Installing the Cisco VPN Client on Windows 7

Posted on May 27, 2009 by matt

This set of instructions exists more or less on more than one site, usually completed by a few follow-up comments. For my own sanity and future reference, these are the 100% reproducible set of installation instructions, which prevent a nasty BSOD when trying to use the Cisco VPN Client:

  1. If you tried previously to install the Cisco VPN client, uninstall it and reboot.
  2. Run the Citrix Deterministic Networks Update (DNEUpdate) that is appropriate for your architecture.
  3. Reboot.
  4. Take Ownership of and then delete c:\Windows\System32\drivers\ndis.sys
  5. Take Ownership of and then delete c:\Windows\System32\drivers\en-us\ndis.sys.mui
  6. Install the VPN Client. I used version 5.0.05.0290, but I have heard that 5.0.04.0300 works as well.
  7. Reboot. Allow Windows to repair itself. This takes about 30 seconds.
  8. Your PC will complete a final reboot itself.

This worked like a charm for me and, from what the rest of the interwebs are saying, works for most everyone else.

Update: As noted in the comments below, this only works for 32-bit installations of Windows 7.

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2 Responses to Installing the Cisco VPN Client on Windows 7

  1. ggcc says:
    June 7, 2009 at 11:37 pm

    I can not install any version of Cisco vpnclient-win-msi-5.0.0xxx.exe on windows 7 buid 7100 64 bit. The error msg that I have is “Error 28011: Windows 64-bit is not support by Cisco System VPN Clietn 5.0.05.0290.” (I have done step 1 to 5 above).

    I also tried to change the compatibility mode to Windows Vista (sp2) but the error message above won’t give up!!

    Any suggestion for Windows 7 64 bit?

    Thank you very much.

  2. matt says:
    June 8, 2009 at 8:43 am

    Whoops — I thought I noted it the post, but these instructions only work on 32-bit installs of Windows 7.