java.lang.IllegalStateException: failed to create a child event loop

0. Environment

Netty 4.0, Windows 2003 Server with firewall disabled, and without any antivirus software.

1. Problem

The application works just fine on other servers or PCs, but encountered such exception on this server:

org.springframework.beans.BeanInstantiationException: Failed to instantiate [com.s.api.push.client.fr]: Constructor threw exception; nested exception is java.lang.IllegalStateException: failed to create a child event loopat org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.instantiateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1105) ~[spring-beans-4.2.5.RELEASE.jar:4.2.5.RELEASE]at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.createBeanInstance(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1050) ~[spring-beans-4.2.5.RELEASE.jar:4.2.5.RELEASE]at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.doCreateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:510) ~[spring-beans-4.2.5.RELEASE.jar:4.2.5.RELEASE]at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.createBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:482) ~[spring-beans-4.2.5.RELEASE.jar:4.2.5.RELEASE]at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory$1.getObject(AbstractBeanFactory.java:306) ~[spring-beans-4.2.5.RELEASE.jar:4.2.5.RELEASE]at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.getSingleton(DefaultSingletonBeanRegistry.java:230) ~[spring-beans-4.2.5.RELEASE.jar:4.2.5.RELEASE]at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.doGetBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:302) ~[spring-beans-4.2.5.RELEASE.jar:4.2.5.RELEASE]at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory.getBean(AbstractBeanFactory.java:197) ~[spring-beans-4.2.5.RELEASE.jar:4.2.5.RELEASE]at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.DefaultListableBeanFactory.preInstantiateSingletons(DefaultListableBeanFactory.java:772) ~[spring-beans-4.2.5.RELEASE.jar:4.2.5.RELEASE]at org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.finishBeanFactoryInitialization(AbstractApplicationContext.java:839) ~[spring-context-4.2.5.RELEASE.jar:4.2.5.RELEASE]at org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.refresh(AbstractApplicationContext.java:538) ~[spring-context-4.2.5.RELEASE.jar:4.2.5.RELEASE]at org.springframework.boot.context.embedded.EmbeddedWebApplicationContext.refresh(EmbeddedWebApplicationContext.java:118) ~[spring-boot-1.3.3.RELEASE.jar:1.3.3.RELEASE]at org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication.refresh(SpringApplication.java:766) ~[spring-boot-1.3.3.RELEASE.jar:1.3.3.RELEASE]at org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication.createAndRefreshContext(SpringApplication.java:361) ~[spring-boot-1.3.3.RELEASE.jar:1.3.3.RELEASE]at org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication.run(SpringApplication.java:307) ~[spring-boot-1.3.3.RELEASE.jar:1.3.3.RELEASE]at org.springframework.boot.context.web.SpringBootServletInitializer.run(SpringBootServletInitializer.java:149) [spring-boot-1.3.3.RELEASE.jar:1.3.3.RELEASE]at org.springframework.boot.context.web.SpringBootServletInitializer.createRootApplicationContext(SpringBootServletInitializer.java:129) [spring-boot-1.3.3.RELEASE.jar:1.3.3.RELEASE]at org.springframework.boot.context.web.SpringBootServletInitializer.onStartup(SpringBootServletInitializer.java:85) [spring-boot-1.3.3.RELEASE.jar:1.3.3.RELEASE]at org.springframework.web.SpringServletContainerInitializer.onStartup(SpringServletContainerInitializer.java:175) [spring-web-4.2.5.RELEASE.jar:4.2.5.RELEASE]at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContext.startInternal(StandardContext.java:5292) [catalina.jar:8.0.36]at org.apache.catalina.util.LifecycleBase.start(LifecycleBase.java:147) [catalina.jar:8.0.36]at org.apache.catalina.core.ContainerBase.addChildInternal(ContainerBase.java:725) [catalina.jar:8.0.36]at org.apache.catalina.core.ContainerBase.addChild(ContainerBase.java:701) [catalina.jar:8.0.36]at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHost.addChild(StandardHost.java:717) [catalina.jar:8.0.36]at org.apache.catalina.startup.HostConfig.deployWAR(HostConfig.java:940) [catalina.jar:8.0.36]at org.apache.catalina.startup.HostConfig$DeployWar.run(HostConfig.java:1816) [catalina.jar:8.0.36]at java.util.concurrent.Executors$RunnableAdapter.call(Unknown Source) [na:1.8.0_92]at java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.run(Unknown Source) [na:1.8.0_92]at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(Unknown Source) [na:1.8.0_92]at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(Unknown Source) [na:1.8.0_92]at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source) [na:1.8.0_92]Caused by: org.springframework.beans.BeanInstantiationException: Failed to instantiate [com.s.api.push.client.fr]: Constructor threw exception; nested exception is java.lang.IllegalStateException: failed to create a child event loopat org.springframework.beans.BeanUtils.instantiateClass(BeanUtils.java:163) ~[spring-beans-4.2.5.RELEASE.jar:4.2.5.RELEASE]at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.SimpleInstantiationStrategy.instantiate(SimpleInstantiationStrategy.java:89) ~[spring-beans-4.2.5.RELEASE.jar:4.2.5.RELEASE]at org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.instantiateBean(AbstractAutowireCapableBeanFactory.java:1098) ~[spring-beans-4.2.5.RELEASE.jar:4.2.5.RELEASE]... 30 common frames omittedCaused by: java.lang.IllegalStateException: failed to create a child event loopat io.netty.util.concurrent.MultithreadEventExecutorGroup.<init>(MultithreadEventExecutorGroup.java:68) ~[netty-all-4.0.36.Final.jar:4.0.36.Final]at io.netty.channel.MultithreadEventLoopGroup.<init>(MultithreadEventLoopGroup.java:49) ~[netty-all-4.0.36.Final.jar:4.0.36.Final]at io.netty.channel.nio.NioEventLoopGroup.<init>(NioEventLoopGroup.java:68) ~[netty-all-4.0.36.Final.jar:4.0.36.Final]at io.netty.channel.nio.NioEventLoopGroup.<init>(NioEventLoopGroup.java:63) ~[netty-all-4.0.36.Final.jar:4.0.36.Final]at io.netty.channel.nio.NioEventLoopGroup.<init>(NioEventLoopGroup.java:54) ~[netty-all-4.0.36.Final.jar:4.0.36.Final]at io.netty.channel.nio.NioEventLoopGroup.<init>(NioEventLoopGroup.java:46) ~[netty-all-4.0.36.Final.jar:4.0.36.Final]at com.s.api.push.client.fr.<init>(fr.java:41) ~[classes/:na]at sun.reflect.NativeConstructorAccessorImpl.newInstance0(Native Method) ~[na:1.8.0_92]at sun.reflect.NativeConstructorAccessorImpl.newInstance(Unknown Source) ~[na:1.8.0_92]at sun.reflect.DelegatingConstructorAccessorImpl.newInstance(Unknown Source) ~[na:1.8.0_92]at java.lang.reflect.Constructor.newInstance(Unknown Source) ~[na:1.8.0_92]at org.springframework.beans.BeanUtils.instantiateClass(BeanUtils.java:147) ~[spring-beans-4.2.5.RELEASE.jar:4.2.5.RELEASE]... 32 common frames omittedCaused by: io.netty.channel.ChannelException: failed to open a new selectorat io.netty.channel.nio.NioEventLoop.openSelector(NioEventLoop.java:143) ~[netty-all-4.0.36.Final.jar:4.0.36.Final]at io.netty.channel.nio.NioEventLoop.<init>(NioEventLoop.java:134) ~[netty-all-4.0.36.Final.jar:4.0.36.Final]at io.netty.channel.nio.NioEventLoopGroup.newChild(NioEventLoopGroup.java:94) ~[netty-all-4.0.36.Final.jar:4.0.36.Final]at io.netty.util.concurrent.MultithreadEventExecutorGroup.<init>(MultithreadEventExecutorGroup.java:64) ~[netty-all-4.0.36.Final.jar:4.0.36.Final]... 43 common frames omittedCaused by: java.io.IOException: Unable to establish loopback connectionat sun.nio.ch.PipeImpl$Initializer.run(Unknown Source) ~[na:1.8.0_92]at sun.nio.ch.PipeImpl$Initializer.run(Unknown Source) ~[na:1.8.0_92]at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method) ~[na:1.8.0_92]at sun.nio.ch.PipeImpl.<init>(Unknown Source) ~[na:1.8.0_92]at sun.nio.ch.SelectorProviderImpl.openPipe(Unknown Source) ~[na:1.8.0_92]at java.nio.channels.Pipe.open(Unknown Source) ~[na:1.8.0_92]at sun.nio.ch.WindowsSelectorImpl.<init>(Unknown Source) ~[na:1.8.0_92]at sun.nio.ch.WindowsSelectorProvider.openSelector(Unknown Source) ~[na:1.8.0_92]at io.netty.channel.nio.NioEventLoop.openSelector(NioEventLoop.java:141) ~[netty-all-4.0.36.Final.jar:4.0.36.Final]... 46 common frames omittedCaused by: java.net.SocketException: Permission denied: connectat sun.nio.ch.Net.connect0(Native Method) ~[na:1.8.0_92]at sun.nio.ch.Net.connect(Unknown Source) ~[na:1.8.0_92]at sun.nio.ch.Net.connect(Unknown Source) ~[na:1.8.0_92]at sun.nio.ch.SocketChannelImpl.connect(Unknown Source) ~[na:1.8.0_92]at java.nio.channels.SocketChannel.open(Unknown Source) ~[na:1.8.0_92]at sun.nio.ch.PipeImpl$Initializer$LoopbackConnector.run(Unknown Source) ~[na:1.8.0_92]... 55 common frames omitted

2. Analysis

Googled a lot and many posts says it might be affected by the firewall or antivirus software, but this is not our case.

The cause is we are using Astrill VPN on this server, if we disabled the Astrill and start the application, the error disappears.

Workaround is to start application first then enable Astrill VPN.