How to get Cisco VPN to work on Windows 8

As a SQL server DBA consultant you once in while need to connect remote to your clients server and you can’t choose the VPN software and have to use your clients solution. If you already have upgraded to Windows 8 and need to use Cisco VPN 5.0.7 you realize that the VPN client is not compatible with Windows 8.

Don’t give up, there is a simple solution to this fix.

1. Open the regedit.exe
2. Browse the registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\CVirtA
3. Export the original registry key
4. Change the value DisplayName to:
   • for x86 system: “Cisco Systems VPN Adapter”
   • for x64 system: “Cisco Systems VPN Adapter for 64-bit Windows”
5. Close regedit
6. Try connect with VPN client

If this doesn’t work replace the setting to the original value with your exported registry key.