MX Linux Forum

OK, there is a new version of the PrivateInternetAccess (PIA) VPN client out (pia-linux-1.0.2-02363.run). I have been using their previous versions (v81 and v83) for some time BUT the new version doesn't install on MX-18.1.

I have tried it on other distros, on Peppermint 9 and Debian Buster (Testing) it's fine.

on MX the output is...

terry@t430-mx18:~/Downloads/utils
$ ./pia-linux-1.0.2-02363.run
Verifying archive integrity... 100% MD5 checksums are OK. All good.
Uncompressing Private Internet Access 100%

=================================
Private Internet Access Installer
=================================

This will replace your existing installation of Private Internet Access.
Downgrading afterwards will require a clean reinstall. Do you wish to continue? [y/N] y
Please exit Private Internet Access and press any key to continue.
[sudo] password for terry:
✔ Uninstalled Private Internet Access
groupadd: group 'piavpn' already exists
✔ Added group piavpn
✔ Copied PIA files
✔ Created var folder
✔ Installed icon
✔ Created desktop entry
✔ Created piavpn service
Failed to restart piavpn.service: No such method 'RestartUnit'
See system logs and 'systemctl status piavpn.service' for details.
terry@t430-mx18:~/Downloads/utils
$



I also tried on Devuan, and this may be the clue...

terry@t430-devuan:~/Downloads/utils$ ./pia-linux-1.0.2-02363.run
Verifying archive integrity... 100% MD5 checksums are OK. All good.
Uncompressing Private Internet Access 100%

=================================
Private Internet Access Installer
=================================

A systemd based OS is required to run this program
terry@t430-devuan:~/Downloads/utils$


Now, I know MX doesn't use systemd by default, but has it installed so that things that need/use ithave it available (correct?). My question is, is there and obvious bit of the systemd package that needs adding to MX to satisfy the PIA software?


I'll be dropping a note to the PIA folks also to see if they an alternative option for non-system distros, and in the mean time revert to the v83 version. If you need to see the system logs and whatever I'll be happy to go looking, I assume how to access them is documented somewhere in the wiki?

Thanks

If you do a search for Expressvpn there is a hack that made it work without systemd running as pid1. It may work for you or asked the one who did it if he can do the same for you.

edit add kink
posting.php?mode=quote&f=104&p=465541

Same issue for me. v82 works fine, but 1.0.2-02363 does not. As a matter of fact I just contacted PIA about an hour ago via email asking what versions were vetted for Debian. I did not think of the systemd angle.

I look for the "Expressvpn" threads and see if it suggests anything that helps.


Terry

richb wrote: Fri Feb 15, 2019 7:19 pm Same issue for me. v82 works fine, but 1.0.2-02363 does not. As a matter of fact I just contacted PIA about an hour ago via email asking what versions were vetted for Debian. I did not think of the systemd angle.

I had Debian Buster and Devuan on other partitions and Peppermint 9 on a partition on another laptop and decided to test it on those, it worked fine on Debian and Peppermins, but the error on Devuan (an even more non-systemd distro) it failed with the most helpful error message.

I also sent PIA a message (via their Contact Us page.

Terry

I didn't update, & won't, until I read that they will support non systemd distros. (Which makes sense don't you think?)

Which is something that I think may be unlikely, as the majority rules (systemd distros); it will cost PIA money to write more code for a much smaller user base. I certainly hope that I'm wrong about that. They are primarily a profit making business.

I'll stick with the older version of the GUI. As it is I have to run v79, as the next later version or two had a bug that made it/them, incompatible with my machine. Which doesn't really bother me. I think that the upgrades are far more pertinent for MS OS's. I upgraded my Win7 install today.

PIA Support response:

While PIA developers are constantly working to expand compatibility, currently, as stated on the downloads page, when it comes to Linux the PIA VPN app requires Ubuntu 16/18 and it will occasionally work on other compatible GNOME/KDE distros. Until the most recent application is officially supported on the distribution you are using, you would need to use the legacy application, Linux Network Manager, or another manual OpenVPN configuration resource available to your system.

The only reason I tried to update was if a security hole had been discovered and fixed.

@richb, PIA say what they've done in their release notes for each upgrade. There really haven't been any changes that matter for Linux, for some time.

handy wrote: Sat Feb 16, 2019 7:51 am @richb, PIA say what they've done in their release notes for each upgrade. There really haven't been any changes that matter for Linux, for some time.

Thanks. I did read the release notes, just was unsure how complete they were. I do have another MX 18 install on another SSD drive. I will boot tos ystemd and see if the update to PIA works. More out of curiosity if the interface has changed very much.

Just to add....PIA 1.0.2 would not install for me and I went back to v82. The new version has a very cool and much improved interface imo so I was looking forward to using it on my MX Linux box.......

I can verify that PIA latest version does run in MX 18 booted to systemd. I agree that the interface is much nicer.

If it is systemd depended, then it's the same fix like in this thread viewtopic.php?f=94&t=46456

OK, IF there really isn't any significant (to Linux) updates in the new version I have no problem living with the v83 version and interface.

I do NOT want to mess about with MX to use systemd (I have no moral objections to systemd, but I like to stick as close as possible to "out of the box" with distros I install and use). If the MX dev team decide to update what's installed so it works (it will be a tried and tested upgrade) then fine, or if PIA amend their installer/software, then great. I am unwilling to destabalize my system by me pratting about with things in the boot process or other fundamental bits of plumbing.

Still, I'm glad to know others have the same or similar issues and that solutions have, or maybe, found that more adventurous souls can play with.

I pretty much agree and will stay with v83. I did contact the developers at the suggestion of the help desk and made my pitch, Here it is.

As you know it is an issue of systems using sysvinit rather than systemd. If the latest version can be made to work with sysvinit those Linux versions using that init system will work with the latest PIA version and future updates.
In my opinion that would increase your marketing reach.

richb wrote: Sat Feb 16, 2019 9:54 am I pretty much agree and will stay with v83. I did contact the developers at the suggestion of the help desk and made my pitch, Here it is.

As you know it is an issue of systems using sysvinit rather than systemd. If the latest version can be made to work with sysvinit those Linux versions using that init system will work with the latest PIA version and future updates.
In my opinion that would increase your marketing reach.

Where's the "like button"?...

TerryL wrote: Sat Feb 16, 2019 9:36 am I like to stick as close as possible to "out of the box" with distros I install and use.

Definitely agree. This way, everything works with minimum hassle. Prefer to adapt myself to any changes, rather than fiddling with a distro to make it
look/work like something I used in the past.

lol, you guys certainly wouldn't like to use Arch Linux then...

handy wrote: Sat Feb 16, 2019 7:07 pm lol, you guys certainly wouldn't like to use Arch Linux then...

Never considered it.

handy wrote: Sat Feb 16, 2019 7:07 pm lol, you guys certainly wouldn't like to use Arch Linux then...

I'm happy using ArcoLinux (sort of Arch). I don't mind PLAYING with distros, but MX is one I USE.

I've seen several references to PIA v83 in this thread but find no such version on the PIA website (I'm currently running v82). Have they taken v83 down or am I just not seeing it?

jordansc wrote: Sun Feb 17, 2019 12:49 pm I've seen several references to PIA v83 in this thread but find no such version on the PIA website (I'm currently running v82). Have they taken v83 down or am I just not seeing it?

Rechecked and it is v82 I am using. I cannot find v83 either on the website.

jordansc wrote: Sun Feb 17, 2019 12:49 pm I've seen several references to PIA v83 in this thread but find no such version on the PIA website (I'm currently running v82). Have they taken v83 down or am I just not seeing it?

I got v83 when my computer popped up a notification at startup. The version jumped from v81 to v83, I never saw a v82. Mysterious are the ways of VPNs...

richb wrote: Sun Feb 17, 2019 3:57 pm

jordansc wrote: Sun Feb 17, 2019 12:49 pm I've seen several references to PIA v83 in this thread but find no such version on the PIA website (I'm currently running v82). Have they taken v83 down or am I just not seeing it?

Rechecked and it is v82 I am using. I cannot find v83 either on the website.

I'm not hallucinating am I?... Nope, double checked, it say v83 in the bottom left corner of the "Setting" menu.

Strange indeed as mine is clearly v82. and I see no v83 on the download page or their change log.

richb wrote: Mon Feb 18, 2019 5:17 am Strange indeed as mine is clearly v82. and I see no v83 on the download page or their change log.

Hmmm, I'm in the UK getting "odd numbers", are you in the US getting "even numbers", I know us Brits have a reputation for being a bit "odd" (I prefer eccentric) in some places.

I'd offer to share my v83 but then you'd have no way of knowing I wasn't trying to pass on some dodgy code.

What about setting your VPN to pretend to be in the UK and see if they offer v83...

Can you tell I'm a bit bored? I blame this man-flu

Terry

While I would trust a download from you I am OK with v82.
I did point my VPN to UK London and am offered the same v82 legacy download.

richb wrote: Mon Feb 18, 2019 10:17 am While I would trust a download from you I am OK with v82.
I did point my VPN to UK London and am offered the same v82 legacy download.

Good idea stick to what you know works, if only I took more of my own advice more often

I've just noticed that on the PIA download page a (new) comment

"64-bit only. We're working on supporting more Linux flavors and versions"

So I guess they've had feedback and we'll have to wait and see if they sort it.

Would like to thank the community for the information in this thread. I had spent an hour and a half trying to get ExpressVPN working with chat support. Finally decided to dump it and try PIA. PIA installed but wouldn't load correctly. Turned out the issue for both ExpressVPN and PIA was systemd.

Wow. What an evening.

Thanks again everyone

I found this page on PIA's support page helpful

https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/h ... e-terminal

I got this working (with I assume the latest version).

I normally use just a handful of servers, the UK ones naturally) and a couple in the US when I want to read a US news site that says I can't because I'm not in the US. I've written a simple script that allows me to start up OpenVPN using my PIA account details easily from a command line. It's not perfect yet, it works but it's a bit ugly so I'm still working on it.

TerryL wrote: Mon May 20, 2019 5:22 pm I got this working (with I assume the latest version).

Have you tried latest PIAVPN installer from MX Package installer -> popular apps should work in normal sysVinit.

I only noticed yesterday in a post by richb, where he mentioned as an aside that the dev's had made the PIA-VPN client work on MX without systemd. :D

So I PM'd him & asked if all I had to do was delete the old version & install the new package.

He said yes, & to use the mx-packageinstaller "Popular Applications" tab / Network / PIAVPN

Which I did, with not problems.

The terminal command that you need to use to delete what needs to be deleted (from a not running PIA-VPN client install) follows:

I hadn't see that, just tried and it works.

Now, what happens when their next update comes along... we'll wait and see

Thanks for the heads up

Oh, and I deleted the .pia whatever directory via the file manager, not "old school" but far less likely that old fumble fingers here will screw up an "rm -rf" command and end up crying like a... whatever cries

Well, there's my answer. Just update from PIA 1.2 to 1.2.1 with no bother