Hello all!

I've been a BOINC user for some years now, and I'm grateful for this way I can have my computers help.

That said! I've been getting jobs from World Community Grid for a long time, and it works very well. But I'm afraid that, as cool as its projects are, Rosetta@home is becoming a bad guest on my new Mac mini M1. It loads up the hopper with two or three jobs at a time, each of them "8 hour" jobs that really take 11-12 hours, with just two or three days to get them done (when each job takes at least a day).

If I just leave things alone, the jobs rarely get done on time. So I end up managing things ... which is annoying ... by choosing the "No new tasks" option.

That would be a decent solution ... if it worked. But after anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour or so, I find that the "No new tasks" option has deselected itself. So I have to reselect it. And of course, if I don't catch it in time, I find I'm the proud owner of one or even two more, jobs, which I try to abort before any work is done (hoping the job will then be assigned elsewhere).

What I end up doing is wasting energy by hovering and watching for the "No new tasks" option to stay in effect, and then, when the last Rosetta@home job is done, simply suspending Rosetta@home for as many days as it takes for me to feel up to the bother of allowing its tasks again. And that doesn't really help anyone.

So, two problems: Any way to adjust settings so that Rosetta@home doesn't send over so many huge tasks? And why won't the "No new tasks" option won't stay selected for Rosetta@home?

I wondered if there was some local-vs-remote settings tussle with my Science United account, but BOINC says that it's "Using local preferences." Besides, I don't see a Science United setting for not getting tasks ... just a way to completely exclude a project.

Many thanks for any ideas ...
Best regards,
Peter

* * * * * * * * * *
Requested info about my Mac:

BOINC Version 7.16.19
macOS Big Sur, Version 11.6.1
Mac mini (M1, 2020)

Here's a sample of this afternoon's log ... I selected a range that shows me twice setting "No new tasks," only to have Rosetta@home grab new tasks. I don't see log entries for that option getting deselected.

Here's an edited version. The full log follows below that:

Mon Nov 1 11:13:32 2021 | Rosetta@home | work fetch suspended by user
... and yet:
Mon Nov 1 11:45:56 2021 | Rosetta@home | Sending scheduler request: To fetch work.
Mon Nov 1 11:45:56 2021 | Rosetta@home | Requesting new tasks for Apple M1
Mon Nov 1 12:36:26 2021 | Rosetta@home | Sending scheduler request: To fetch work.
Mon Nov 1 12:36:26 2021 | Rosetta@home | Requesting new tasks for Apple M1

... and again, after I noticed "No new tasks" was no longer selected:
Mon Nov 1 13:11:36 2021 | Rosetta@home | work fetch suspended by user
... and yet:
Mon Nov 1 15:46:48 2021 | Rosetta@home | Sending scheduler request: To fetch work.
Mon Nov 1 15:46:48 2021 | Rosetta@home | Requesting new tasks for Apple M1
Mon Nov 1 17:28:21 2021 | Rosetta@home | Sending scheduler request: To fetch work.
Mon Nov 1 17:28:21 2021 | Rosetta@home | Requesting new tasks for CPU and Apple M1
Mon Nov 1 17:28:22 2021 | Rosetta@home | Scheduler request completed: got 1 new tasks
... and so:
Mon Nov 1 17:28:50 2021 | Rosetta@home | work fetch suspended by user
Mon Nov 1 17:28:56 2021 | Rosetta@home | task foldit_2012096_s007_00_asym_dock_SAVE_ALL_OUT_2341025_4020_0 aborted by user


FULL LOG:
========
Mon Nov 1 11:13:32 2021 | Rosetta@home | work fetch suspended by user
Mon Nov 1 11:45:55 2021 | | Some devices idle - requesting new projects from Science United
Mon Nov 1 11:45:55 2021 | | Contacting account manager at https://scienceunited.org/
Mon Nov 1 11:45:56 2021 | | Account manager contact succeeded
Mon Nov 1 11:45:56 2021 | | General prefs: from https://scienceunited.org/ (last modified 29-May-2020 01:54:14)
Mon Nov 1 11:45:56 2021 | | Computer location: home
Mon Nov 1 11:45:56 2021 | | General prefs: no separate prefs for home; using your defaults
Mon Nov 1 11:45:56 2021 | | Reading preferences override file
Mon Nov 1 11:45:56 2021 | | Preferences:
Mon Nov 1 11:45:56 2021 | | max memory usage when active: 8192.00 MB
Mon Nov 1 11:45:56 2021 | | max memory usage when idle: 12288.00 MB
Mon Nov 1 11:45:56 2021 | | max disk usage: 6.00 GB
Mon Nov 1 11:45:56 2021 | | max CPUs used: 4
Mon Nov 1 11:45:56 2021 | | (to change preferences, visit a project web site or select Preferences in the Manager)
Mon Nov 1 11:45:56 2021 | Rosetta@home | Sending scheduler request: To fetch work.
Mon Nov 1 11:45:56 2021 | Rosetta@home | Requesting new tasks for Apple M1
Mon Nov 1 11:45:57 2021 | Rosetta@home | Scheduler request completed: got 0 new tasks
Mon Nov 1 11:45:57 2021 | Rosetta@home | Project requested delay of 31 seconds
Mon Nov 1 11:57:39 2021 | World Community Grid | Sending scheduler request: To fetch work.
Mon Nov 1 11:57:39 2021 | World Community Grid | Requesting new tasks for Apple M1
Mon Nov 1 11:57:42 2021 | World Community Grid | Scheduler request completed: got 0 new tasks
Mon Nov 1 11:57:42 2021 | World Community Grid | Project requested delay of 121 seconds
Mon Nov 1 12:36:26 2021 | Rosetta@home | Sending scheduler request: To fetch work.
Mon Nov 1 12:36:26 2021 | Rosetta@home | Requesting new tasks for Apple M1
Mon Nov 1 12:36:35 2021 | Rosetta@home | Scheduler request completed: got 0 new tasks
Mon Nov 1 12:36:35 2021 | Rosetta@home | Project is temporarily shut down for maintenance
Mon Nov 1 12:36:35 2021 | Rosetta@home | Project requested delay of 3600 seconds
Mon Nov 1 13:00:16 2021 | World Community Grid | Sending scheduler request: To fetch work.
Mon Nov 1 13:00:16 2021 | World Community Grid | Requesting new tasks for Apple M1
Mon Nov 1 13:00:25 2021 | World Community Grid | Scheduler request completed: got 0 new tasks
Mon Nov 1 13:00:25 2021 | World Community Grid | Project requested delay of 121 seconds
Mon Nov 1 13:06:00 2021 | | Some devices idle - requesting new projects from Science United
Mon Nov 1 13:06:00 2021 | | Contacting account manager at https://scienceunited.org/
Mon Nov 1 13:06:01 2021 | | Account manager contact succeeded
Mon Nov 1 13:06:01 2021 | | General prefs: from https://scienceunited.org/ (last modified 29-May-2020 01:54:14)
Mon Nov 1 13:06:01 2021 | | Computer location: home
Mon Nov 1 13:06:01 2021 | | General prefs: no separate prefs for home; using your defaults
Mon Nov 1 13:06:01 2021 | | Reading preferences override file
Mon Nov 1 13:06:01 2021 | | Preferences:
Mon Nov 1 13:06:01 2021 | | max memory usage when active: 8192.00 MB
Mon Nov 1 13:06:01 2021 | | max memory usage when idle: 12288.00 MB
Mon Nov 1 13:06:01 2021 | | max disk usage: 6.00 GB
Mon Nov 1 13:06:01 2021 | | max CPUs used: 4
Mon Nov 1 13:06:01 2021 | | (to change preferences, visit a project web site or select Preferences in the Manager)
Mon Nov 1 13:11:36 2021 | Rosetta@home | work fetch suspended by user
Mon Nov 1 13:12:25 2021 | World Community Grid | Starting task MCM1_0183801_6572_0
Mon Nov 1 15:46:43 2021 | | Some devices idle - requesting new projects from Science United
Mon Nov 1 15:46:43 2021 | | Contacting account manager at https://scienceunited.org/
Mon Nov 1 15:46:45 2021 | | Account manager contact succeeded
Mon Nov 1 15:46:45 2021 | | General prefs: from https://scienceunited.org/ (last modified 29-May-2020 01:54:14)
Mon Nov 1 15:46:45 2021 | | Computer location: home
Mon Nov 1 15:46:45 2021 | | General prefs: no separate prefs for home; using your defaults
Mon Nov 1 15:46:45 2021 | | Reading preferences override file
Mon Nov 1 15:46:45 2021 | | Preferences:
Mon Nov 1 15:46:45 2021 | | max memory usage when active: 8192.00 MB
Mon Nov 1 15:46:45 2021 | | max memory usage when idle: 12288.00 MB
Mon Nov 1 15:46:45 2021 | | max disk usage: 6.00 GB
Mon Nov 1 15:46:45 2021 | | max CPUs used: 4
Mon Nov 1 15:46:45 2021 | | (to change preferences, visit a project web site or select Preferences in the Manager)
Mon Nov 1 15:46:48 2021 | Rosetta@home | Sending scheduler request: To fetch work.
Mon Nov 1 15:46:48 2021 | Rosetta@home | Requesting new tasks for Apple M1
Mon Nov 1 15:46:50 2021 | Rosetta@home | Scheduler request completed: got 0 new tasks
Mon Nov 1 15:46:50 2021 | Rosetta@home | Project requested delay of 31 seconds
Mon Nov 1 16:44:55 2021 | World Community Grid | Sending scheduler request: To fetch work.
Mon Nov 1 16:44:55 2021 | World Community Grid | Requesting new tasks for Apple M1
Mon Nov 1 16:44:56 2021 | World Community Grid | Scheduler request completed: got 0 new tasks
Mon Nov 1 16:44:56 2021 | World Community Grid | Project requested delay of 121 seconds
Mon Nov 1 17:28:21 2021 | Rosetta@home | Sending scheduler request: To fetch work.
Mon Nov 1 17:28:21 2021 | Rosetta@home | Requesting new tasks for CPU and Apple M1
Mon Nov 1 17:28:22 2021 | Rosetta@home | Scheduler request completed: got 1 new tasks
Mon Nov 1 17:28:22 2021 | Rosetta@home | Project requested delay of 31 seconds
Mon Nov 1 17:28:24 2021 | Rosetta@home | Started download of asym_dock_foldit_2012096_s007_data.zip
Mon Nov 1 17:28:24 2021 | Rosetta@home | Started download of foldit_2012096_s007_global_dock_flags
Mon Nov 1 17:28:25 2021 | Rosetta@home | Finished download of asym_dock_foldit_2012096_s007_data.zip
Mon Nov 1 17:28:25 2021 | Rosetta@home | Finished download of foldit_2012096_s007_global_dock_flags
Mon Nov 1 17:28:50 2021 | Rosetta@home | work fetch suspended by user
Mon Nov 1 17:28:56 2021 | Rosetta@home | task foldit_2012096_s007_00_asym_dock_SAVE_ALL_OUT_2341025_4020_0 aborted by user

Almost certainly the clue is in the first few lines of the full log - Science United is over-riding you because it sees some idle cores.

Detach from Science United and attach directly to the projects *you* want to run - take back control of your machine.

Thanks! I'll be happy to try that. But a question: Would that still be true even if BOINC Manager preferences says "Using local prefs"?

As long as you have ceded control over your system to an account manager, you no longer have any control over how the account manager is using your host. It ignores any of your local or remote preferences to accomplish its own goals. Which is to use as much of the resources it manages.

Remove yourself from Science United and take control over your own host.

Thanks! I'll be happy to try that. But a question: Would that still be true even if BOINC Manager preferences says "Using local prefs"?

It's up to you to set the preferences the way you want them.
Look in the Menu under: Options/Computing preferences

Thanks, Les. I asked that question because I already have BOINC Manager set to follow my local preferences, not Science United's ... BOINC Manager says that at the top of the Prefs box.

If the problem is that Science United is taking over control, then I guess what BOINC Manager claiming it is "Using local preferences" is not accurate?

That's what I'm trying to understand. Thanks.

Science United and BOINC are two different implementations of a control program.
With BOINC, the user gets to control everything.

With Science United, you no longer control anything.
It's like getting into a robotic car, and hoping it doesn't go insane and run at high speed off a cliff.

**********************

If you've been running Science United, then first you have to Uninstall it.
Then get BOINC from the BOINC web site, and install that.

If you've been running Science United, then first you have to Uninstall it.
Then get BOINC from the BOINC web site, and install that.

You don't "install" Science United. Its installer installs BOINC and adds Science United as the account manager. So there's no uninstall anything and reinstall BOINC, but instead, as said earlier, detach from Science United and add projects manually.

Ahh, good to know.
I've no intention of getting anywhere Science United, so I don't know a lot about it. Which I guess is obvious. :)

Hey Jord,

Thanks for your comments. I'm still looking for a definitive answer to my question, if anyone knows: When BOINC Manager's Preferences say that it's "Using local preferences," doesn't that mean that ... it's using local preferences? Or is that somehow incorrect?

My only involvement with Science United was to go to its website, create an account, and answer some questions to determine which projects I'd like to support.

I then installed BOINC Manager myself, signed into my Science United account, and chose to have BOINC Manager follow local prefs. So in that way, signing into Science United is just like signing into any other project ... is that a correct assumption?

Or does Science United have some way to defeat BOINC Manager's local prefs even though BOINC Manager says it's using local prefs? (And if S.U. is doing that somehow, couldn't any individual project do the same thing?)

That's what I'm trying to get to the root of. I understand that many folks don't like Science United, and I note that, but my question goes beyond them: Can a service overrule BOINC Manager's local settings, even when BOINC Manager says it's not?

Many thanks,
Peter

Okay, that makes sense. Thank you for the info!

So: I do appreciate having Science United help by showing me the many projects that are out there. BUT I don't like not having control of my machine.

Solution: Use Science United's project list to see what's out there and get more info about projects ... but then choose the projects and manually connect to them individually via BOINC Manager myself. :-)

Slightly more work to set up ... much less work ongoing.

Many thanks to all.

Peter