BUG: Android 6.0.1 reboots after enabling VPN apps

[Jecht_Sin]

I have installed via USB and tested Block This (open source) and Adguard (not together. One per time) on my KD49XD8099 with Android 6.0.1 and they simply worked great! No more annoying ads (yes, I know. Companies don't like it, especially Google, but they are perfectly legal. Also we are allowed by Android itself to install whatever we like).

The only problem is that after turning the TV off (standby) few hours, when I turn it on the television starts rebooting. Uninstalling them the television (and rebooting just in case) Android becomes "stable" again (quoted because I've got reboots even without tampering with special apps). The apps were set to enable the VPN at boot. Not that it should matter, since the reboot happens just putting the tv in standby.

Now, I do understand that an external app, not made specifically for Android TV may not work (but as I wrote they actually do the job they are made for), but if the television/Android reboots there is a (very critical) issue with the OS, not the app. To test the issue the developers just need to install the apps mentioned (again, enabling the VPN at boot).

[Kuschelmonschter]

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@russdeebrown  schrieb:
Has Sony commented on this?

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They blame the apps, totally ignoring that it is not the apps which crash, but the system. Crash happens in the networking stack which handles the VPN tunnel.

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Do we know if installing android 8.0 will help with the issue.

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The bug has been in existence for 4 years already. Don't expect a fix. Oreo firmware 6.5830 still suffers from it.

[Jecht_Sin]

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@Kuschelmonschter wrote:

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Do we know if installing android 8.0 will help with the issue.

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The bug has been in existence for 4 years already. Don't expect a fix. Oreo firmware 6.5830 still suffers from it.

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I'd really love to know what the heck they are updating when they upgrade to a major Android version. Sure, the Java APIs, that is a must. But Android also consists on the Linux kernel and various (binary code) libraries, like the one failing (libc something) when enabling a VPN.

And I doibt that has been touched. Like the kernel that, if I'm not wrong, is stuck at always the same version? Maybe with few drivers updated.

[sheep99]

I use the expressVPN, wifi changes, will certainly restart.

[BistroRenee]

Same issue. At first didn’t realize it was due to ExpressVPN. 

Eventhough I disconnected the VPN before shutting down the TV, it would still go into an infinite boot loop. 

My workaround is this: before shutting down the TV, go to settings —> Apps—>expressvpn —> force stop 

the fact that the Force Stop option is still there, means that ExpressVPN is still running in the background. After using the “force stop” and shutting down the tv, I have now zero issues when powering

it back on. 

Beats resetting it to factory or booting into safe mode. 

[Kuschelmonschter]

ATV2 Oreo FW v6.6510 still suffers from this system crash.

[zer0ner0]

Today, from the expressvpn app changelog:

WHAT'S NEW

Fixed:
• Issue where Sony Bravia TVs would reboot if the VPN was connected before putting TV in standby mode.

Hurrah or not?

[heapcooldudez]

This is massive! when did you notice this?  I cant wait to reach home and update the ExpressVPN app.  This was an ongoing issue since many years.  My Bravia KD-65A9F was replaced once as well because of this.  Cant wait to update and try this and send you guys a feedback.  

Anyone in the forum can confirm if the issue is resolved after the update?

[zer0ner0]

I am not at home to test it.

But I saw the description during the expressVPN update on my phone.

Whoever can check it, please report.

[Luigi_R]

I can confirm that you can now turn off the TV without caring about the VPN connection. The app automatically switch off the connection preventing the TV from crashing on the next boot.  

But this does not solve the original bug: if the connection drops while connected or if you connect to the VPN server too fast (just after the TV has started), the TV still crashes.

But I have appreaciated a lot the effort of the ExpressVPN team. This is a true support, not what this brand provides.....

[Kuschelmonschter]

An app is never supposed to crash the system, only itself. This is clearly a problem of the system.