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The Ultimate Guide to Fixing Vanguard Error 128: A Step-by-Step Troubleshooting Journey

Are you ready to jump into a game of Valorant or League of Legends, only to be stopped dead in your tracks by the dreaded "Vanguard has encountered a connection error. Please relaunch client to reconnect" message with the infamous VAN 128 error code? It's a frustrating experience, especially when you're itching to play. This error, often related to Vanguard's initialization or a conflict with other software, can feel like a brick wall. But don't worry, we're here to help you smash through it.

Let's begin this troubleshooting journey together. Grab a cup of coffee, take a deep breath, and let's get your game back on track.

Step 1: The First and Most Important Step - The Simple Restart

Before we dive into complex system settings and advanced fixes, let's start with the most basic yet surprisingly effective solution. Have you tried turning it off and on again? Seriously. A simple restart can often resolve temporary glitches and service conflicts.

First, close your game client completely. Make sure it's not running in the background. You can check this by opening the Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) and ending any processes related to Valorant, League of Legends, or Riot Client.

Next, restart your computer. A full system restart will also restart the Riot Vanguard service (vgc), which is crucial for the game to run.

Finally, launch your game client and see if the error is gone. If this simple fix worked, congratulations! You've saved yourself a lot of time. If not, don't despair. We're just getting started.

Step 2: Ensure Vanguard is Running and Set to Automatic

The VAN 128 error often indicates that the Vanguard anti-cheat service is not running or has failed to initialize. Let's make sure it's set up to start automatically with your system.

Sub-heading: Checking the VGC Service Status

Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.
Type services.msc and press Enter. This will open the Services window.
Scroll down the list and find the service named "vgc".
Right-click on "vgc" and select Properties.
In the "Startup type" dropdown menu, make sure it's set to "Automatic". If it's not, change it.
Under "Service status," click the Start button if the service is not running.
Click Apply and then OK.

After making these changes, restart your PC and try launching the game again. This step is a critical one, as the vgc service is the heart of Vanguard.

Step 3: Confirm Your System is in a Trusted State

Vanguard is a kernel-level anti-cheat, and it's very particular about the state of your system. If certain security settings are not configured correctly, it can lead to errors like VAN 128.

Sub-heading: Disable Test Signing Mode and Driver Signature Enforcement

Vanguard requires that your system is in a secure state, and having test signing or integrity checks disabled can trigger the error.

Open the Windows Start menu and type cmd.
Right-click on Command Prompt and select "Run as administrator".
In the Command Prompt window, type the following two commands, pressing Enter after each one:
- bcdedit /set TESTSIGNING off
- bcdedit /set nointegritychecks OFF
You should see a message confirming the operation was successful.
Restart your computer and then try launching the game.

Step 4: Address Potential Software Conflicts

Sometimes, other programs on your computer can interfere with Vanguard's operation. This is a common cause for error 128.

Sub-heading: Check for and Disable Debugging Settings

An issue with Windows' debugging settings can cause the error. Let's make sure they are turned off.

Press the Windows key.
Type sysdm.cpl and press Enter. This will open the System Properties window.
Go to the Advanced tab.
Under "Startup and Recovery," click Settings.
In the "Write debugging information" dropdown, select (none).
Click OK and then Apply.
Restart your computer and test the game.

Sub-heading: Uninstall Conflicting Software

Certain third-party applications, especially security-related ones, can clash with Vanguard. If you have any of the following installed, consider disabling or uninstalling them.

Fasoo software: Some users have reported that this program can cause issues, leading to a reconnecting loop without a specific error message. You can uninstall it from the Control Panel under "Programs and features."
CryptoPro Cloud CSP: This software is known to conflict with Vanguard and may appear as cpinit.exe in your Task Manager. You can try disabling it first, and if that doesn't work, uninstall it.

Step 5: The Last Resort - Reinstall Vanguard and the Game

If you've tried all the steps above and the error persists, it's time to consider a fresh installation. This will ensure that all files are uncorrupted and that Vanguard is properly installed on your system.

Sub-heading: Uninstalling and Reinstalling Riot Vanguard

Open the Windows Start menu and type Add or remove programs.
In the list of installed programs, find "Riot Vanguard".
Click on it and select Uninstall. Follow the on-screen instructions.
Once Vanguard is uninstalled, you need to reinstall it. The easiest way to do this is to simply launch your game client (e.g., Valorant or League of Legends). The Riot client will detect that Vanguard is missing and prompt you to install it.
After the installation is complete, restart your computer one more time.

If reinstalling Vanguard alone doesn't work, you may need to go a step further.

Sub-heading: Complete Reinstallation of the Game and Vanguard

This is the nuclear option, but it's often the most reliable way to fix persistent issues.

Go to the "Add or remove programs" settings as described above.
Uninstall both "Riot Vanguard" and "Valorant" (or League of Legends, whichever game you're playing).
After uninstalling, manually check your C: drive for any leftover game files in the Riot Games folder and delete them.
Download the game installer from the official Riot Games website and perform a clean installation.
This will also install a fresh copy of Vanguard.

This process ensures that no corrupted files or conflicting remnants are left on your system.

FAQ: Quick Solutions to Common Vanguard Issues

How to check if Riot Vanguard is running?

Open the Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc), go to the "Services" tab, and look for "vgc". If its status is "Running", it's active.

How to set the VGC service to run automatically?

Press Windows key + R, type services.msc, find "vgc", right-click and go to Properties, then set "Startup type" to "Automatic".

How to uninstall Riot Vanguard?

Go to Windows' "Add or remove programs" setting, find "Riot Vanguard" in the list, and click "Uninstall".

How to disable debugging settings in Windows?

Press Windows key, type sysdm.cpl, go to the Advanced tab, click Settings under "Startup and Recovery", and change "Write debugging information" to "(none)".

How to run Command Prompt as an administrator?

Open the Windows Start menu, type cmd, right-click on "Command Prompt", and select "Run as administrator".

How to restart the Riot Client?

Open the Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc), find any processes related to Riot Client, and click "End task". Then, relaunch the client from your desktop.

How to check for conflicting software like Fasoo or CryptoPro?

Go to Control Panel -> Programs -> Programs and Features and look for any applications published by "fasoo.com" or "CryptoPro".

How to find the Vanguard error code on the support site?

Go to the official Riot Games support website for your game (e.g., support-valorant.riotgames.com) and search for the error code in their knowledge base.

How to update my Windows OS to be compatible with Vanguard?

Go to Windows Settings -> Windows Update and click "Check for updates". Install any pending updates.

How to contact Riot Games support for further help?

If all else fails, visit the Riot Games support website, submit a ticket, and provide detailed information about the error and the steps you've already taken. They can offer more personalized assistance.

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How To Fix Vanguard Error 128