Windows 8.1 on an HP m6-n010dx.
(update Nov 14 2018)
With one possible exception, I've decided not to try any more experiments for now. Originally my problem was that when I tried to install a second VPN app as a backup, the installation failed, and after I tried to fix that, I discovered that my other VPN app could not create any new connections. The problem may or may not have already existed before the failed installation brought it to my attention. I traced it to a code 31 error on all the hidden network adapters, and I traced that to the Remote Access Connection manager not being able to load one or more DLLs. All the solutions that I've tried so far, which I listed in my original post (see below,, after this update), have failed, and some of them have made things worse. I have *not* tried these solutions:
- Reinstall rasman
- Update to Windows 8.1. The computer already already has 8.1, but one person with a similar problem reported being able to update his Windows 8.1 to Windows 8.1, and solving the problem that way.
- Refresh the system.
Those solutions above are solutions that I have *not* tried, and don't intend to try, for now. Solutions that I have tried are listed below. The possible exception, the solution that I might try, is to look in rasman.dll to see what DLLs it uses, and if any are missing, to copy them from another computer.
(end of update)
Original post:
Note: I've already tried:
- DISM and FSC /scannow.
- Restoring the system to a backup from before all this happened.
- Updating the drivers. All driver updates fail with the same code 31 error.
- Installing a dummy driver, to be able to uninstall and reinstall a non-working adapter. The update to Microsoft KM-TEST Loopback Adapter, or to any other driver in the list, fails with the same code 31 error.
- Deleting the config subkey in the registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Network, and rebooting. All the same network adapters still had the code 31 error.
I've found a possible new lead. I looked through the recent events in the events viewer, and found some RasMan events which say that the Remote Access Communication Manager failed
to start because it could not load one or more communication DLLs.
One person solved this problem by re-installing the Windows 8.1 update. I'm unable to post the link, but it can be found by searching for "Remote Access Connection Manager failed to start."
Before I try that, I'd like to find out if I could get a list of the communication DLLs used by the Remote Access Communication Manager, so I can see if any of them are missing or corrupted.