How to Start OpenVPN on Server 2019 Standard without being logged in?

DannCS

Hello everyone!
I followed the steps as stated in the OpenVPN documentation.
I set up the certificate and everything.
I put the configuration file in the "config-auto" directory and enabled the "OpenVPNService" service. I put the appropriate exceptions on the firewall for port 1194 and restarted Server 2019 hoping that OpenVPN would start without having to log on to the machine, but it didn't work.
It only works when I log in, so the OpenVPN GUI runs and the server is waiting for connections perfectly.

My goal is for OpenVPN to run and be ready to receive connections without having to log on to server 2019, is that possible?

TinCanTech

You put it in the wrong directory ..

DannCS

TinCanTech wrote You put it in the wrong directory ..

In the documentation it says:

GENERAL QUICKSTART FOR WINDOWS

OpenVPN requires a configuration file and key/certificate files. You should
obtain these and save them to one of OpenVPN's configuration directories:

C:\Program Files\OpenVPN\config (global configs)
C:\Program Files\OpenVPN\config-auto (autostarted global configs)
%USERPROFILE%\OpenVPN\config (per-user configs)

For launching OpenVPN Connections you have two main options:

OpenVPN GUI (tray applet)
OpenVPNService (system service, not installed by default)

OpenVPN GUI is used to launching VPN connections on demand. The OpenVPNService
launches all configs under config-auto during boot and should be used for
persistent OpenVPN connections that are not tied to any particular user
session.

So the friend could be more specific and inform where the correct directory would be ?!
Notice that I did the procedures and tests in ALL the directories informed in the documentation, and in none of them I was successful in making the server available for connection without executing the login.

TinCanTech

Yeah .. so what directory did you use ?

We have all read the documentation, so try actually documenting what you did..

* yawn *

DannCS

OpenVPN is installed in "C:\OpenVPN";
In the first test I put the configuration file in "C:\OpenVPN\config_auto" ... I restarted Server 2019 and didn't log in;
I tried to connect to the server through one of the client machines ... without success;
I finished OpenVPN, cut the configuration file and placed it in the "C:\OpenVPN\config" directory and restarted Server 2019 again;
When Server 2019 was on the login screen I tried to connect to the server via the client machine ... again without success;
I repeated everything leaving the configuration file in both directories ... also without success.

If I log in to Server 2019 the OpenVPN GUI is configured to start automatically with the configuration file ... then after startup any client normally connects to the server.

Remembering that my goal is that it is not necessary to log in so that clients can connect to the server.

TinCanTech

Can you test again but installing to the default directory of C:\Program Files\Openvpn ?

Perhaps there is a hard coded variable in the Service wrapper.