Windows 10 VPN will not connect. It shows Unavailable - Device missing.

Question

Windows 10 VPN will not connect. It shows Unavailable - Device missing.

Anonymous

I have a laptop on version 1703 (OS Build 15063.850) that will not connect to our VPN (PPTP). When I try to connect it shows "Connecting..." and never advances. If I go into the network setting and look at the Advanced Adapter Settings the VPN connection shows "Unavailable - Device missing". When I try to right-click and view properties I get an unspecified error.

I have updated drivers, uninstalled adapters, ran the trouble shooter, turned off the firewall, reinstalled the VPN, ran ipconfig (release, renew, and flushdns), basically anything I could find to attempt to resolve the issue. I was going to attempt to uninstall the last windows update, but I am not given the option to.

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Answer accepted by question author

1 additional answer

Answer 1

Try following additional options over and above whatever you have already tried -

Please try these options one by one and check after each option

Option 1: Use the ESET Sysrescue offline scanner to scan your computer

How to - https://www.groovypost.com/howto/clean-virus-in...

Option 2. Run malware scan

Run following, one of them should do the job.

Malware Bytes - https://www.malwarebytes.com/

TDSSKiller Rootkit Removal Utility - http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/tdsski...

RogueKiller - http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/roguek...

RKill - http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/rkill/

SuperAntiSpyware - http://www.superantispyware.com/

Option 3: Run SFC Scan & DISM

How to - https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/for...

Option 4: Restart required VPN services

Windows Key+R

Type services.msc & click OK

Make sure that the following services are exist and started.

Remote Access Auto Connection Manager.
Remote Access Connection Manager

If all the above services exists, try to restart them manually and then try to use your VPN connection.

Option 5: Delete Real Time Event Trace Sessions Logs.

Start you computer in Safe Mode.

Log on to Windows by using an account with Administrative privileges.

Open Windows Explorer and navigate at the following location:

C:\Windows\System32\LogFiles\WMI\RtBackup

Delete all the contents (“*.ETL” files) inside RtBackup folder

Restart your computer and log on to Windows normally.

Delete and re-create your VPN connection

Answer 2

Try following additional options over and above whatever you have already tried -

Please try these options one by one and check after each option

Option 1: Use the ESET Sysrescue offline scanner to scan your computer

How to - https://www.groovypost.com/howto/clean-virus-in...

Option 2. Run malware scan

Run following, one of them should do the job.

Malware Bytes - https://www.malwarebytes.com/

TDSSKiller Rootkit Removal Utility - http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/tdsski...

RogueKiller - http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/roguek...

RKill - http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/rkill/

SuperAntiSpyware - http://www.superantispyware.com/

Option 3: Run SFC Scan & DISM

How to - https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/for...

Option 4: Restart required VPN services

Windows Key+R

Type services.msc & click OK

Make sure that the following services are exist and started.

Remote Access Auto Connection Manager.

Remote Access Connection Manager

If all the above services exists, try to restart them manually and then try to use your VPN connection.

Option 5: Delete Real Time Event Trace Sessions Logs.

Start you computer in Safe Mode.

Log on to Windows by using an account with Administrative privileges.

Open Windows Explorer and navigate at the following location:

C:\Windows\System32\LogFiles\WMI\RtBackup

Delete all the contents (“*.ETL” files) inside RtBackup folder

Restart your computer and log on to Windows normally.

Delete and re-create your VPN connection

Thank you very much! Option 4 was what got me back going on this issue. The services had been disabled. I had to go in and enable them and then start them. After that the VPN connected right away.

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Windows 10 VPN will not connect. It shows Unavailable - Device missing.

1 additional answer