Follow up to #29512 - Brave VPN Connect failed with Failed to write the VPN config

[MadhaviSeelam]

Description

Brave VPN connection is failed with Failed to write with config error in the VPN panel. Tested the connection with no other VPN entries (i.e Brave VPN, Brave VPN Nightly) in the OS/Network settings.

Steps to Reproduce

1. Install 1.52.94
2. launch Brave
3. connect to VPN either with a new purchase in staging (or with existing prod credentials)
4. toggle On from Disconnected to Connected in the VPN panel
5. switched the server location

Actual result:

Failed to write to config error shown in the VPN panel
No VPN entries are shown in the OS/Network settings

Expected result:

Brave VPN should connect successfully without errors

Reproduces how often:

Easily

Brave version (brave://version info)

Brave | 1.52.94 Chromium: 113.0.5672.92 (Official Build) beta (64-bit)
-- | --
Revision | b6f521170062a1fa8a82c33fb223b06fec566da1-refs/branch-heads/5672_63@{#10}
OS | Windows 11 Version 22H2 (Build 22621.1702)

Version/Channel Information:

• Can you reproduce this issue with the current release? No
• Can you reproduce this issue with the beta channel? Yes
• Can you reproduce this issue with the nightly channel? Yes

Other Additional Information:

• Does the issue resolve itself when disabling Brave Shields?
• Does the issue resolve itself when disabling Brave Rewards?
• Is the issue reproducible on the latest version of Chrome?

Miscellaneous Information:

cc: @stephendonner

[stephendonner]

@simonhong any further ideas on what the file-writing difference could be, here, affecting 1.52.x?

I verified the hyphen-removal PR for uplift in brave/brave-core#18466 (comment), but @MadhaviSeelam and I are still having to use the workaround of first connecting to Brave VPN using a release build (to write out the .ini file).

[simonhong]

@simonhong any further ideas on what the file-writing difference could be, here, affecting 1.52.x?

I verified the hyphen-removal PR for uplift in brave/brave-core#18466 (comment), but @MadhaviSeelam and I are still having to use the workaround of first connecting to Brave VPN using a release build (to write out the .ini file).

I'm trying another approach - brave/brave-core#18510

[kjozwiak]

The above requires 1.52.107 or higher for 1.52.x verification 👍

[MadhaviSeelam]

Verification PASSED using

Brave | 1.52.108 Chromium: 114.0.5735.26 (Official Build) beta (64-bit)
-- | --
Revision | 7075cbb66f0542ac3e01ddfde6b813e7d61118a5-refs/branch-heads/5735@{#454}
OS | Windows 11 Version 22H2 (Build 22621.1702)

• Installed 1.52.108
• launched Brave
• remove any prior VPN connections OS settings
• Purchased and configured VPN via account.bravesoftware.com
• enable VPN in the VPN panel
• switch to different servers/locations in the VPN panel

Confirmed Failed to write the VPN config message is no longer shown in the VPN panel

2023-05-22_17h15_06.mp4

[stephendonner]

Verified PASSED using

Brave	1.52.109 Chromium: 114.0.5735.26 (Official Build) beta (64-bit)
Revision	7075cbb66f0542ac3e01ddfde6b813e7d61118a5-refs/branch-heads/5735@{#454}
OS	Windows 10 Version 22H2 (Build 19045.2965)

Steps:

1. installed 1.52.109
2. launched Brave
3. loaded account.bravesoftware.com
4. clicked on Start free trial
5. completed Stripe checkout
6. clicked on the VPN button in the browser toolbar
7. toggle to Connected

Confirmed I could connect to Brave VPN on-demand, and BraveVPNBeta was created without issue

example	example