Flaky connection using windows 8 (64 bit)

[Muzzo]

Hi guys,

I've been using the OpenVPN GUI in windows 7 (32 bit) for a few years and it's been rock solid - very happy with it. I've just built a windows 8 machine (64 bit) and have tried the 32 bit software (version 2.2.2) as well as the x86/64 version 2.3.1 and the result is flaky. I can connect about half the time, the other half I get errors like this:

Sat Jun 01 09:29:11 2013 TAP-WIN32 device [Local Area Connection] opened: \\.\Global\{B12B1294-1A2E-42D2-8478-BB7F76053AA6}.tap
Sat Jun 01 09:29:11 2013 TAP-Windows Driver Version 9.9
Sat Jun 01 09:29:11 2013 Notified TAP-Windows driver to set a DHCP IP/netmask of 10.8.0.6/255.255.255.252 on interface {B12B1294-1A2E-42D2-8478-BB7F76053AA6} [DHCP-serv: 10.8.0.5, lease-time: 31536000]
Sat Jun 01 09:29:11 2013 Successful ARP Flush on interface [25] {B12B1294-1A2E-42D2-8478-BB7F76053AA6}
Sat Jun 01 09:29:13 2013 TEST ROUTES: 0/0 succeeded len=2 ret=0 a=0 u/d=down
Sat Jun 01 09:29:13 2013 Route: Waiting for TUN/TAP interface to come up...
Sat Jun 01 09:29:16 2013 TEST ROUTES: 0/0 succeeded len=2 ret=0 a=0 u/d=down
Sat Jun 01 09:29:16 2013 Route: Waiting for TUN/TAP interface to come up...
Sat Jun 01 09:29:17 2013 TEST ROUTES: 0/0 succeeded len=2 ret=0 a=0 u/d=down
Sat Jun 01 09:29:17 2013 Route: Waiting for TUN/TAP interface to come up...
Sat Jun 01 09:29:18 2013 TEST ROUTES: 0/0 succeeded len=2 ret=0 a=0 u/d=down
Sat Jun 01 09:29:18 2013 Route: Waiting for TUN/TAP interface to come up...
Sat Jun 01 09:29:19 2013 TEST ROUTES: 0/0 succeeded len=2 ret=0 a=0 u/d=down
Sat Jun 01 09:29:19 2013 Route: Waiting for TUN/TAP interface to come up...
Sat Jun 01 09:29:20 2013 TEST ROUTES: 0/0 succeeded len=2 ret=0 a=0 u/d=down
Sat Jun 01 09:29:20 2013 Route: Waiting for TUN/TAP interface to come up...
Sat Jun 01 09:29:21 2013 TEST ROUTES: 0/0 succeeded len=2 ret=0 a=0 u/d=down
Sat Jun 01 09:29:21 2013 Route: Waiting for TUN/TAP interface to come up...
Sat Jun 01 09:29:23 2013 TEST ROUTES: 0/0 succeeded len=2 ret=0 a=0 u/d=down
Sat Jun 01 09:29:23 2013 Route: Waiting for TUN/TAP interface to come up...
Sat Jun 01 09:29:24 2013 TEST ROUTES: 0/0 succeeded len=2 ret=0 a=0 u/d=down
Sat Jun 01 09:29:24 2013 Route: Waiting for TUN/TAP interface to come up...
Sat Jun 01 09:29:25 2013 TEST ROUTES: 0/0 succeeded len=2 ret=0 a=0 u/d=down
Sat Jun 01 09:29:25 2013 Route: Waiting for TUN/TAP interface to come up...
Sat Jun 01 09:29:26 2013 TEST ROUTES: 0/0 succeeded len=2 ret=0 a=0 u/d=down
Sat Jun 01 09:29:26 2013 Route: Waiting for TUN/TAP interface to come up...
Sat Jun 01 09:29:27 2013 TEST ROUTES: 0/0 succeeded len=2 ret=0 a=0 u/d=down
Sat Jun 01 09:29:27 2013 Route: Waiting for TUN/TAP interface to come up...
Sat Jun 01 09:29:28 2013 TEST ROUTES: 0/0 succeeded len=2 ret=0 a=0 u/d=down
Sat Jun 01 09:29:28 2013 Route: Waiting for TUN/TAP interface to come up...

edited a few lines out here

Sat Jun 01 09:29:44 2013 TEST ROUTES: 0/0 succeeded len=2 ret=0 a=0 u/d=down
Sat Jun 01 09:29:44 2013 MANAGEMENT: >STATE:1370071784,ADD_ROUTES,,,
Sat Jun 01 09:29:44 2013 C:\Windows\system32\route.exe ADD 192.168.55.0 MASK 255.255.255.0 10.8.0.5
Sat Jun 01 09:29:44 2013 env_block: add PATH=C:\Windows\System32;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\System32\Wbem
Sat Jun 01 09:29:44 2013 C:\Windows\system32\route.exe ADD 10.8.0.1 MASK 255.255.255.255 10.8.0.5
Sat Jun 01 09:29:44 2013 env_block: add PATH=C:\Windows\System32;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\System32\Wbem
Sat Jun 01 09:29:44 2013 SYSTEM ROUTING TABLE

The result of the failed attempts is this:

Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 SYSTEM ADAPTER LIST
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 TAP-Windows Adapter V9
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 Index = 25
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 GUID = {B12B1294-1A2E-42D2-8478-BB7F76053AA6}
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 IP = 0.0.0.0/0.0.0.0
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 MAC = 00:ff:b1:2b:12:94
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 GATEWAY = 0.0.0.0/255.255.255.255
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 DHCP SERV =
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 DHCP LEASE OBTAINED = Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 DHCP LEASE EXPIRES = Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 PRI WINS = 192.168.55.13/255.255.255.255
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 SEC WINS =
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 DNS SERV =
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 Juniper Network Connect Virtual Adapter
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 Index = 23
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 GUID = {85D35DFA-A1E4-428E-8CF4-C99E9A50275B}
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 IP = 0.0.0.0/0.0.0.0
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 MAC = 00:ff:10:f0:51:05
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 GATEWAY = 0.0.0.0/255.255.255.255
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 DHCP SERV =
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 DHCP LEASE OBTAINED = Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 DHCP LEASE EXPIRES = Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 DNS SERV =
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 Bluetooth Device (Personal Area Network)
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 Index = 15
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 GUID = {90413427-FAD1-4DA5-8D3A-5E973F67C45A}
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 IP = 0.0.0.0/0.0.0.0
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 MAC = 00:1e:37:e6:98:c8
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 GATEWAY = 0.0.0.0/255.255.255.255
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 DHCP SERV =
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 DHCP LEASE OBTAINED = Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 DHCP LEASE EXPIRES = Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 DNS SERV =
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 Index = 13
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 GUID = {A57A60A8-DADE-4E52-AFA6-33463EB26D7D}
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 IP = 0.0.0.0/0.0.0.0
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 MAC = 00:1e:68:50:b0:fe
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 GATEWAY = 0.0.0.0/255.255.255.255
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 DHCP SERV =
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 DHCP LEASE OBTAINED = Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 DHCP LEASE EXPIRES = Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 DNS SERV =
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network Connection
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 Index = 12
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 GUID = {89DBBDD5-4793-47D2-BEC0-9D8C90541B37}
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 IP = 10.10.10.55/255.255.255.0
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 MAC = 00:1f:3c:25:a6:e9
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 GATEWAY = 10.10.10.1/255.255.255.255
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 DHCP SERV = 10.10.10.1/255.255.255.255
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 DHCP LEASE OBTAINED = Sat Jun 01 09:45:32 2013
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 DHCP LEASE EXPIRES = Tue Jun 04 09:45:32 2013
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 DNS SERV = 10.10.10.1/255.255.255.255
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 VMware Virtual Ethernet Adapter for VMnet1
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 Index = 20
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 GUID = {2CAC0C6D-954C-4FF1-BBCA-95B15A447850}
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 IP = 192.168.31.1/255.255.255.0
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 MAC = 00:50:56:c0:00:01
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 GATEWAY = 0.0.0.0/255.255.255.255
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 DNS SERV =
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 VMware Virtual Ethernet Adapter for VMnet8
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 Index = 21
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 GUID = {651DE73A-CA16-40F8-B870-D25EA557E9D6}
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 IP = 192.168.233.1/255.255.255.0
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 MAC = 00:50:56:c0:00:08
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 GATEWAY = 0.0.0.0/255.255.255.255
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 DNS SERV =
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 Initialization Sequence Completed With Errors ( see http://openvpn.net/faq.html#dhcpclientserv )
Sat Jun 01 10:02:14 2013 MANAGEMENT: >STATE:1370073734,CONNECTED,ERROR,10.8.0.6,41.134.129.90


So the failed attempts end up not providing any IP address or getting and server IP addresses (see bolded text above). When I do a 'reconnect' I can usually get back in with a valid IP and I'm not changing any config here, just have to try a few times until I get an IP.

In windows 7 this was very stable - is this a problem associated with windows 8 or the fact that I have VMware Workstation installed?

Any assistance is appreciated, thanks.

[Muzzo]

Hi guys,

just to let you know that I've found a fix - it's to use the portable edition of OpenVPN from SourceForge:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/ovpnp/

Drop your config in there and run the exe as administrator and it works properly every time!
Hope this helps the next guy struggling with windows 8....

[mudtoe]

I have this problem sometimes on other 64 bit versions of windows (e.g. server 2008, win 7). I've found that it often happens the first time you run openvpn gui after a reboot, even if you run it as administrator. What has worked for me is to disable and then re-enable the TAP-Win32 adapter from the Network Connections control panel applet. Once it works it seems to work correctly for the duration of the boot.

[joshhogle]

I believe the issue is actually with User Account Control. I noticed this on my Win8 box today. I had turned off UAC initially but re-enabled it and was having issues. The problem is that when the OpenVPN client connects and tries to write routes and update DNS and the like, those are privileged operations in Win7 and Win8 with UAC enabled. The fix is to simply start your OpenVPN client by right clicking and using Run As Administrator. I was using the SecurePoint OpenVPN client and when I followed that procedure, it worked fine.

Josh

[peter.vanpoucke]

Solved this problem by restarting my DHCP client service...