I did upgrade from BOINC 5.10.45, user installation, to BOINC 7.2.42, service/protected installation.
And BOINC manager can't connect to client daemon.
Via task manager I see that client daemon works and running science app OK. But manager can't connect to it w/o any error massages showed.

EDIT: also, attempt to exit from manager fails. BOINC manager silently ignores such attempts.
Only process kill via task manager can close BOINC manager window.

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But manager can't connect to it w/o any error massages showed.

Just the error in BOINC Manager that it cannot connect to the client, or also other errors (in Windows), and if so, which ones?

- This XP, is that a 32bit or 64bit version?
- In the case of 64bit version, is the BOINC version you installed 32bit or 64bit?
- Did you allow the computer to reboot after installing as a service?
- Do you get any messages about boincsvcctrl.exe wanting to be allowed to make changes to the computer?
- What if you uninstall BOINC, reinstall it as a user install first, then uninstall it, then install it as a service?
- Do you have more than one boincmgr.exe on your computer in a Windows path?

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But manager can't connect to it w/o any error massages showed.

Just the error in BOINC Manager that it cannot connect to the client, or also other errors (in Windows), and if so, which ones?

I see no reported errors. Also, if right mouse clic on tray icon all fields including "quit" are grayed/inactive. That is, it's impossible to close BOINC manager on that host gracefully, only via process kill.

- This XP, is that a 32bit or 64bit version?

It's XP SP3 x86.

- In the case of 64bit version, is the BOINC version you installed 32bit or 64bit?

x86.

- Did you allow the computer to reboot after installing as a service?

Host experienced few reboots already since initial installation.

- Do you get any messages about boincsvcctrl.exe wanting to be allowed to make changes to the computer?

No displayable messages from anything. What logs worth to check?

- What if you uninstall BOINC, reinstall it as a user install first, then uninstall it, then install it as a service?

Will try this sequence and come back.

- Do you have more than one boincmgr.exe on your computer in a Windows path?

Shouldn't but will check.

EDIT: just side note. I subscribed on this thread but did not get notificaion about your answer...

EDIT2: host in question: http://setiweb.ssl.berkeley.edu/beta/show_host_detail.php?hostid=72051

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- Do you get any messages about boincsvcctrl.exe wanting to be allowed to make changes to the computer?

No displayable messages from anything. What logs worth to check?

Oh good question. I wouldn't know so offhand. Probably in the Windows Event Viewer, if that's available in XP. It's been so long since I used it that I don't remember. :)

EDIT: just side note. I subscribed on this thread but did not get notification about your answer.

I'll let the establishment above know.

That you won't be able to start BOINC Manager is as far as I know purely a problem with permissions, so do check that the C:\Program Files\BOINC\ folder and the Data directory (default on XP at C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\BOINC\ and a hidden directory) have all the correct permissions.

Superfluous questions/remarks:
1. If using a different account than the one you installed BOINC with, did you check "Allow all users on this computer to control BOINC" during the installation?
2. You could also test with 7.4.12, as that BOINC's installer has the whole BOINC limited user account & group setting revised.

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1) Windows XP is just next version of Windows NT Workstation so it has all features that Windows NewTechnology OS provides, system event log included.
But there is nothing BOINC-regarding in System log, some non-informative event in Application log though:

Event Type: Information
Event Source: BOINC
Event Category: None
Event ID: 1
Date: 27.08.2014
Time: 19:04:18
User: N/A
Computer: JANE
Description:
The description for Event ID ( 1 ) in Source ( BOINC ) cannot be found. The local computer may not have the necessary registry information or message DLL files to display messages from a remote computer. You may be able to use the /AUXSOURCE= flag to retrieve this description; see Help and Support for details. The following information is part of the event: 27-Aug-2014 19:04:18 Initialization completed
; .

2) BOINC directory not in path so there is no secondary boincmgr copy in path.

Now going to your suggestion regarding BOINC client reinstall.

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Regarding permissions:

BOINC client installed to E:\BOINC, BOINC data directory installed in E:\BOINCdata.

Drive E: is FAT32 partition so should have all write and read permissions BOINC could need.

So far no improvement in situation.
What I did:

1) launched BOINC 7.2.41 install executable again and chose "remove".
2) rebooted after removal.
3) launched BOINC 7.2.41 install executable again and leaved "All users can control" enabled and all other checkboxes disabled, that is, user install.
4) after install BOINC manager cnt's connect again.
5) rebooted.
6) the same, after reboot BOINC manager can't connect. BOINC daemon running OK though and launched science app. I see this via task manager.

All processes are created under my own account on that PC (accordingly to task mananger).

What next? To try latest BOINC alpha ?

EDIT: downloading 7.4.16. Will see what it change.

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Absolutely the same situation with latest alpha BOINC 7.4.16:

1) launched BOINC 7.2.42 installer, chose "remove"
2)rebooted
3) launched BOINC 7.4.16 installer, changed nothing in default options that installed BOINC executables to E:BOINC, projects and other data to E:\BOINCdata; all users can control BOINC, non-service install.
4) rebooted.

Now boinc daemon works, science app works, BOINC manager can't connect.

What to try more ?

P.S. If I manually kill boinc.exe via task manager BOINC manager immediately shows dialog box regarfing connection error and offers to repeat attempt.
Until boinc.exe killed no such dialog box appeared.

P.P.S. If I chose "repeat" in that dialog box boinc.exe got restart, launches science app... and BOINC manager can't connect to it w/o displaying any errors again.

Side note: and for some reason "events view" BOINC manager window became opened though I did not open it via menu. It shows nothing though cause manager can't connect.

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Last bit of (optional) testing:
What happens when you remove the data directory?
Either point the installer to a new place for the data directory, or backup the present one, delete all contents, then install or start BOINC.

I ask that one as there have been reports in the past that this fixed that same problem for people. Uh yes, you will want to run the work in cache to end before doing this.

You can set no new tasks through boinccmd.exe or by editing the client_state.xml file and adding

<dont_request_more_work/>

to each project's section.

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Hm....
Hard issue. It remains even after COMPLETE BOINC removal and manual registry cleaning... Now BOINC didn't know old paths to install, running in simple view mode... but still can't connect to client!
IMHO worth to report to BOINC devs...

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IMHO worth to report to BOINC devs...

I was keeping Rom in a loop already.

Edit: What kind of security package do you have on there?
Any third party anti-virus and/or firewall?

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None in this time.

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P.S. If I manually kill boinc.exe via task manager BOINC manager immediately shows dialog box regarfing connection error and offers to repeat attempt.
Until boinc.exe killed no such dialog box appeared.

P.P.S. If I chose "repeat" in that dialog box boinc.exe got restart, launches science app... and BOINC manager can't connect to it w/o displaying any errors again.

Sounds like Manager is using wrong password to connect to client. On Windows, how Manager knows where to look for the password file?

On Windows, how Manager knows where to look for the password file?

It'll be a file called gui_rpc_auth.cfg available in the data directory. It's hardcoded in the client and Manager to look for that file and its contents. It'll be populated with a random 32 character hexadecimal password if it doesn't exist on start-up.

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Let me rephrase that question.

How Manager knows where gui_rpc_auth.cfg file or the data directory for that matter is?

And of course, are client and Manager using the same directory?

How Manager knows where gui_rpc_auth.cfg file or the data directory for that matter is?

The manager knows where the gui_rpc_auth.cfg file is through code in its program.
It knows where the data directory is by reading the DATADIR variable in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Space Sciences Laboratory, U.C. Berkeley\BOINC Setup in the registry.

And of course, are client and Manager using the same directory?

They aren't in the data directory, if that's your question. By default they'll be in the C:\Program Files\BOINC\ or C:\Program Files (x86)\BOINC\ directories, depending on 64bit or 32bit program and operating system. Else in whatever directory the user detailed the programs should be installed in.

But yes, both boinc.exe and boincmgr.exe are in that same directory.

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It knows where the data directory is by reading the DATADIR variable in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Space Sciences Laboratory, U.C. Berkeley\BOINC Setup in the registry.

Ok.

And of course, are client and Manager using the same directory?

They aren't in the data directory, if that's your question.

No, I meant data directory. If client and Manager happened to disagree on the location of the password file that would create a problem like the one Raistmer is having.

If client and Manager happened to disagree on the location of the password file that would create a problem like the one Raistmer is having.

That's true, but that's one of the reasons why I asked for him to delete the data directory. That didn't help either.

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Well... err, I suppose there was some messages about removing directories and registry entries...

Never mind me, carry on...

Never hurts to have someone join in and throw a couple of theories out. For all we know we missed something. I'm sure in the end we have missed something, but I can't put my finger on it for now.

You're still welcome to throw more ideas out. :)

@Raistmer,
You said you removed all registry entries. Which ones were they? Just HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Space Sciences Laboratory, U.C. Berkeley or also HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Space Sciences Laboratory, U.C. Berkeley ??

Did you remove the BOINC Manager start entry from HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run ?
The boinctray entry from HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run ?

Anything else?

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@Raistmer,
You said you removed all registry entries. Which ones were they? Just HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Space Sciences Laboratory, U.C. Berkeley or also HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Space Sciences Laboratory, U.C. Berkeley ??

yes, both.
Only one removal still allowed BOINC to know prev install dirs.

Did you remove the BOINC Manager start entry from HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run ?
The boinctray entry from HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run ?

Anything else?

perhaps those too, but also few other where BOINC was mentioned. Some "recently accessed" lists, but few looked little different. Many removed entries had oldest BOINC path with drive D: mentioned I did not use quite long ago on that PC.

EDIT: need to say that after that registry cleaning first time BOINC installer requested reboot after installation. Before it did not asked for reboot.
And reboot was done...

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