I recently did a new install of Windows 7 Ultimate, 64-bits. This new, pretty clean system fails to launch BOINC manager 7.0.25. The install went fine with no errors. Launching the BOINC manager gives no error, and I can see boincmgr.exe in the task manager for about 20 seconds until it vanishes. I tried both the 32-bit and 64-bit versions, as well as the 7.0.27 Alpha version. The old 6.12.34 manager works fine.

I disabled virus protection and firewall, but that had no effect. What kind of debug information should I copy paste? I installed the manager with default settings in the default directories.

Boinc works fully with the command line, and I am currently rendering at renderfarm.fi after attaching via boinccmd.

---

Jesse Kaukonen
www.renderfarm.fi

I got the same problem Win7 64-bit, not more than 3 months old installation. no problems with installation and no errors... then launching boinc and nothing happens....rolled back to 6.12.34

-Leffe

Whenever you have problems where BOINC Manager won't start up, first check if BOINC has started. In Windows task manager, check if boinc.exe is running (check processes for all users when you run as a service). Check if boincmgr.exe is running as well.

Did you install the correct BOINC?
Is it the 64bit version, and did it install to C:\Program Files\BOINC\ ?
Or is it the 32bit version? And did that install to C:\Program Files (x86)\BOINC\ ?

Windows has this security thing where it does not allow 64bit programs to run from the 32bit Program Files directory and even sometimes has problems with 32bit programs staring from the 64bit Program Files directory. So make absolutely sure that your version of BOINC was installed to the correct programs directory.

The BOINC installer will check where you put your previous version (6.12.34 in both your cases) and use the install directories that this version set. Then it's for you, the user, to check in the third screen in the installer if that info is correct. Not just click OK, or Next without checking.

The next thing that could be in the way is firewall or anti virus or other anti-malware programs. Disabling AV and firewall is a bad thing, especially when you connect directly to the internet (no router), so never do that, not even for testing. But luckily, unless you install Windows 95 or 98, you can't even disable your firewall anymore these days, Windows will always leave it running at some level.

Always exclude the BOINC programs and Data directories plus all files and sub-directories from being scanned by your anti-virus and anti-malware programs. Only scan these by hand, when you first completely stopped BOINC. Safest way not to lose work, that.

And make sure that BOINC is allowed to pass through your firewall.
BOINC its parts (boinc.exe, boinmgr.exe, boinccmd.exe, boinc.scr, boincsvcctrk.exe, boinctray.exe) talk to each other through TCP port 31416, so make sure that one is allowed for BOINC only.
The BOINC client itself (boinc.exe) needs access to the internet through TCP ports 80 and 443.


How come a 64bit BOINC installer an install into the 32bit Program Files directory? This is because the installer itself is always 32bit. Only the contents of the installer are either 32bit or 64bit. The BOINC.MSI file inside the boinc_7.0.28_windows_intelx86.exe and boinc_7.0.28_windows_x86_64.exe themselves is also only 32bit, its contents is a database containing the files that will be unpacked into the directory of choice. And only these files will be 32bit or 64bit, this depending on the name on the installer.

---

Please check Message 43458, and onwards

Lasse found the solution:

Run regedit -> HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Space Sciences Laboratory, U.C. Berkeley\BOINC Manager
Check language value, if it is 0 change it to 1

Boinc has a bug that does not recognise Finnish language selection and hangs up. The bug's still effective in 7.0.28.

I agree with samuel7, who said:

"I also had the original problem that I fixed by changing the language value in the registry. I have BOINC 7.0.27.
If I select Finnish as the language in the manager and shut down both the client and the manager, the problem returns. That is, the manager won't start without editing the registry.
I don't need or necessarily want the Finnish version but it is a bug and a showstopper for those upgrading from version 6.x with this language selection if not others."

And for Finnish readers:

Siis jostakin syystä suomenkielinen Boinc ei päivity uudempaan oikein ja kieliasetus pitää manuaalisesti muuttaa regeditillä.
Sinänsä helppoa, mutta tyhmää.
Jäljempänä tuossa viestiketjussa on hiukan lisääkin analyysiä aiheesta
http://boinc.berkeley.edu/dev/forum_thread.php?id=7466
t.
Seppo Parviainen

Please check Message 43458, and onwards

That would be this message. ;-)

Gruß,
Gundolf

Kiitos. Nyt toimii!
Thanks. It works!
Juhis

I tried the regedit thing, and it's not fixed my issue. Fresh install of Win7 Professional, 64 bit. I was able to get BOINC to run a handful of times, but generally only with effort after I enabled GPU computing. Now I get a window regularly popping up saying (with "X" being a number)

BOINC Manager - Unexpected Exit

The BOINC client has exited unexpectedly 3 times within the last X minutes. Would you like to restart it again?

[Yes] [No] [Help]

I tried a repair of the install. I tried an uninstall and reinstall. I checked the thing in the registry that was mentioned. No go.

This is my first time doing the GPU compute (with my two shiny new Geforce 670 GTX cards... it tears through SETI@home), and also the first time I've had so many issues getting BOINC to run.

Not happy with BOINC right now. The last time I installed it (after re-installing to Win7) I had to fight for a hours to get it to work. Tonight I - foolish as I was - changed language from English to Finnish, and as a result Boinc Manager has failed to start ever since. Or rather it starts, but exits a few seconds afterwards.

Tried regedit, didn't work. Tried uninstalling, rebooting and reinstalling - didn't work. I've again spent like three hours trying to get this damn piece of software to work, and all I can make it do is shut down on me.

Yes, I am logged on as administrator. No, the firewall isn't the problem. Yes, command-line works if I start it. Edit: And BOINC is the latest stable version.

I'm quite close to being ready to quit BOINC after over 12 years of BOINC and like 5 years of SETI@Home before that, and move on to another community computing that actually works without the user having to spend hours setting it up.

:fuming:

This is a known bug with 7.0.28 and is fixed in 7.0.30
But you can easily update to 7.0.64, which as it looks like is going to be the next recommended for Windows. See the latest post (at time of typing) in the Change Log thread for links.

---

Thank you for the swift answer, will do that when I get home again.

Nvm, apparently too much rights isn't a good thing :P