Sorry to moan, but bad installation programs are my pet hate - and the boinc one is particularly brain dead.

It knows BOINC is installed - and where - but still defaults to "c:\\program files\\boinc" - which I'm sure I'm not the only one to chane - please make it use the original/known location.

It knows how its installed - but still defaults to the first insallation option (run manually or whatever it is, I've never used it) - when again, I'm sure most people use the service mode (in which case, there equally should be no need to re-install the service or prompt for a username password/confirmation - this can be done if the parameters need to change - which will be determined by the previous version). A "local system account" option should also be added so password changes don't stop it running and need the service updating.

It knows my preferences - but still defaults to "start boinc manager with windows" (even when I'm running/selected to change to service mode) and "run the BOINC screen saver" - neither of which I've ever wanted to use - but occasionally have accidentally left selected.

These are little things but are so easy to fix, I'm surprised - stunned even - that they are still here in the current late versions of V5.x clients - sure for the initial versions (and I was there when we were getting a new CC every day or two) - we were even the world #1 user for a month or so in september 2004, so its not that were new users with no experience. I'm just getting fed up of re-keying the same info each time I upgrade our 20-30 boxes.

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I made the same complaint on the Dev mailing list, just 2 days ago. Unfortunately it appears to have been ignored since no one answered me. I guessing they want to keep the use of the registry down to a minimum.

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Boinc V 7.4.36
Win7 i5 3.33G 4GB NVidia 470

Someone posted this on Rom Walton's blog and he either said it was on his to-do list or he'd already done it.

HTH
Danny

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Someone posted this on Rom Walton's blog and he either said it was on his to-do list or he'd already done it.

HTH
Danny

It's available in the next version of BOINC (or if you want to test it already, it's now available in 5.8.1 ... but since it's the first time it is available, you won't notice it until the next time you upgrade Boinc ;))

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It's available in the next version of BOINC (or if you want to test it already, it's now available in 5.8.1 ... but since it's the first time it is available, you won't notice it until the next time you upgrade Boinc ;))

I've just recently upgraded a box from 5.2.13 -> 5.8.0 -> 5.8.1. Should I have noticed a difference? :).

As far as I could tell, there were exactly the same deficiencies that the OP was complaining about. Upgrade installs would be a lot easier if the installer:-

• offered to overwrite the existing installation
  
• had an option for a service install using the local system account, and
  
• used appropriate defaults (as per your existing install) for preferences.
  

I didn't notice any evidence that any of these issues had been addressed in any way. I agree fully with the points raised by the OP and strongly support the changes he requested.

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Cheers,
Gary.

It's available in the next version of BOINC (or if you want to test it already, it's now available in 5.8.1 ... but since it's the first time it is available, you won't notice it until the next time you upgrade Boinc ;))

I've just recently upgraded a box from 5.2.13 -> 5.8.0 -> 5.8.1. Should I have noticed a difference? :).

As far as I could tell, there were exactly the same deficiencies that the OP was complaining about. Upgrade installs would be a lot easier if the installer:-

• offered to overwrite the existing installation
  
• had an option for a service install using the local system account, and
  
• used appropriate defaults (as per your existing install) for preferences.
  

I didn't notice any evidence that any of these issues had been addressed in any way. I agree fully with the points raised by the OP and strongly support the changes he requested.

V 5.8.1 is the first version to save the information needed to recognize existing install location. It can also find the BBC folder location. Future installs after this one will then be able to use this information.

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Boinc V 7.4.36
Win7 i5 3.33G 4GB NVidia 470

@Gary Roberts
V5.8.2 is now available. Try upgrading from V5.8.1 it should know where to install and use your install preferences.

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Boinc V 7.4.36
Win7 i5 3.33G 4GB NVidia 470

@Gary Roberts
V5.8.2 is now available. Try upgrading from V5.8.1 it should know where to install and use your install preferences.

Worked great even. Too bad I still had to type my login password twice for the service install. ;)

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V 5.8.1 is the first version to save the information needed to recognize existing install location. It can also find the BBC folder location. Future installs after this one will then be able to use this information.

Thanks for the clarification. I wasn't smart enough to actually deduce that from Jord's original post :).

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Cheers,
Gary.

@Gary Roberts
V5.8.2 is now available. Try upgrading from V5.8.1 it should know where to install and use your install preferences.

I'm already way ahead of you :). Just as you posted your previous message I was contemplating uninstalling 5.8.1 and then reinstalling the same version to see how much it would "remember" :). On a whim, I checked the download page and saw 5.8.2 so I grabbed that instead. I've already crunched a number of results with this latest version.

As far as the install was concerned, yes, it knew the install directory, it knew I wanted a service install and it remembered my preferences. This does save a little time but unfortunately not the major time saver of knowing the service credentials that I want the service to run under. It still wanted a user name and password even though I always want to run as the local system account. The user name I login as doesn't have a password so the installer refuses to proceed. I give it a fake password (so it can proceed) and while it is chewing on that (but before it fails with a timeout), I run the computer management applet, open up the properties of the BOINC service, go to the login tab and change the properties to use the local system account and I also select to interact with the desktop while I'm at it. This is all happening while the install is temporarily blocked and as soon as I apply the changes the installation unblocks and proceeds to completion.

Why don't I just put a password on the login account, you ask? :). There are (or should I say were) close to 200 boxes on my local LAN and the last thing I want to do is type a password 200 times if I feel I need to login. In recent weeks I've had to do more logins than I would normally do in a whole year so no password was a huge bonus :).

So on that installation screen where it shows the service install option already ticked I'd like to see two more ticks - run the service as the local system account and allow the service to interact with the desktop and no screens asking me for login name and password :). Then I'd be in hogs heaven :).

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Cheers,
Gary.

Worked great even. Too bad I still had to type my login password twice for the service install. ;)

I don't want no stinking password :).

Worked great even. Too bad I still had to type my login password twice for the service install. ;)

I don't want no stinking password :).

They had removed the requirement for a password but reinstated it before .2 release. Either I missed the discussion on this on the mailing list or the debate/decision was made in private email between developers.

From release change list

- Win SETUP: Make Windows XP or better require passwords for the service accounts again.

Edit: possibly a restriction with Vista???

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Boinc V 7.4.36
Win7 i5 3.33G 4GB NVidia 470