Free VPN Forticlient asks for license

[Joachim]

I wanted to test a new version of Forticlient and somehow must have downloaded the wrong version, which showed me EMS and an expiration date. I uninstalled, rebooted and installed the correct VPN only version from https://www.fortinet.com/support/product-downloads#vpn, same problem.

I uninstalled, rebooted, cleaned registry, appdata, program files and program data from Fortinet/FortiClient entries. Reboot, reinistall of the old 6.4.8 VPN only client that I had saved on my hard drive.

Now also 6.4.8 shows me EMS and shows an expiration date.

Since I use for sure the free VPN only version, why does it ask for a license file? Where is the config stored that it lets the free version assume its the not free version?

[R_F · Accepted solution]

Hi,this is what Im referring for where you can download (support.fortinet.com) and  test FC with VPN function only. Pls see attached file for reference.

[Anonymous]

Hello @Joachim,

                         Thanks for reaching Fortinet Community. Could you please download the VPN-only file from the support portal directly than any other website. Please find the link below where you can login and download the forticlient VPN-only file.

https://support.fortinet.com

Hope this helps.

Thanks

[Joachim]

As I write above, I already did that and still get an expiration date "I uninstalled, rebooted and installed the correct VPN only version from https://www.fortinet.com/support/product-downloads#vpn, "

[R_F]

I assume you have account for support.fortinet.com portal. Go to Download section and download FortiClient ver 6.0.x or 6.2.x. 

[Joachim]

As I wrote above, I already did that and still get an expiration date "I uninstalled, rebooted and installed the correct VPN only version from https://www.fortinet.com/support/product-downloads#vpn, "

[Debbie_FTNT]

Hey Joachim,

did you use an online or offline installer for the 6.4.8 FortiClient installation?

In addition, do you only see the VPN option on the left-hand side in FortiClient, or other options? The VPN-only installer should only result in VPN features being visible, if more than that are visible then it would appear that somehow you managed to get the full FortiClient installed, not the VPN-only version.

As a comparison, a screenshot from a full (7.0) client:

and the VPN only (7.0) client:

Can you double-check the name of the installer you used?

For example, the online installer for the full version is called 'FortiClientOnlineInstaller.exe', and the online installer for VPN-only version is called 'FortiClientVPNOnlineInstaller.exe'.

[Debbie_FTNT]

Just to be 100% sure you used the correct installer - downloading from

https://www.fortinet.com/support/product-downloads#vpn should give you the correct one (with 'VPN') in the name.

[Joachim]

That's exactly where I downloaded FortiClientVPNOnlineInstaller.exe
When I use this installer on another client it will install VPN only. When I use it on my client, where I accidentally used the full 7.x trial and uninstalled it, it will install the version with all options. That's my problem. I use the correct installer and I uninstalled, deleted manually files and cleaned the registry. Still there is something left that triggers the VPN only client to behave like the full client.

[Joachim]

I use two installers: FortiClientVPNOnlineInstaller.exe and FortiClientVPN_6.4.8\FortiClientVPN.msi 

Initially I used FortiClientVPN_6.4.8\FortiClientVPN.msi. Only after installing the 7.x version for testing I have the problem, that regardless which version I install I see more options than VPN only and have an expiration date.

[Debbie_FTNT]

Hey Joachim,

thanks for clarifying.

That is rather weird. I tested on a lab Windows VM (Windows 10) to see if this is a common issue - downloaded the Online Installer for the full version, installed it, removed it (just via uninstall option, I did NOT go to the same extent as you did), and then downloaded and installed the VPN only version.
I did end up with a VPN only FortiClient without any issues, so I'm really not sure what's going on.

Perhaps the version differences, between your full 6.4.8 and online VPN only 7.0, are causing this weird behavior?

You did install the full 7.0 version, removed that, and then tried the VPN-only 7.0 version, correct? The only difference in my lab is that I did not have previous 6.4.8 installation?