New user problems

TopGeek

I recently decided to try FreeVPN.me with OpenVPN but did not realise the problems I would encounter. I have Win 8.1 on a fast desktop PC.
The problems I am meeting are:
1. Cannot get OpenVPN to start up automatically despite following all the OpenVPN guidelines and extensive Internet searches. I have ticked 'Run as administrator', inserted the appropriate string in HKCU plus --route-method exe, added RAS. OpenVPN appears in the startup list in msconfig but it still does not start on boot. So, I can't even think about adding a logon feature for FreeVPN.me.
2. With the VPN connected, I can neither send nor receive e-mails.
This is evidently a concise version of the story but I have spent much of the last week on these issues and have just about reached the end of my tether.
Can anyone offer any suggestions - preferably in layman's terms?

maikcat

OpenVPN appears in the startup list in msconfig but it still does not start on boot

did you checked openvpns logs to see what is happening?
you do understand that this is not openvpns problem...

With the VPN connected, I can neither send nor receive e-mails.

which mail server do you use? is it a corporate mail server or a ISPs one?
if you know its ip you can exclude the traffic to it via the vpn.

Michael.

TopGeek

maikcat wrote
OpenVPN appears in the startup list in msconfig but it still does not start on boot

did you checked openvpns logs to see what is happening?
you do understand that this is not openvpns problem...

The logs for the four ports all say the same:

Fri Mar 27 20:08:22 2015 OpenVPN 2.3.6 x86_64-w64-mingw32 [SSL (OpenSSL)] [LZO] [PKCS11] [IPv6] built on Dec 1 2014
Fri Mar 27 20:08:22 2015 library versions: OpenSSL 1.0.1j 15 Oct 2014, LZO 2.08
Enter Auth Username:

I called my hosting service to see if they had any ideas and they said to contact the VPN provider.

TopGeek

maikcat wrote

which mail server do you use? is it a corporate mail server or a ISPs one?
if you know its ip you can exclude the traffic to it via the vpn.

Michael.

My incoming mail is handled by an independent hosting company. Outgoing mail is handled by the SMTP server of my ISP. Neither of them are accessible via the VPN.
I didn't know I could exclude IP addresses from the VPN. I will look into that or perhaps you can tell me how it works.

maikcat

Enter Auth Username:

the openvpn prompts for username...

post your configs please.

My incoming mail is handled by an independent hosting company. Outgoing mail is handled by the SMTP server of my ISP. Neither of them are accessible via the VPN.
I didn't know I could exclude IP addresses from the VPN. I will look into that or perhaps you can tell me how it works.

if you know their ip addresses you can add something like this to your config:

route x.x.x.x 255.255.255.255 net_gateway

this will cause traffic for x.x.x.x ip to flow via your internet router.

Miichael.

TopGeek

I think the problem is deeper than that. It seems the log files are not logging anything but they are being updated each time I log in. The config files are all in contiguous code. Every time I want to use the VPN, I have to double-click the Open VPN icon and the right-click the tray icon and select 'Connect'.. A screen then appears with the following text:
------------------

Tue Mar 31 15:55:46 2015 Warning: cannot open --log file: C:\Program Files\OpenVPN\log\FreeVPN.me-TCP80.log: The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process. (errno=32)
Tue Mar 31 15:55:46 2015 OpenVPN 2.3.6 x86_64-w64-mingw32 [SSL (OpenSSL)] [LZO] [PKCS11] [IPv6] built on Dec 1 2014
Tue Mar 31 15:55:46 2015 library versions: OpenSSL 1.0.1j 15 Oct 2014, LZO 2.08
Tue Mar 31 15:55:46 2015 MANAGEMENT: TCP Socket listening on [AF_INET]127.0.0.1:25341
Tue Mar 31 15:55:46 2015 Need hold release from management interface, waiting...
Tue Mar 31 15:55:47 2015 MANAGEMENT: Client connected from [AF_INET]127.0.0.1:25341
Tue Mar 31 15:55:47 2015 MANAGEMENT: CMD 'state on'
Tue Mar 31 15:55:47 2015 MANAGEMENT: CMD 'log all on'
Tue Mar 31 15:55:47 2015 MANAGEMENT: CMD 'hold off'
Tue Mar 31 15:55:47 2015 MANAGEMENT: CMD 'hold release'
------------------------------------
A login screen appears asking for user and password. Once I enter those details, a lot more scrolling text is added but disappears before I have time to read it. I am then connect to FreeVPN.me.

Does any of this help to unravel the situation?

maikcat

if you are using the openvpn GUI you can access the log
by right clicking on it and select view log option

but i may be wrong because i dont know which GUI are you using... 🙁

Michael.

Traffic

TopGeek wroteTue Mar 31 15:55:46 2015 Warning: cannot open --log file: C:\Program Files\OpenVPN\log\FreeVPN.me-TCP80.log: The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process. (errno=32)

Are you run as admin .. is openvpn run already ?

TopGeek

maikcat wroteif you are using the openvpn GUI you can access the log
by right clicking on it and select view log option

but i may be wrong because i dont know which GUI are you using... 🙁

Michael.

Yes, I am using the OpenVpn GUI and the log opens with the text shown above, ending with Enter Auth user name:.

TopGeek

Traffic wrote
TopGeek wroteTue Mar 31 15:55:46 2015 Warning: cannot open --log file: C:\Program Files\OpenVPN\log\FreeVPN.me-TCP80.log: The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process. (errno=32)
Are you run as admin .. is openvpn run already ?

Yes, OpenVPN is running as Admin. It runs manually and the tray icon turns green. The ip address changes to the FreeVPN.me server address. It is just that I cannot get anything to run automatically and I cannot get access to e-mail.

Traffic

TopGeek wroteWarning: cannot open --log file: C:\Program Files\OpenVPN\log\FreeVPN.me-TCP80.log: The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process

TopGeek wroteA login screen appears asking for user and password. Once I enter those details, a lot more scrolling text is added but disappears before I have time to read it

The log file it detailed above ..

Typically, the error you have is caused by running the same openvpn config twice ..
which openvpn can not do ..

TopGeek

Traffic wrote
TopGeek wroteWarning: cannot open --log file: C:\Program Files\OpenVPN\log\FreeVPN.me-TCP80.log: The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process
TopGeek wroteA login screen appears asking for user and password. Once I enter those details, a lot more scrolling text is added but disappears before I have time to read it
The log file it detailed above ..

Typically, the error you have is caused by running the same openvpn config twice ..
which openvpn can not do ..

It's difficult to see how that is possible. There is no tray icon visible until I double-click on the OpenVPN GUI desktop icon. I then right-click on the tray icon and four config files are presented for selection (TCP443, TCP80, UDP-40000 and UDP-53). I have tried them all and found TCP80 to be the most reliable.
In Task Manager, I have five entries of OpenVPN Daemon, OpenVPN GUI for Windows and OpenVPN Service with a sub-entry OpenVPN Service. All show 0% CPU usage.
There is certainly something amiss with the setup but I have tried completely uninstalling and reinstalling twice with no change.
Other VPNs seem simple to install and use but all those I have tried have restriction. FreeVPN.me+OpenVPN is great once connected but seems very complicated to set up.

Traffic

TopGeek wroteIn Task Manager, I have five entries of OpenVPN Daemon, OpenVPN GUI for Windows and OpenVPN Service with a sub-entry OpenVPN Service. All show 0% CPU usage.

If the openvpn windows service is started it will automatically start ALL openvpn config files in "C:\Program Files\Openvpn\Config" .. Do not use the service and the gui at the same time:
http://openvpn.net/index.php/open-source/documentation/howto.html#startup

TopGeek

Traffic wrote
TopGeek wroteIn Task Manager, I have five entries of OpenVPN Daemon, OpenVPN GUI for Windows and OpenVPN Service with a sub-entry OpenVPN Service. All show 0% CPU usage.
If the openvpn windows service is started it will automatically start ALL openvpn config files in "C:\Program Files\Openvpn\Config" .. Do not use the service and the gui at the same time:
http://openvpn.net/index.php/open-source/documentation/howto.html#startup

I have the OpenVPN Service set to automatic and it is indeed running. However, it does not start any of the config files and the tray icon does not appear until I double click the GUI icon.

TopGeek

I have just realised that this topic is probably running in the wrong section, as I am not involved in the Access Server project.

Is there any way to move it or have it moved to a more appropriate section of the forum?

Traffic

TopGeek wroteOpenVPN Service set to automatic and it is indeed running. However, it does not start any of the config files

I assure you .. the openvpn-service has started ALL the config files it finds.

Confirmed with:

TopGeek wroteTue Mar 31 15:55:46 2015 Warning: cannot open --log file: C:\Program Files\OpenVPN\log\FreeVPN.me-TCP80.log: The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process. (errno=32)

another process is openvpn.

TopGeek wroteI am not involved in the Access Server project.

Is there any way to move it or have it moved

A mod (Michael) can do this for you .. when he sees your request here.

TopGeek

Traffic wrote
TopGeek wroteOpenVPN Service set to automatic and it is indeed running. However, it does not start any of the config files
I assure you .. the openvpn-service has started ALL the config files it finds.

I accept your contention as the four daemons and OpenVPN Service are still running in Task Manager, even when I 'exit' from the OpenVPN tray icon. What I don't understand is, why does the tray icon not appear until I double-click the OpenVPN GUI desktop icon?
Other VPNs I have tried have been configurable for automatic connection on boot so I presume OpenVPN should work in the same way. I followed the installation instructions to the letter so what has gone wrong. Sorry but I'm getting frustrated.

Traffic

TopGeek wroteI have the OpenVPN Service set to automatic and it is indeed running

disable the service[/b] .. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :mrgreen: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

TopGeek

Traffic wrote
TopGeek wroteI have the OpenVPN Service set to automatic and it is indeed running
disable the service[/b] .. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :mrgreen: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: indeed! I still can't see why the tray icon doesn't appear until I start the GUI. I have put:

"C:\Program Files\OpenVPN\bin\openvpn-gui.exe" --connect "FreeVPN.me-TCP80.ovpn"

... in the HKCU .... run sector, as suggested in the OpenVPN installation instructions but it seems to make no difference.

I removed three of the config files, leaving only TCP-80.

Now, when I attempt to connect, the connect menu starts with:

Warning: cannot open --log file: C:\Program Files\OpenVPN\log\FreeVPN.me-TCP80.log: The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process.

Time to start tearing my hair out?

Traffic

disable the service and reboot ...