XP system hangs on boot after installing VPN Client

[smithk10]

Trying to install VPN Client on a Windows XP laptop. I have tried at least a dozen different scenarios... each one ending with either a) the system locks up at the end of the installation process, or b) the installation appears fine but won't reboot (gets to the windows is starting up dialog and stays there).

In both cases there are never any error message or indication of any problem from the Cisco installation software.

This is on a Windows XP Pro SP1, P4 1.8ghz laptop, 512mb ram, 30gig hd - no other known issues or problems except this software.

This software has been installed successfully on other XP laptops at this company.

If I go to the "Event Viewer" there are some strange entries around the time of the installation:

"The COM+ Event System detected a bad return code during its internal processing. HRESULT was 8007043C from line 44 of d:\nt\com\com1x\src\events\tier1\eventsystemobj.cpp. Please contact Microsoft Product Support Services to report this error."

and

"Volume Shadow Copy Service error: Unexpected error calling routine CoCreateInstance. hr = 0x80040206."

Any ideas would be of great help.

[john.gudmann]

What type of network interface do the laptop use? I had a problem like yours with me Dell (C840) because i had a "MAC-Brigde-Miniport" so I had to remove the netvork from the MAC-brigde. and then install the software.

Ore after your have install the software go to the Mac-brigde and remove the "Deterministic Network Enhancer" service for this connection. Now you can restart the laptop.

[smithk10]

that sounds as if it may be the problem but i'm not sure what you mean by "remove the network from the MAC-bridge"

Under my network connection properties the system shows:

Network Bridge:

Local Area Connection... (type) Network Bridge... (stat) Enabled, Bridged... (dev) Realtek RTL8139/810X Family PCI Fast Ethernet NIC

Network Bridge (Network Bridge)... (type) Network Bridge... (stat) Enabled... (dev) MAC Bridge Miniport

[smithk10]

ignore my previous question about removing the MAC-bridge. i've figured that out. i guess because the computer was installed with a 1394 Connection it bridges them by default or something.

the problem now is that when the "Local Area Connection" is not part of the bridge i don't have any network connectivity through it. i know this is now out of the realm of being a cisco installation problem but i'm curious why my network card only works properly as part of a the bridge?

and is there any cisco documentation anywhere that explains the problem of their software not installing on a bridged connection?

[john.gudmann]

Steps 1) remove vpn software. 2) Restore you bridge network again. 3) Install vpn software but don’t restart. Now you have to find the “network bridge properties” section. Here you have to remove the "Deterministic Network Enhancer" (not uninstall but just not selected). Now you can restart and work. For me it did.

Try looking at this pages. (explains the brigde funktions)

http://www.homenethelp.com/web/howto/windows-xp-bridge-setup.asp

[engel]

John,

Thanks for your info. I will try , if this XP bridge thingies don`t interoperable with VPN 3000 remote client and will cause some problem with XP booting process. I got report from the end-users that their XP won`t boot after installing VPN client also, and until now we can`t simulate the problem.

BTW, this problem happen on IBM Thinkpad loaded with Windows XP.

Regards,

Engel