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.......