Release Notes
From BOINC
[edit] Release notes for version 6.6
[edit] New features
[edit] New CPU and GPU scheduler
The client has an all new CPU and separate GPU scheduler built in. These fix problems with getting enough work as set in your preferences.
[edit] New work-fetch policy
The work-fetch module has been reprogrammed from the ground up, to work with the new CPU and GPU client-side schedulers.
[edit] New method of Long Term and Short Term Debts
Where in the past debts were calculated using zero as the mean between projects, the new debt calculations use a maximum of zero.
These changes may make your BOINC run completely different from before. BOINC will have to re-learn all about the projects, their tasks and their run-time again. It is therefore advised to start with zero debts. Use the <zero_debts> flag in Client Configuration to reset your debts.
[edit] Improved communication handling between the manager and client software
Less possibility for the manager to start without a running client. Easier to understand warnings. Improved remote control procedures.
[edit] Grid based view meets list based view for accessibility improvements
There is only one advanced view, grid based with listing options. It will allow for you to choose multiple tasks and projects at the same time and e.g. suspend them. Shows real-time elapsed time for tasks, instead of CPU time for all tasks.
[edit] Updated support for using CUDA
New CUDA card recognition; minimum driver recognition; showing driver and FLOP estimate.
and more...
[edit] Installing BOINC
[edit] Windows
You can set install options by clicking the "Advanced" button on the configuration screen. The options are:
- Program directory - where BOINC's program files will be stored.
- Data directory - where BOINC's data files will be stored.
- Use BOINC screensaver - Use the BOINC screensaver for the current user.
- Protected application execution - Run project applications under an unprivileged account. This provides increased protection against faulty applications, but it may cause graphics to not work with older applications.
- Allow all users on this computer to control BOINC - If selected (public mode), all users can control BOINC (attach/detach projects, etc.). If not selected (private mode), the only users who can control BOINC are: the installing user, members of the Administrator group, and members of the 'boinc_users' group. When other users run the BOINC Manager, they'll be shown a dialog saying to contact the administrator to add them to the 'boinc_users' group.
To run BOINC invisibly, choose the "Protected application execution" option, then delete the BOINC shortcut from the Start/Programs/BOINC and Start/Programs/Startup menus (locate BOINC in each menu, right-click, select Delete). You can still run the BOINC Manager by going to C:\Program Files\BOINC and double-clicking on boincmgr.exe
[edit] Mac OS X
- If your browser has not already done so, expand the zip archive by double-clicking on it in the Finder.
- Double-click on the BOINC Installer application to run the installer, then follow the prompts.
- Close the installer when it is finished. This will automatically launch the BOINC Manager.
- If you want BOINC to be your screen saver, open System Preferences from the Apple menu. Select Desktop & Screen Saver and select BOINCSaver.
Several tools for Macintosh system administrators are available to:
- Automatically run BOINC as a daemon or system service at boot time.
- Improve security for stand-alone clients.
- Prevent BOINC Manager from launching automatically when selected users log in.
[edit] Linux
[edit] Uninstalling BOINC
[edit] Windows
Select Start/Control Panel/Add or Remove Programs. Select BOINC, then click Remove. This removes the BOINC software only; your jobs in progress are not deleted. To completely remove BOINC, delete the BOINC data directory (usually C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\BOINC on Windows XP and C:\ProgramData\BOINC on Windows Vista).
[edit] Mac
You do not need to uninstall BOINC on the Mac if you are installing a different version. The installer automatically takes care of removing the unwanted files.
To completely remove (uninstall) BOINC from your Macintosh, run the Uninstall BOINC application which is included with the installer.
NOTE: this also removes all your BOINC Data files. If you want to preserve these, rename or move the folder before running the Uninstall BOINC application. The BOINC Data folder can be found at /Library/Applications Support/BOINC Data/.
[edit] Changes from 5.10/6.2 (Windows)
[edit] Domain Controllers
This release of the BOINC software will NOT install on Domain Controllers. This will be addressed in a future version.
[edit] Changes from 5.10/6.2 (Linux)
[edit] boinc_cmd & boinc_mgr
Both BOINC Manager and BOINC command line tool names has been changed to 'boincmgr' and 'boinccmd' respectively to bring them in line with the other platforms.
[edit] Known Issues (Windows)
[edit] Error 1069: Service can not be started because of a faulty login
This happens after something has removed the "Logon as a Service" from the "boinc_master" user account that was created during setup.
Known reasons for why this might happen:
- The administrator for your network has specified which accounts are allowed to "Logon as a Service" via Group Policy. Any account not on that list is stripped of that user right.
From my point of view the problem is because the install program by default decided to install the program files and program data files in folders which are only accessible with administrator privileges.
- It installs program files in the correct place (C:\Program files\BOINC), where only admins can access it. It installs data files in the correct place (C:\Documents and settings\All users\Application data\BOINC) and sets permissions so that only boinc_master (an account created by the installed) can access it. That's all the way it should be.
Also it doesn't help that whenever the boinc manager starts automatically it starts as a service of the current user and therefore doesn't have enough privelages to do anything so you have to shut it down and restart it as with administrator privileges.
- It never starts as a service under the current user account. That's not how services work. Services always start under the same account, no matter who is logged in. In fact, they start before anyone logs in.
Why can't the program be set to run always as an administrator level service that is available to all users?
