I am a very dissatisfied new user of BOINC, having just migrated from Seti@home. I find the BOINC stuff very unfriendly and unmanageable. The wiki information was pretty good once I found it.

Now, I find that I have cluttered my computer with a program that functions aperiodically if at all. Although it is sitting in my system tray and using resources, and running as a screen saver, the BOINC manager says it is not connected to a client, and show that it runs always. I know I told it to run in the background. I try to tell it to run based on preferences, and it reverts to Run ALways. Are the preference in the BOINC manger, or are they on the Seti site. This critical point is unclear and undocumented. If it can't connect to Seti, how the hell does it know how to run? I know I previously connected it to Seti, as it showed in the manager window for a time. Now nothing and no indication of what to do to fix it.

The manager window is blank. When I try to attach to a project or to account manager, it replies the BOINC is not connected to a BOINC client, and tells me to use File Select Computer to connect, and mentions local host as an option, which is the only option. Which then says not able to connect to a BOINC client.

I don't know what is wrong, and am frustrated in getting stuck in this seemingly circular logic.

Very soon, I will uninstall the BOINC crap and forget about making efforts to allow my computer to do public good while idle. The effort of figuring out this new system in not worth it.

FYI, I am just a casual computer user, not an IT type. I have done Seti for several years, and assisted a couple others in applying it - very novice users. They have already asked me BOINC questions. My response will be that it is too unfriendly for me to use and that I suggest they forget it and move on as well.

Just having to go to this message board is a pain in the ass. The tech level of those here seems intense and far above where I am at, or where I want to be. Apparently the system is not ready for general use by inexperienced computer users. Perhaps it is just overwhelmed. The first days I tried converting to BOINC from Seti there were failures all over, and subsequently I read that the servers were failing, not me nor my installation nor my efforts. But all I got was frustrated. As occurs again when BOINC fails and puts me in a circular loop.

I was trying to donate some time and effort to a common good. But it appears to require more time, effort, and knowledge than I have or am willing to provide. Too bad. I tried. BOINC failed.

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If it can't connect to Seti, how the hell does it know how to run? I know I previously connected it to Seti, as it showed in the manager window for a time. Now nothing and no indication of what to do to fix it.

I will try to help here, but be warned i do not have much experience in helping others to get BOINC run the way they want it to run. First i need some more information:

What version of BOINC are you using (click on 'Help' and 'About BOINC Manager...')?
What operating system are you using BOINC with (Windows .., Linux .., Mac.., others)?
What kind of internet-connection are you using (DSL, Broadband, Dial-up, others)?

edited for typos.

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Urs

Hello, Rich,

It's not entirely clear to me whether your intent is a "Bionic sux, Goodbye" post, because you do ask a question or three. Those of us (volunteers) who work the help boards are here to do just that, HELP, when someone ASKS for help, and most of us are exhausted from dealing with the mass of "kicked out of Classic" die-hards, so we don't have the time, patience, or inclination to deal with garden-variety whiners who don't_want_to_adapt.

If you want some help, phrase you post accordingly, and you'll receive plenty. If you're not willing to give it the effort, ...

"Your old road is rapidly agin'.
Please get out of the new one
If you can't lend your hand
For the times they are a-changin'"

Regards,

Michael

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"The arc of history is long, but it bends toward Justice"

The other piece of advice I can offer is to try the project boards first when in doubt. This board can be intimidating because it is concerned with technical issues to do with particular parts of the software. Using the project boards has several advantages. One is that you don't need to know which bit is going wrong - describe your problem and let others worry about that. Another is that on the project boards other people can look at some details of your account, such as what sort of computer and operating system you have, and whether there are any application errors logged by the server. A third is that there are more people around, some of whom will have had the same difficulties, and you may find the answers there already.

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I was trying to donate some time and effort to a common good. But it appears to require more time, effort, and knowledge than I have or am willing to provide. Too bad. I tried. BOINC failed.

I haven't seen you post a question of help over in the Seti Helpdesk forums, so it's not BOINC that failed, but you. Asking for help isn't that bad. Many people have done so. So what's keeping you?

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To Andrew. What project board? All I see on the BOINC page is the BOINC message boards on the lower left, and then this one is the first in the list.

To Michael. I probably AM a whiner, because I have wasted a couple hours between apparent Seti server problems and circular-seeming software. They took away what worked and sent me to something that doesn't. I should be pleased about that? And I am a hair away from saying the hell with it, it isn't worth the trouble. How many others just drop off without even trying to get help, do ya think?

To Urs. Version 5.2.13. Win 98 SE. Cable broadband, always connected.

Oh, and this just in from Jord/Ageless.... Thanks for pointing me to what Andrew probably meant by the project board... the one back at the Seti site that originally sent me to the BOINC site, where there seems little help to be had. Even a reference there (on BOINC) that says go back to the specific project board, such as Einstein or whatever would help. And you may consider it MY failure, but BOINC is the program on my machine that does not seem to be continuing to work, and there isn't much direction as to where to go with a problem with it. Certainly I am confused in the change, but weak directions isn't exactly my fault - I went where it seemed logical - to the BOINC site since that was what seemed to be performing incorrectly.

I'll try back at Seti. But only for a short time. It is wearing thin.

Rich

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To Andrew. What project board? All I see on the BOINC page is the BOINC message boards on the lower left, and then this one is the first in the list.

OK. BOINC can be confusing when you meet it for the first time, and perhaps there is a need to explain more clearly where to go for help. The projects are listed at the top of the BOINC home page, and you will find that each of them have Question and Problem boards not unlike this. I didn't point to any particular one because I wasn't sure which project you were trying to join. I'm sorry if you didn't find the SETI one much help - it suffers sometimes from its own success, so there are a lot of different questions and arguments all the time.

The other place to go for guidance is the BOINC-Wiki, but the drawback is that if you can't make head or tail of that either there is no-one to shout for help to there. But there are some walk throughs.

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I am a very dissatisfied new user of BOINC, having just migrated from Seti@home.

Rich:

I sympathize with you plight. One thing you will not find in the BOINC Wiki is "customer service", which is too bad.

There seems to be two types of BOINC experiences: ones where BOINC works right out of the gate; and ones where BOINC doesn't work and there's absolutley no clue as to why. It may be a simple as the project server not available at the current time, but regardless, it is frustrating.

Have you tried connecting to a different project other than SETI ? There are other whorthwhile projects that may interest you. Regrettably, Climate Prediction does not work with Win98 though.

Fortunately BOINC worked fine for me on all 7 of my computers, and I'm now running 7 projects.

I hope BOINC gets working for you, as the community would hate to lose yet another user. Classic SETI was running around 500,000 active users at any point in time. SETI-BOINC only has 320,000 total users. That's a signinficant drop. BOINC, in total, has 416,000 registered users, but I have no idea how many of them are actually active.

--- bt

I am a very dissatisfied new user of BOINC, having just migrated from Seti@home.

Rich:

I sympathize with you plight. One thing you will not find in the BOINC Wiki is "customer service", which is too bad.

There seems to be two types of BOINC experiences: ones where BOINC works right out of the gate; and ones where BOINC doesn't work and there's absolutley no clue as to why. It may be a simple as the project server not available at the current time, but regardless, it is frustrating.

Have you tried connecting to a different project other than SETI ? There are other whorthwhile projects that may interest you. Regrettably, Climate Prediction does not work with Win98 though.

Fortunately BOINC worked fine for me on all 7 of my computers, and I'm now running 7 projects.

I hope BOINC gets working for you, as the community would hate to lose yet another user. Classic SETI was running around 500,000 active users at any point in time. SETI-BOINC only has 320,000 total users. That's a signinficant drop. BOINC, in total, has 416,000 registered users, but I have no idea how many of them are actually active.

--- bt

And they have trouble keeping us busy, but we have the option of attaching to more than ONE project, really cool I think, Seti is dead long live Seti.....

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BOINC Wiki

Version 5.2.13. Win 98 SE. Cable broadband, always connected.

As can be read in your previous posts you want to use SETI@home with BOINC.
So at first you had to install BOINC.
What options did you choose during the installation process: single, shared or service install?
Single installation is recommended if you install on your own PC.
Shared installation is recommended if you are not the only user of this PC.
Service installation will keep BOINC in the background all the time.
More options: did you enable or disable BOINC as your primary screensaver?
Did you enable or disable BOINC to log on at startup of your machine?
All these options were given during the installation procedure. I hope i havn't forgotten any.

So during installation you will have to decide how you can use BOINC afterwards.

the BOINC manager says it is not connected to a client

There are many reasons that could cause this behaviour (shown in the status bar of BOINC-manager).
First of all when running SETI@home with BOINC there are running two/three different programs side by side: BOINC-manager (boincmgr.exe), BOINC Core Client (boinc.exe) and the SETI@home application (setiathome_4.18).

• BOINC-manager is only the interface for the user to handle the Core Client. It can be shut down without shutting down the Core Client or the SETI@home application.
  
• BOINC Core Client is actually the program that connects to the servers of the applications like SETI@home. If it is not running then BOINC-manager will show the message it showed you.
  
• SETI@home application is at most like the classic client, but without the ability to connect with the SETI@home servers. It is doing the science-work and the screensaver.
  

So check if the BOINC Core Client (boinc.exe) is running when the BOINC-manager shows that message.

Maybe a helpfull link for the start:
Installing the BOINC Client Software And Participating In A BOINC Powered Project

edited for typos and more.

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Urs

Rich,

I'm glad to see that you're still with us, and actively seeking help! What Andrew and bt have said is quite true. There DO seem to be 2 experiences, poles apart. What we see here at the helpdesk are the worst end of those, and a great minority, compared to the numbers that bt has cited. For former SetiClassic folks, everything BOINC is foreign, but for those who want to, not that difficult or time-consuming to adapt and learn, and the advantage of having the choice of several varied projects is welcomed. Most, but not all, people new to Boinc who experience problems and bring them to the proper boards for help, leave there feeling content, properly cared for, and thankful for the process. Believe me, we are NOT all geniuses, on either side of the helpdesk, nor is a PhD in Geekdom either required or common, and yet the vast majority end up finding that this new thing called Boinc works pretty darn well, once you get the hang of it, and becomes very low-maintenance.

Oh, yes, one more thing. I disagree with you about something - you are probably NOT a whiner.

Regards,

Michael

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"The arc of history is long, but it bends toward Justice"

The manager window is blank. When I try to attach to a project or to account manager, it replies the BOINC is not connected to a BOINC client, and tells me to use File Select Computer to connect, and mentions local host as an option, which is the only option. Which then says not able to connect to a BOINC client.

It should be 'localhost' in one word. And there is a password option that has to be used. Open your BOINC folder (the one you installed BOINC into. It should contain boinc.exe, boincmgr.exe and other stuff.) in windows-explorer and search for a file named 'gui_rpc_auth.cfg'. Open it with a simple texteditor like notepad. What is in the file? There should be a long number with figures and letters in there. If so delete that number. Make sure that there is only one 'return' and nothing else in that file. Save the file and reboot your PC. Now try again. Is a connection to the BOINC Core Client now possible?

edited for typos.

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Urs