Hello, I am very new to Linux, but have been running BOINC on WinXP for almost a year.

I just completed a dual boot Ubuntu/Mint system. Using Ubuntu, I was able to download and install the BOINC Project manager. After connecting it to my project manager @ BAM! I realized that the project manager does not automatically load when I boot the computer (like it used to do under Windows XP). I have to go to Applications/System Tools/BOINC to launch it after booting into Ubuntu.

After doing some reading I found special instructions for setting up the BOINC project manager as a Daemon in Linux (remember I'm new to Linux) and it seems that is how I should have configured it.

Is there a way to "convert" a previously installed Linux application to run as a Daemon? I don't want to corrupt the currently running projects.

If this is not possible, is my only recourse to abort the current projects, uninstall BOINC and start from scratch to install it as a Daemon? (If this is the only way, what procedures should I follow for uninstalling BOINC. Is this process completed through the Synaptic Package Manager, or are there other steps involved? (Do I need to Purge anything?)

Secondary issue: Can Linux Mint run BOINC? When I created my dual-boot system somehow Mint became the default so it loads automatically on restart if I don't select Ubuntu from the boot menu. So, if my only recourse is to do a complete re-install, I'd like BOINC loaded with the OS that automatically boots.

Thanks for the help.

You may want to read http://boinc.berkeley.edu/wiki/Starting_BOINC_on_boot_%28Unix%29. Do know that by installing as a daemon, you will not be able to use the GPU to do work with, nor will you be able to run projects that use VirtualBox (such as Test4Theory) at this time.

---

I did read the instructions on that link. They seem to address a new install of BOINC. Since I already have BOINC installed and running do they apply to my situation?

However, I did try them and this is what happens:

I select:
Applications/Accessories/Terminal
and type:
sudo aptitude install boinc-client boinc-manager
I am prompted for my password, I enter it.
The system replies:
sudo: aptitude: command not found

Remember, I just started using Linux.
(The system does not have a GPU, it's a Dell Lattitude 100l)

mark@BOINC-Latitude-100L:~$ ps aux | grep boinc
boinc 760 0.4 0.7 10476 5060 ? SN 19:01 0:00 /usr/bin/boinc --check_all_logins --redirectio --dir /var/lib/boinc-client
boinc 865 57.8 7.1 61380 45252 ? RNl 19:01 1:45 ../../projects/www.malariacontrol.net/openMalariaB_6.57_i686-pc-linux-gnu --compress-checkpoints=1
mark 1754 0.0 0.1 4156 848 pts/0 S+ 19:04 0:00 grep --color=auto boinc
mark@BOINC-Latitude-100L:~$

I powered down, then re-started the computer before running the pw aux | grep boinc command. I didn't launch the BOINC manager, and I see the malaria project running... so it looks like what you said is true. (The first time I did the command I didn't see the malaria project, but I had aborted all my projects thinking I would be re-installing BOINC so I guess nothing was running. After restarting the projects using the project manager and re-booting the computer I saw the malaria project).

Of course, I didn't think of another simple test... just note what projects I had running, reboot and come back a couple days later to see if they finished. ;)

Now, for your other advice on fixing the boot sequence... what I'm reading recommends against "becoming root" in Ubuntu. They recommend using the sudo command. Would that be sufficient to make the changes you are suggesting?

Thanks for the help so far! BTW, I was having no luck getting the BOINC website to load earlier today.

mark@BOINC-Latitude-100L:~$ ps aux | grep boinc
boinc 760 0.4 0.7 10476 5060 ? SN 19:01 0:00 /usr/bin/boinc --check_all_logins --redirectio --dir /var/lib/boinc-client
boinc 865 57.8 7.1 61380 45252 ? RNl 19:01 1:45 ../../projects/www.malariacontrol.net/openMalariaB_6.57_i686-pc-linux-gnu --compress-checkpoints=1
mark 1754 0.0 0.1 4156 848 pts/0 S+ 19:04 0:00 grep
I tried using sudo to get root. Seemed to work, but the copy command didn't work.

--color=auto boinc
mark@BOINC-Latitude-100L:~$ sudo su -
[sudo] password for mark:
root@BOINC-Latitude-100L:~# copy /boot/grub/grub.conf to /boot/grub/grub.conf.old
No command 'copy' found, did you mean:
Command 'pcopy' from package 'pcopy' (universe)
Command 'hcopy' from package 'hfsutils' (main)
Command 'fcopy' from package 'fai-client' (universe)
Command 'bcopy' from package 'bacula-sd-pgsql' (main)
Command 'bcopy' from package 'bacula-sd-sqlite3' (main)
Command 'bcopy' from package 'bacula-sd-mysql' (main)
Command 'copt' from package 'z88dk-bin' (universe)
Command 'mcopy' from package 'mtools' (main)
Command 'ncopy' from package 'ncpfs' (universe)
Command 'copyg' from package 'nauty' (multiverse)
copy: command not found
root@BOINC-Latitude-100L:~#

Mint and Ubuntu are in seperate partitions.

Ok, I was looking for grub.conf from Ubuntu... no luck. However after booting to Mint, I opened gedit and found grub.cfg:

#
# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE
#
# It is automatically generated by grub-mkconfig using templates
# from /etc/grub.d and settings from /etc/default/grub
#

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
if [ -s $prefix/grubenv ]; then
set have_grubenv=true
load_env
fi
set default="0"
if [ "${prev_saved_entry}" ]; then
set saved_entry="${prev_saved_entry}"
save_env saved_entry
set prev_saved_entry=
save_env prev_saved_entry
set boot_once=true
fi

function savedefault {
if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then
saved_entry="${chosen}"
save_env saved_entry
fi
}

function recordfail {
set recordfail=1
if [ -n "${have_grubenv}" ]; then if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then save_env recordfail; fi; fi
}

function load_video {
insmod vbe
insmod vga
insmod video_bochs
insmod video_cirrus
}

insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(/dev/sda,msdos6)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 19962b84-4bad-41fb-a2f1-c9c10688148d
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
set gfxmode=auto
load_video
insmod gfxterm
fi
terminal_output gfxterm
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(/dev/sda,msdos6)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 19962b84-4bad-41fb-a2f1-c9c10688148d
set locale_dir=($root)/boot/grub/locale
set lang=en_US
insmod gettext
if [ "${recordfail}" = 1 ]; then
set timeout=-1
else
set timeout=10
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(/dev/sda,msdos6)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 19962b84-4bad-41fb-a2f1-c9c10688148d
insmod png
if background_image /boot/grub/linuxmint.png; then
true
else
set menu_color_normal=white/black
set menu_color_highlight=black/light-gray
if background_color 44,0,30; then
clear
fi
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/06_mint_theme ###
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(/dev/sda,msdos6)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 19962b84-4bad-41fb-a2f1-c9c10688148d
insmod png
if background_image /boot/grub/linuxmint.png ; then
set color_normal=white/black
set color_highlight=white/light-gray
else
set menu_color_normal=white/black
set menu_color_highlight=white/light-gray
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/06_mint_theme ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
if [ ${recordfail} != 1 ]; then
if [ -e ${prefix}/gfxblacklist.txt ]; then
if hwmatch ${prefix}/gfxblacklist.txt 3; then
if [ ${match} = 0 ]; then
set linux_gfx_mode=keep
else
set linux_gfx_mode=text
fi
else
set linux_gfx_mode=text
fi
else
set linux_gfx_mode=keep
fi
else
set linux_gfx_mode=text
fi
export linux_gfx_mode
if [ "$linux_gfx_mode" != "text" ]; then load_video; fi
menuentry 'Linux Mint 11, 2.6.38-8-generic (/dev/sda6)' --class linuxmint --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
set gfxpayload=$linux_gfx_mode
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(/dev/sda,msdos6)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 19962b84-4bad-41fb-a2f1-c9c10688148d
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-8-generic root=UUID=19962b84-4bad-41fb-a2f1-c9c10688148d ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.38-8-generic
}
menuentry 'Linux Mint 11, 2.6.38-8-generic (/dev/sda6) -- recovery mode' --class linuxmint --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
set gfxpayload=$linux_gfx_mode
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(/dev/sda,msdos6)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 19962b84-4bad-41fb-a2f1-c9c10688148d
echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.38-8-generic ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-8-generic root=UUID=19962b84-4bad-41fb-a2f1-c9c10688148d ro single
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.38-8-generic
}
### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_lupin ###
### END /etc/grub.d/10_lupin ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###
### END /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+)" {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(/dev/sda,msdos6)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 19962b84-4bad-41fb-a2f1-c9c10688148d
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin
}
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)" {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(/dev/sda,msdos6)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 19962b84-4bad-41fb-a2f1-c9c10688148d
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin console=ttyS0,115200n8
}
### END /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
menuentry "Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.38-11-generic (on /dev/sda1)" --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(/dev/sda,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 99353a60-b46d-491d-a676-2db1e6b5035c
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-11-generic root=UUID=99353a60-b46d-491d-a676-2db1e6b5035c ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.38-11-generic
}
menuentry "Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.38-11-generic (recovery mode) (on /dev/sda1)" --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(/dev/sda,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 99353a60-b46d-491d-a676-2db1e6b5035c
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-11-generic root=UUID=99353a60-b46d-491d-a676-2db1e6b5035c ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.38-11-generic
}
menuentry "Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.38-8-generic (on /dev/sda1)" --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(/dev/sda,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 99353a60-b46d-491d-a676-2db1e6b5035c
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-8-generic root=UUID=99353a60-b46d-491d-a676-2db1e6b5035c ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.38-8-generic
}
menuentry "Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.38-8-generic (recovery mode) (on /dev/sda1)" --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(/dev/sda,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 99353a60-b46d-491d-a676-2db1e6b5035c
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-8-generic root=UUID=99353a60-b46d-491d-a676-2db1e6b5035c ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.38-8-generic
}
### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries. Simply type the
# menu entries you want to add after this comment. Be careful not to change
# the 'exec tail' line above.
### END /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###
if [ -f $prefix/custom.cfg ]; then
source $prefix/custom.cfg;
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###

Just found grub.cnf while running Ubuntu... confused now, two boot files? Maybe I should just not worry about the boot order.

I am able to use sudo -s to get root in Ubuntu. I run gedit from the terminal window and I open /boot/grub/grub.cfg from there.

I'm going to think over adding a second BIOINC instalation so it runs in Mint. If I decide to do that, then the boot order won't really matter that much. Of course, I need to figure out how to let both sets of BOINC use the same project files or that will create a problem with aborted projects on whichever OS runs the least.

I'll try one of the Linux forums too and see what they recommend.

Thanks for the help!

Thumb drives wear out? That's something I didn't know. I keep critical backups on one of my memory sticks... any tests I should run periodically to check memory integrity?

Something I just realized, in my Windows setup if I wanted to shut down the BOINC Manager and all running projects, I could just uncheck "leave applications in memory while suspended" and close the project manager to reclaim memory.

On my Linux system, it seems a bit more complicated than that... and the laptop I'm running Linux on is a single processor machine so it really jams other stuff up if BOINC projects are running. I'm still fiddling with the settings for CPU and memory usage, but they don't seem to have much impact and shutting down BOINC and the projects isn't as straightforward in Linux.

So... for now I think I'll keep my Mint partition BOINC free and just boot to Mint if I don't want BOINC running in the background while I try and do other things.

I know that probably has you banging your head on your desk, but while I'm learning Linux I need to do things the simplest way possible. ;)

I have a 32GB memory stick coming that I plan on using for a bootable version of Linux that I'll run on my dual-processor laptop that isn't quite as ancient so that will open up some things for me. (Maybe even try a 3rd version of Linux?)

Something I read in some forum somewhere... made it seem that leaving the apps in memory would make them run more efficiently. I dunno... I'll uncheck that. I've always had "while the computer is in use" checked on my main laptop because it has enough brains to keep crunching while I do most other things. I'm not shutting down BOINC all the time on that system.

Now the old Dell that gets to be the test bed for Linux is another story. I used to just have it running BOINC as a dedicated system, but now it has to do other stuff too while I learn Linux... so that tip will help there.

BTW, there is a window that pops up in the BOINC manager when you shut it down asking if you want to shut down the projects too when you exit the manager. It has a checkbox to remember your preference and not show it again. Interestingly it just showed up for the first time on my Linux machine... even though I've exited the manager several times before.

Right now Ubuntu is installing a ton of upgrade stuff so I can't fiddle with BOINC yet. Thanks for the info.