Forticlient vpn BSOD

[#1]

Hi Guys, Since the Windows updates last week, my forticlient (4.2.3.0271_x64) has been crashing my machine. I run Windows 7 64bit, and the VPN client was working great prior to those updates (KB2552343, KB2547666, KB2545698). I have 3 dump files if someone wants to take a look at them. Thanks in advance for any help you can render.

[#2]

Good news! (finally) 4.2.5 has resolved this issue! I' m back on my VPN and hopefully it will be smooth sailing until from now on. Thanks all for the assist!

[ede_pfau]

I' m glad you made it! FClient usually is rock solid and if it runs initially, it' ll run for a long time with no hassles.

[#4]

*sigh* I hate to rain on our parade Ede, but after my latest reboot, the VPN establishment is once again causing a BSOD. It occurs right as the VPN is established. Can anyone take a look at the dump files that were generated to see the cause? I' m fairly certain it' s probably device related (virtual device).

[ede_pfau]

OK, scratch my last post :-(( Are you 100% sure you installed the 64bit client? What other low-level (filter-level) software do you use, like AV? Even if you leave out the AV part of FC, it might collide internally. Sometimes the sequence of drivers loading cause a malfunction. Sorry, back to the crystal ball for peeking...

[L_FTNT]

Hi geekmason, Is it a memory dump? Could you upload the dump file some where so I can take a look? Thanks, L.Clarke

[#7]

@Ede: I downloaded the file " FortiClientSetup_4.2.5.0286_x64.exe" from your link. I havent looked at my AV (McAfee) as i did not have any problem with the VPN initially (it originally ran for a couple months without issues until the end of June). @L.Clarke: My minidump file links below. http://dl.dropbox.com/u/13903506/072011-20545-01.dmp http://dl.dropbox.com/u/13903506/072011-20373-01.dmp

[#8]

I haven' t had much more luck trying to work this out. After trying two different versions and getting the same results (a somewhat unique occurrence based on others i have talked to) it seems there is something in my system configuration (drivers, phantom devices) offending the FortiClient virtual device drivers. Attached is a pic of my current network devices.

[L_FTNT]

Hi geekmason, Debugging of your dump files indicated that your BSODs were caused by pssdk42.sys driver (NOT from FortiClient drivers). Have you installed/updated the driver recently? I googled pssdk42.sys and got some interesting links. One of them here: http://www.advancedpctweaker.com/exe-errors/pssdk42.sys.html I don' t know if that is useful for you. You may want to uninstall or repair pssdk42.sys. Regards, L.Clarke

[ede_pfau]

That looks like it is a network (sniffing) driver from MicroOLAP' s Packet Sniffer SDK. Might very well interfere with other low level filter drivers like Fclient' s.

[#11]

L. Clarke: By co-incidence and a little bit of impatience I taught myself the WinDbg tool as well and came up with the same results. As my study / work centres around network security, I did infact have various network related tools installed. After un-installing Nessus, the problem has gone away and i can now establigh the VPN without issue. That being said, there were several periods of time that both were installed and co-existed happily, so the mystery remains (somewhat) as to why it was fine for a time, and other times it caused the BSOD. I think we can call this one solved, but not limit speculation to just Nessus, but perhaps (as ede suggests) low level filter drivers possibly causing conflicts. Strange case either way...... Thanks to you all for your help. This was a good exercise in troubleshooting (for myself anyway ;)