was disabled. So basically, this version of Cisco VPN Client is not compatible with this version of Windows 8.

Option 1: How to fix it

Thanks to the W7H reader David Smith for sharing a registry hack from IT Ramblings. It works like a charm.

Press Win + R and type regedit to open the Registry Editor.

Navigate to the following registry key:

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\CVirtA

Double click DisplayName and

  • For x86, change the value data from something like “@oem8.inf,%CVirtA_Desc%;Cisco Systems VPN Adapter” to “Cisco Systems VPN Adapter
  • For x64, change the value data from something like “@oem8.inf,%CVirtA_Desc%;Cisco Systems VPN Adapter for 64-bit Windows” to “Cisco Systems VPN Adapter for 64-bit Windows

Close Registry Editor and try to connect again. You don’t even need to restart the VPN Client to make it work.

Option 2: Try alternative

Luckily, the latest version of VPN client from shrew.net seems to be working just fine. Even better, it imports the pre-configured .pcf file if your sys admin have one exported for you. So that is pretty sleek. Simply download the software, install it, and import the .pcf file, you are all set.

image thumb28 - How To Get Cisco VPN to Work on Windows 8

Credit goes to EMC Forum.

49 COMMENTS

  1. Try this. It Worked for me–

    · Open Registry editor by typingregedit in Run prompt· Browse to the Registry Key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetServicesCVirtA· Select the DisplayName to modify, and remove the leading characters from the value data upto “%;” i.e.o For x86, change the value data from something like “@oem8.inf,%CVirtA_Desc%;Cisco Systems VPN Adapter” to “Cisco Systems VPN Adapter”o For x64, change the value data from something like “@oem8.inf,%CVirtA_Desc%;Cisco Systems VPN Adapter for 64-bit Windows” to “Cisco Systems VPN Adapter for 64-bit Windows”· Try connecting again Please do revert back if this solution does not work.

  2. I don’t know why, but it works perfectly. Thank you soo much. I need the vpn connection very hard for my connection to the library and software and University. You just saved me a couple of days!

  3. I have 2 laptops both new clean installed with windows 8. One worked with VPN immediately – the other wouldn’t. Tried everything, firewall, both on Ethernet rather than wifi……..

    Your fix worked immediately – really useful – many thanks

  4. Adaptor suddenly started getting this error, after updating to Win 8.1. Actually the app wouldn’t open at all until I used the “repair” function in Programs/Control-Panel, which made it work for a couple days. The reg-fix worked, thanks!

  5. Works perfectly. I had CISCO VPN and after update Windows to 8.1 PRO i couldn’t connect to my VPN. With the option 2, using Shrew Soft VPN i was abble to import the .pcf file and it works! Thanks.

  6. Thanks so much for the clear and concise explanation and fix, worked perfectly.

    I had the same issue error caused by the ICS being enabled after a holiday to Ireland(!), on Windows 7 and duly fixed with turning this off.

    Now on Surface Pro Win 8.1 and encountering the 442 error I vainly checked for ICS enabled. Other websites mentioned the registry fix but none clearly explained the problem and process. Used it and it worked immediately. Bit of a shame to have to edit the registry within a few hours of receiving a new machine, but I guess this is how things have always been!

  7. If you still get the error after changing the registry key, right click the icon and select Run as Administrator. The software needs elevated privs to enable the driver.

  8. I don’t have a CVirtA registry key listed in that location. Is there any special security required to access it? Does it depend on the Windows 8 version?

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