How can I set up a script to run at startup without causing boot issues?

For others reading this, if you need the script to execute before user login, it’s worth checking if you’re using systemd. You create and enable a unit based on when you want it to run during the boot process. If you're not on systemd, you'll need to place the script in a different directory depending on the runlevel.

You could use crontab with the `@reboot` option or create a systemd service for better control. If you want to use profile.d, make sure you check if the VPN is already running before trying to connect, or else it might crash and hang the boot process. By the way, I love this YouTube channel for bash scripting tips: You suck at programming. They have some great shorts! Also, check out cmdchallenge.com and explainshell.com for some helpful resources.

A systemd service is definitely the way to go; it's the modern method. If you're using cron, just ensure the script loads after the network is up. You can read about running OpenVPN on startup in the official OpenVPN documentation.

Using a systemd service is a solid approach. It’s easy to manage and you can check the status easily if something goes wrong.

To troubleshoot your script, you can add logging to capture the output. Try putting these lines at the top of your script: `exec >> /tmp/bashlog`, `exec 2>&1`, and `set -x`. It’ll help you spot errors in the process. W3Schools has a decent bash course if you need a quick reference, plus there are helpful tutorials on YouTube.