Bug with the Cisco VPN Client?

I have a VPN Client issue I wanted to post here before I report it to the Cisco TAC. I have about 15 profiles in my VPN Client (4.8.00 on XP) The Client has crashed my computer a couple times, not sure why and am unable to replicate it on demand. When it crashes, it deletes my configuration files. When I navigate to the C:\\Program Files\\Cisco Systems\\VPN Client\\Profiles, all the configuration files are still there but empty, no group names, passwords, etc. Very strange, has another else experienced this?

Reply to
DCS
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check out Cisco bug id CSCsa74320

Reply to
Merv

Yes! This happens to me too. I thought it was my particular installation of Windows. Do you know if the previous release is better?

Reply to
Rob

I too have been bit by this. I had well over 4 dozen PCFs from many different clients that were hosed. The most recent crash was with 4.7. Why the hell the CVPN client had all those files *open* let alone

*writable* at all I will never know. There is no reason for the CVPN client to ever open the files after the initial boot (once it's read everything into memory) and no reason to ever have them open and writeable unless the user is making changes to a specific profile's config. That's inexcusable programing IMHO but I digress.

One feature that I would love to see added is the ability to have a Pix or Concentrator force the CVPN client to delete a given PCF if the admin so commands. I'm stuck with users that have a copy of a PCF on a system with X-auth but no authorization. They're using a PCF that they're not supposed to be using but I can't convince them to come get a copy of the correct PCF. I want to be able to command the remote Cisco client to delete the PCF. Along these same lines I'd like the ability to push a replacement PCF to the CVPN client in preparation for a group auth password change. If I could push out the new PCF 2 weeks before the password gets changed then I can greatly reduce the strain on myself and the helpdesk when such a change is mandated.

Back on topic, my best advice is to backup you PCFs regularly. There are plenty of free backup tools that can automatically backup files to remote (or local) destinations on a regular schedule.

J
Reply to
J

What about using a version before this affected bug? Were they worse in other ways?

Reply to
Rob

I found the bug information on the Cisco website under CSCsa74320 and it's known and affects Client versions 4.6 and up. The bug was listed as a severity 3 but I've opened a new TAC case to have it raised to a 2 since I'm in production and already had some users get their configs blown away. If anyone else has this issue, please open a TAC case by calling 1 800 553 2447 or going to the Cisco web site and logging on with your CCO account and to open a new ticket and reference the above bug number.

It's kind of like Microsoft Word erasing all you documents in My Documents when the system crashes.....

Reply to
DCS

Yes J, that would be a great feature to be able to push out PCF updates with new passwords, features, etc!

Reply to
DCS

Done.

Reply to
Rob

Rob,

TAC said to drop down to Client version 4.00 until a new release is out. According to my TAC engineer it's a high priority. Make sure you don't lose any needed features by going back.

Reply to
DCS

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