"Network setup is trying to modify the system network configuration"

[paieye]

Every single week, I use unsecured networks. A couple of months ago, I decided that I needed a virtual private network, and installed Private Internet Access. Until recently, it seemed most satisfactory -- inexpensive, unobtrusive, and apparently effective.

However, in the last 10 days or so, whenever I have launched Chrome, I have received the message in the subject-line above. It offers me a choice of entering a password and continuing, or cancelling.

However, it recognises no password that I have entered, and ignores the "Cancel"-button.

PIA's energetic help-desk has guided me through the steps that one needs to take to prevent this from happening, and I have successfully carried out those steps. Those steps were in essence (1) trash PIA and empty Trash; (2) Launch Terminal, and enter the command rm -rf /.pia_manager/; (3) Launch Disk Utility, and Repair Permissions; (4) Reboot.

What is alarming me, though, is that, after a week or so of being able to launch Chrome without this happening, it has started happening again.

What does this mean ? Does it imply that there is some incompatibility between PIA and OSX ?

 

[lclev]

It sounds to me like it is a known issue with PIA given the fact that when you called them they knew how to fix it. Something is not correctly delivering the app built in password or correct protocol handshake so you get the message. I doubt it is an OS X issue - but that is just my guess. It might be a Chrome issue. Have you tried using Safari or other browsers?

Lisa

 

[paieye]

Thank you for coming to my aid. I am committed to using Chrome, because my sight is no longer as good as it was, and Chrome is the only browser that offers me the visual effects that I need.

I think that the latest message from PIA may be revealing: " Please try adding the following as an exception to your anti-virus software, in case that:

~/.pia_manager "

I interpret this as meaning that my anti-virus software, the excellent Avast Free Antivirus, is somehow obstructing the working of PIA. I am a little sceptical about that, because, if that is the correct diagnosis, why did AFA not obstruct PIA for the 1st few months during which I have been using it ?

I am beginning to wonder if I ought to be looking for an alternative to PIA, but am most reluctant to do so if that can be avoided, because PIA is otherwise really excellent.

 

[harryb2448]

Avast is malware and you do not need antivirus software as there are no Mac OS X viruses. Do use Malwarebytes for Mac, Ghostery and AdBlock Plus.

Also Avast will use resources on your Mac and slow it down as it is a resource hog checking for all those Windows viruses which cannot execute on the Unix operating system.


http://www.thesafemac.com/avast-installs-adware/

 

[paieye]

Thank you for that. Rather than completely uninstall Avast, I have for the time being disabled all 3 shields. Ought that to be sufficient ?

 

[Raz0rEdge]

Every single week, I use unsecured networks.

This is extremely dangerous and you should stop doing it. If you trashed PIA, how is it still in place? Can you take a screenshot of what is appearing and paste it here?

Once the VPN package is installed it will provide a menu bar icon that you use to connect/disconnect from the VPN..

 

[paieye]

Thank you for coming to my help. I use unsecured networks only while PIA is installed and connected. What had not occurred to me before reading your message, though, was that a sensible course would be to disconnect PIA when not using such a network.

 

[harryb2448]

I am not too sure disabling Avast will do the trick, but try it by all means. If no joy uninstall using the Uninstaller.

It will be interesting if you notice a speed increase

 

[paieye]

The trouble has returned. I see a suggestion that there is some error in my Keychain, but why that should be, and how to correct it, I cannot understand.