PIA launches, then disappears

DJAB

Hello, I have a Macbook.  I installed PIA, and entered the login credentials.  Then it disappears and I can't find it anywhere.  If I double click on the app, I don't get any error messages and nothing happens.  I uninstalled and reinstalled.  Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Max-P

I don't know a whole lot about Mac personally, but on that platform the app goes into the menu bar at the top of the screen on the right side like this:



Is that icon not there?

DJAB

Thanks, it's not there, so it must not be launching

tomeworm

@DJAB, this sounds like an incompatibility issue. What versions of OS X and PIA app are you running?

Lauri

I'm having the same problem.  Why don't we have a response from PIA?

PIAAustin

@DJAB, 

Have you tried adding the PIA file exclusions to any security software you may be using? 

@Lauri

If you can open a ticket here and let me know your ticket number, I will be happy to assist you as well  

Proggie

I too have experienced this. I reinstalled with the latest version but this still happens. Seems to be related to perhaps logging into another user account on my mac, and then logging out of that account and logging into the main one that auto launches PIA. When I grep for pia process I see:

proggie            861   0.0  0.0        0      0   ??  Z    Wed09pm   0:00.00 (pia_nw)

root              1264   0.0  0.0        0      0   ??  Z    Wed09pm   0:00.00 (pia_openvpn_clie)

root               934   0.0  0.0        0      0   ??  Z    Wed09pm   0:00.00 (pia_openvpn_clie)

Have to restart the mac to get it working again.

kimboslice89

I also have a mac and PIA has randomly decided to not work. Have uninstalled and reinstalled numerous times but to no avail. When i click the PIA app it does nothing, doesnt even load, doesnt pop up in the dock, and when I go to the force quit screen its not even on there. I am running Sierra 10.12 and have the v75 of PIA. Is it not compatible or something?? restarting computer does nothing. This is doing my head in!!

I also run no anti virus software or firewalls, so it cant be that.

tomeworm

It troubles me to see how long-standing these complaints with the PIA Mac app have been going on, not to mention the variety of problems. For me it's been over 2 years of waiting for PIA to fix the bugs. By and large PIA has been quite unresponsive, other than their scripted response of, "Delete the app and reinstall." Sometimes that works for some Mac users, but for those for whom it doesn't work that's pretty much the end of the line for them, or so they believe. They may think they have no other option but to cut their losses with PIA and seek out another vpn provider that offers a reliable Mac app (and there certainly are several such providers).

My guess is that's exactly what's about to happen with every one of the commenters here in this thread. PIA has lost a lot of Mac customers this way. But it doesn't have to continue being this way. PIA really needs to do better for its Mac customers than it has. It needs a stable, reliable app, and that app is, for too many Mac users, not the PIA app.

I long ago abandoned the PIA app and went with Viscosity. It plays very well with the PIA servers and has never caused me a problem, regardless of what Mac I'm running on and whatever version of OS X I'm using. I know from observing the Viscosity forums that there are many PIA customers using Viscosity, and overall seem happy with the combination.

I'd like to propose that PIA do what another vpn provider did -- give their Mac customers a complimentary Viscosity license in exchange for an annual subscription. PIA wouldn't perhaps need to do so for all their Mac customers, just those who are having problems that PIA can't resolve.

@sn0wmonster

[Deleted User]

@tomeworm A new, open source app is the current agenda. It will be developed parallel to the current app and eventually transitioned over. I have no news on it atm (this month is a kind of reorganization month) but just wanted to let you know it's far from an ignored issue, its just that it's been decided a better option to solve it from the bottom up. This isn't an official news release, just wanted you to be clued in.

As for Viscosity, I'm sure it's a fine app but I don't think I would advise PIA to give licenses to a third-party app as a solution. I understand where you're coming from with that, but as a company I see the benefit of it having its own app as well (just one that's open source and actually works for everyone).

tomeworm

@sn0wmonster, we're of the same mind where it concerns open source vs. black box apps. We're also of the same mind where it concerns "Trust but verify." It's problematic to verify a closed source app. So what you're pushing for is much appreciated. But then we run into another one of those trust issues. How are we to trust that PIA will make good on delivering an open source app? Is it conceivable that this could happen in the near future? In my view that would be too much to hope for. Realistically we're looking at some months down the road. In the meantime PIA will continue losing Mac customers. Thus my suggestion.

Granted, in light of PIA's long-term plans it's a temporary solution. But it is a solution, and one that works very well. It's also a solution for those of us who remain alarmed that PIA's Mac app takes down globally the OS X firewall.

This, by the way, isn't an issue that's going away. It continues coming back up, even to this very day, and for good cause. It's a perfect example of black box technology and lack of company transparency. This, for example, was never a credible, transparent, forthcoming explanation. PIA needs to do much better. So even when the open source PIA app is released, if it's released with that same "feature" then PIA needs to be making plans now for how they're going to deal with the backlash. Going open source, while a step in the right direction, is not a panacea.

OpenVPN

sn0wmonster said:

@tomeworm A new, open source app is the current agenda. It will be developed parallel to the current app and eventually transitioned over. I have no news on it atm (this month is a kind of reorganization month) but just wanted to let you know it's far from an ignored issue, its just that it's been decided a better option to solve it from the bottom up. This isn't an official news release, just wanted you to be clued in.

As for Viscosity, I'm sure it's a fine app but I don't think I would advise PIA to give licenses to a third-party app as a solution. I understand where you're coming from with that, but as a company I see the benefit of it having its own app as well (just one that's open source and actually works for everyone).

I'm excited to hear that an open-source Desktop client Is on the horizon! This unofficial announcement makes me wonder what other great things are coming down the pipeline in the next couple of months but I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

tomeworm said:

@sn0wmonster, we're of the same mind where it concerns open source vs. black box apps. We're also of the same mind where it concerns "Trust but verify." It's problematic to verify a closed source app. So what you're pushing for is much appreciated. But then we run into another one of those trust issues. How are we to trust that PIA will make good on delivering an open source app? Is it conceivable that this could happen in the near future? In my view that would be too much to hope for. Realistically we're looking at some months down the road. In the meantime PIA will continue losing Mac customers. Thus my suggestion.

Granted, in light of PIA's long-term plans it's a temporary solution. But it is a solution, and one that works very well. It's also a solution for those of us who remain alarmed that PIA's Mac app takes down globally the OS X firewall.

This, by the way, isn't an issue that's going away. It continues coming back up, even to this very day, and for good cause. It's a perfect example of black box technology and lack of company transparency. This, for example, was never a credible, transparent, forthcoming explanation. PIA needs to do much better. So even when the open source PIA app is released, if it's released with that same "feature" then PIA needs to be making plans now for how they're going to deal with the backlash. Going open source, while a step in the right direction, is not a panacea.

I personally don't trust third party VPN connection applications which is why when I searched for a VPN service provider for the first time nearly 5 years ago I completely ruled out the service providers who did not have a dedicated client for all platforms. I have not experienced any issues with the Mac VPN client such as the "stuck on loading" issue. 

I've never really understood why people are so upset when the PIA Application disables the System firewall upon establishing a secure connection since multiple other VPN providers on the market have the very same practice. My understanding is the PIA software only disables the system firewall because the software is implementing its own firewalls upon connection. 
https://helpdesk.privateinternetaccess.com/hc/en-us/articles/115000442028-Why-Does-The-VPN-Disable-The-Firewall-
In my opinion, I don't believe that it's necessary for a Mac user to utilize the internal system firewall, but that's just my opinion.

tomeworm

OpenVPN said:

I've never really understood why people are so upset when the PIA Application disables the System firewall upon establishing a secure connection

In spite of the fact that multiple PIA customers have articulated our concerns in the clearest possible manner to you before, you continue saying this. To their credit PIA hasn't responded in anything that even remotely approaches your repetitive, dismissive and demeaning "I just don't get it." While there are many who have complained about this you're the only one who doesn't care. And I say it's perfectly fine if you don't care. You have the right to not care about it. No one is belittling you for not caring. Why are you so eager to invalidate those of us who do care? Why expend so much time and energy on something you don't care about? This simply makes no sense. What's your agenda?

I'd very much appreciate it if you'd cease attempting to invalidate the security concerns of PIA customers who have every right to our concerns, concerns which even PIA hasn't attempted to invalidate.

...since multiple other VPN providers on the market have the very same practice.

I would challenge you to name even one other vpn provider that does so. I've used several of the more well known providers and know for a fact they don't take down the OS X firewall. Nor has anyone ever claimed that those other vpns are any more vulnerable to a security breach because of it. To my knowledge PIA is the only one. But I'm willing to stand corrected on that.

In my opinion, I don't believe that it's necessary for a Mac user to utilize the internal system firewall, but that's just my opinion.

That's a different subject, and one that's up for debate. The issue is not whether or not the OS X firewall is "necessary." The issue is is it necessary for PIA to disable it? Please stop trying to conflate two separate and distinct issues.  Furthermore you have yet to make a credible technical argument in support of your position that it's just fine for PIA to globally disable the OS X firewall. We get that you think that's perfectly fine. Kindly respect the fact that the rest of us don't.

In what I've found to be the only comment made so far by PIA on this issue that at least contains a modicum of a technical explanation (but nevertheless an explanation which is still woefully lacking), asanjeev reinforced dsmurphy's promise of a "fix" for the firewall issue when over 18 months ago he stated:

asanjeev said:

@dsmurphy: we are aware of the firewall issue, and it's something we're actively trying to fix. Hopefully within the next beta, or by v58 we should be able to have a less invasive way to ensure a reliable connection on OSX

The reason for the global firewall is due to a technical decision which was made on our end. In a way it was more reliable than re-configring the firewall. Moreover there are some unique security features which needed that.

For example, we write a fresh, verified binary copy of openvpn to your disk before connecting, this prevents external programs from tampering with the internals. This causes some conflicts with the traditional approach of adding a single exception to the firewall.

That said we've made progress on a version which doesn't require a global firewall shutoff.

@OpenVPN you may choose to ignore PIA's promises of a "fix." I'm unwilling to do so. I intend to hold PIA accountable to their promises. If they're unable for any reason to deliver on those promises then they owe us, at the very least, an apology, as well as a credible, and very detailed, technical explanation.

What is not acceptable is for this all to just be swept under the carpet, which is what, OpenVPN, you appear so eager to do.

OpenVPN

tomeworm said:

OpenVPN said:

I've never really understood why people are so upset when the PIA Application disables the System firewall upon establishing a secure connection

In spite of the fact that multiple PIA customers have articulated our concerns in the clearest possible manner to you before, you continue saying this. To their credit PIA hasn't responded in anything that even remotely approaches your repetitive, dismissive and demeaning "I just don't get it." While there are many who have complained about this you're the only one who doesn't care. And I say it's perfectly fine if you don't care. You have the right to not care about it. No one is belittling you for not caring. Why are you so eager to invalidate those of us who do care? Why expend so much time and energy on something you don't care about? This simply makes no sense. What's your agenda?

I'd very much appreciate it if you'd cease attempting to invalidate the security concerns of PIA customers who have every right to our concerns, concerns which even PIA hasn't attempted to invalidate.

...since multiple other VPN providers on the market have the very same practice.

I would challenge you to name even one other vpn provider that does so. I've used several of the more well known providers and know for a fact they don't take down the OS X firewall. Nor has anyone ever claimed that those other vpns are any more vulnerable to a security breach because of it. To my knowledge PIA is the only one. But I'm willing to stand corrected on that.

In my opinion, I don't believe that it's necessary for a Mac user to utilize the internal system firewall, but that's just my opinion.

That's a different subject, and one that's up for debate. The issue is not whether or not the OS X firewall is "necessary." The issue is is it necessary for PIA to disable it? Please stop trying to conflate two separate and distinct issues.  Furthermore you have yet to make a credible technical argument in support of your position that it's just fine for PIA to globally disable the OS X firewall. We get that you think that's perfectly fine. Kindly respect the fact that the rest of us don't.

In what I've found to be the only comment made so far by PIA on this issue that at least contains a modicum of a technical explanation (but nevertheless an explanation which is still woefully lacking), asanjeev reinforced dsmurphy's promise of a "fix" for the firewall issue when over 18 months ago he stated:

asanjeev said:

@dsmurphy: we are aware of the firewall issue, and it's something we're actively trying to fix. Hopefully within the next beta, or by v58 we should be able to have a less invasive way to ensure a reliable connection on OSX

The reason for the global firewall is due to a technical decision which was made on our end. In a way it was more reliable than re-configring the firewall. Moreover there are some unique security features which needed that.

For example, we write a fresh, verified binary copy of openvpn to your disk before connecting, this prevents external programs from tampering with the internals. This causes some conflicts with the traditional approach of adding a single exception to the firewall.

That said we've made progress on a version which doesn't require a global firewall shutoff.

@OpenVPN you may choose to ignore PIA's promises of a "fix." I'm unwilling to do so. I intend to hold PIA accountable to their promises. If they're unable for any reason to deliver on those promises then they owe us, at the very least, an apology, as well as a credible, and very detailed, technical explanation.

What is not acceptable is for this all to just be swept under the carpet, which is what, OpenVPN, you appear so eager to do.

I am not attempting to invalidate security concerns. I'm only curious about why some people are so upset over the PIA application disabling the system firewall upon establishing a secure connection. Having the internal system firewall enabled on Mac isn't necessary for the security of your computer so I'm just wondering why this is such an issue because having the firewall disabled doesn't make you any less secure. There's absolutely no need to challenge me to anything when you could just simply do a Google search for yourself. 

Expressing my point of view on a certain issue doesn't mean that I am invalidating security concerns or choosing to ignore them entirely just because my views conflict with your own.

[Deleted User]

@tomeworm @OpenVPN Whether you're personlly for or against it, I find that any solution that modifies existing security needs an educational warning and/or choice on the users part, especially when its a manufacter's firewall. Doesn't mean the solution was bad or good, but the lack of choice or even notification is what I found to be unacceptable. Fixing it is already on the to-do list management has already seen and approved. Not that fighting has been necessary, but these are the little things I will fight for.

tomeworm

sn0wmonster said:

@tomeworm @OpenVPN Whether you're personlly for or against it, I find that any solution that modifies existing security needs an educational warning and/or choice on the users part, especially when its a manufacter's firewall. Doesn't mean the solution was bad or good, but the lack of choice or even notification is what I found to be unacceptable. Fixing it is already on the to-do list management has already seen and approved. Not that fighting has been necessary, but these are the little things I will fight for.

Thanks so much, @sn0wmonster. This is a big admission on your part and one which I am grateful to hear. You also bring us some good news regarding fixing the firewall. But can you be a bit more specific? What is the time frame for the fix? Will this be implemented prior to the release of the upcoming open source app?

BTW, in terms of this good news, it's news that also needs to be disseminated globally within your company. Apparently the news hasn't been given yet to Support. The lack of consistent reporting to clients is only adding more confusion, irritation, and frustration.

ksosx8691 said:

Got official answer - Posting for reference. Dead feature. 

****** *. (Private Internet Access) Dec 4, 12:49 MST  Hello *****, Thank you for working with us on this matter! Currently, we have no information available regarding possible upcoming changes to our service such as new configuration for mac firewall, our firewall rules, firewall features, etc.  I'll send a note to our developers regarding your request; if an idea is requested often enough and is viable, they may consider it for future development. Please let us know if there’s anything else we can help you with. Cheers, ****** *. Customer Support Agent Private Internet Access™

[Deleted User]

@tomeworm That's because it's still news to most people. Things move slowly and I'm speaking to you unofficially. When things are ready, there will be the proper announcements. As such, I have no timelines to share, but I felt it pertinent that you understand the direction we're moving in.

If you prefer to receive this type of information formally as official announcements, I will not be able to respond as frequently or in depth as I have been so far. Keep that in mind!

sde

Any fix for this?

Tomiy

Have been experiencing the same problem since v72. When wakening the computer from sleep, on occasion, the icon isn't displayed in the menu bar at the top the screen, even though the program is still running and VPN is active.
To restore the icon, I have to force quit ruby using the activity manager, log out and log in again and open PIA.
This problem has persisted for a long time. Please can someone fix it in the next version.