OpenVPN - Cannot pre-load keyfile (ta.key) on windows 10

Need help configuring your VPN? Just post here and you'll get that help.

Moderators: TinCanTech, TinCanTech, TinCanTech, TinCanTech, TinCanTech, TinCanTech

Forum rules
Please use the [oconf] BB tag for openvpn Configurations. See viewtopic.php?f=30&t=21589 for an example.
Post Reply
mike1m
OpenVpn Newbie
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2021 3:59 am

OpenVPN - Cannot pre-load keyfile (ta.key) on windows 10

Post by mike1m » Thu Apr 08, 2021 5:23 am

Greetings all.

I tried to install OpenVPN on a VPS following this tutorial.
https://www.digitalocean.com/community/ ... untu-20-04
i followed all the steps and I thinks the server configurations it`s good.

Now I have a problem with windows app, when I'm setting the .ovpn file, I get this error message:

Image

in the log file found this.

Image

I think that error message is because the .ovpn file it's wrong. but i don't know the correct structure.

client1.ovpn

##############################################
# Sample client-side OpenVPN 2.0 config file #
# for connecting to multi-client server. #
# #
# This configuration can be used by multiple #
# clients, however each client should have #
# its own cert and key files. #
# #
# On Windows, you might want to rename this #
# file so it has a .ovpn extension #
##############################################

# Specify that we are a client and that we
# will be pulling certain config file directives
# from the server.
client

# Use the same setting as you are using on
# the server.
# On most systems, the VPN will not function
# unless you partially or fully disable
# the firewall for the TUN/TAP interface.
;dev tap
dev tun

# Windows needs the TAP-Win32 adapter name
# from the Network Connections panel
# if you have more than one. On XP SP2,
# you may need to disable the firewall
# for the TAP adapter.
;dev-node MyTap

# Are we connecting to a TCP or
# UDP server? Use the same setting as
# on the server.
;proto tcp
proto udp

# The hostname/IP and port of the server.
# You can have multiple remote entries
# to load balance between the servers.
;remote my-server-1 1194
;remote my-server-2 1194
remote 74.208.xx.xx 1194


# Choose a random host from the remote
# list for load-balancing. Otherwise
# try hosts in the order specified.
;remote-random

# Keep trying indefinitely to resolve the
# host name of the OpenVPN server. Very useful
# on machines which are not permanently connected
# to the internet such as laptops.
resolv-retry infinite

# Most clients don't need to bind to
# a specific local port number.
nobind

# Downgrade privileges after initialization (non-Windows only)
user nobody
group nogroup

# Try to preserve some state across restarts.
persist-key
persist-tun

# If you are connecting through an
# HTTP proxy to reach the actual OpenVPN
# server, put the proxy server/IP and
# port number here. See the man page
# if your proxy server requires
# authentication.
;http-proxy-retry # retry on connection failures
;http-proxy [proxy server] [proxy port #]

# Wireless networks often produce a lot
# of duplicate packets. Set this flag
# to silence duplicate packet warnings.
;mute-replay-warnings

# SSL/TLS parms.
# See the server config file for more
# description. It's best to use
# a separate .crt/.key file pair
# for each client. A single ca
# file can be used for all clients.
ca ca.crt
cert client.crt
key client.key

# Verify server certificate by checking that the
# certicate has the correct key usage set.
# This is an important precaution to protect against
# a potential attack discussed here:
# http://openvpn.net/howto.html#mitm
#
# To use this feature, you will need to generate
# your server certificates with the keyUsage set to
# digitalSignature, keyEncipherment
# and the extendedKeyUsage to
# serverAuth
# EasyRSA can do this for you.
remote-cert-tls server

# If a tls-auth key is used on the server
# then every client must also have the key.
tls-auth ta.key 1

# Select a cryptographic cipher.
# If the cipher option is used on the server
# then you must also specify it here.
# Note that v2.4 client/server will automatically
# negotiate AES-256-GCM in TLS mode.
# See also the ncp-cipher option in the manpage
;cipher AES-256-CBC
cipher AES-256-GCM
auth SHA256
key-direction 1

# Enable compression on the VPN link.
# Don't enable this unless it is also
# enabled in the server config file.
#comp-lzo

# Set log file verbosity.
verb 3

# Silence repeating messages
;mute 20

; script-security 2
; up /etc/openvpn/update-resolv-conf
; down /etc/openvpn/update-resolv-conf


; script-security 2
; up /etc/openvpn/update-systemd-resolved
; down /etc/openvpn/update-systemd-resolved
; down-pre
; dhcp-option DOMAIN-ROUTE .

<ca>
-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----
MIIB9zCCAXygAwIBAgIUZZP7QthiJ0kZCtHjes75uzaWF+MwCgYIKoZIzj0EAwQw
FDESMBAGA1UEAwwJV1RGIFxxxx
-----END CERTIFICATE-----
</ca>
<cert>
Certificate:
Data:
Version: 3 (0x2)
Serial Number:
a5:69:65:39:21:dd:47:xx
Signature Algorithm: ecdsa-with-SHA512
Issuer: CN=WTF TB CA
Validity
Not Before: Apr 8 00:51:28 2021 GMT
Not After : Mar 23 00:51:28 2024 GMT
Subject: CN=client1
Subject Public Key Info:
Public Key Algorithm: id-ecPublicKey
Public-Key: (384 bit)
pub:
04:c2:f5:a4:85:3b:e9:5c:f2:cf:ea:45:8e:a3:d8:
45:10:0e:f3:87:xx
ASN1 OID: secp384r1
NIST CURVE: P-384
X509v3 extensions:
X509v3 Basic Constraints:
CA:FALSE
X509v3 Subject Key Identifier:
B8:40:1C:AA:07:A0:47:48:7B:6E:25:F5:xx
X509v3 Authority Key Identifier:
keyid:1E:83:BA:B1:B4:F8:18:FB:D5:5C:FB:xx
DirName:/CN=WTF TB CA
serial:65:93:FB:42:D8:62:27:49:19:0A:xx

X509v3 Extended Key Usage:
TLS Web Client Authentication
X509v3 Key Usage:
Digital Signature
Signature Algorithm: ecdsa-with-SHA512
30:66:02:31:00:e7:67:57:4f:e1:52:48:f4:0f:15:84:78:9a:
1c:8a:be:b6:a1:1e:b7:ac:xx
-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----
MIICBDCCAYmgAwIBAgIRAKVpZTkh3Uf/qAcfWhiSJMEwCgYIKoZIzj0EAwQwFDES
MBAGA1UEAwwJV1RGIFRCIENBMB4xx
-----END CERTIFICATE-----
</cert>
<key>
-----BEGIN PRIVATE KEY-----
MIG2AgEAMBAGByqGSM49AgEGBSuBBAAiBIGeMIGbAgEBBDAPi6qOOFrUOJjXCeCz
/BFGCpQFIRnK3IgkUYXVdxx
-----END PRIVATE KEY-----
</key>
<tls-crypt>
#
# 2048 bit OpenVPN static key
#
-----BEGIN OpenVPN Static key V1-----
3a92c08dfc53853a6deabb5cbdfc1dbb
0c6f9602ee27acc56347193c9ae28031
e76bbd331e2cxx
-----END OpenVPN Static key V1-----
</tls-crypt>



this is my first time setting up a vpn server and I appreciate any help.

Thank you for your time and consideration!

300000
OpenVPN Expert
Posts: 685
Joined: Tue May 01, 2012 9:30 pm

Re: OpenVPN - Cannot pre-load keyfile (ta.key) on windows 10

Post by 300000 » Thu Apr 08, 2021 1:00 pm

you need to full path to ta.key file so windows can find the ta.key . on windows you need to use double \\ so it will work. the this is windows not Linus that is why you dont need user nobody group nogroup too , Just remove it and add this line to your config and try it again.

C:\\Program Files\\OpenVPN\\config\\ta.key

TinCanTech
OpenVPN Protagonist
Posts: 11137
Joined: Fri Jun 03, 2016 1:17 pm

Re: OpenVPN - Cannot pre-load keyfile (ta.key) on windows 10

Post by TinCanTech » Thu Apr 08, 2021 2:12 pm

Openvpn does not allow using --tls-auth and --tls-crypt in the same config.

Post Reply