New Install of BOINC Manager; cannot add project or account manager (Connection error)

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ncoded.com

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Message 84109 - Posted: 31 Dec 2017, 0:18:43 UTC

Old install suddenly acquired this this problem.

Did a Install- Repair however has the same problem.

Uninstalled old version and reinstalled new; still has the same problem.

Uninstalled old version via add/remove (Win10) and reinstalled fresh; still has the same problem.

When you click: add project or add project manager, it says:

The password you have entered is incorrect, please try again.

The message box window is called: BOINC Manager - Connection Error.

This is happening BEFORE you even get a chance to enter anything.

BOINC manager installed was the latest version from this website.
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Message 84110 - Posted: 31 Dec 2017, 0:24:54 UTC
Last modified: 31 Dec 2017, 0:27:39 UTC

This is the same problem as some else has reported..

"I have the same problem with all projects on BOINC that I’ve tried. Seems to be a BOINC Manager problem rather than any specific project."

https://boinc.berkeley.edu/dev/forum_thread.php?id=12185#83871
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Message 84112 - Posted: 31 Dec 2017, 2:47:06 UTC

Navigate to the BOINC data directory, default at c:\programdata\boinc, and remove gui_rpc_auth.cfg, then exit and restart BOINC

That will regenerate this file and reset the password in it. It should easily fix the problem as well.
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Message 84113 - Posted: 31 Dec 2017, 3:52:03 UTC - in response to Message 84112.  

Okay thanks; any ideas on what caused this, I am right in thinking it was the latest Windows update?
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Message 84135 - Posted: 1 Jan 2018, 7:33:35 UTC - in response to Message 84112.  
Last modified: 1 Jan 2018, 7:34:09 UTC

Nope that did not work.

I deleted the file; then when I restart BOINC and click add account manager, it recreates the file, but BOINC manager has the same error.

This is now happened on more than one host.
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Message 84145 - Posted: 1 Jan 2018, 21:30:10 UTC - in response to Message 84135.  
Last modified: 1 Jan 2018, 21:30:47 UTC

Anyone?
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Message 84146 - Posted: 2 Jan 2018, 5:54:22 UTC

If you've "done nothing" on the other hosts then it sounds like an ISP issue....
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Message 84160 - Posted: 2 Jan 2018, 19:37:45 UTC - in response to Message 84146.  
Last modified: 2 Jan 2018, 19:41:12 UTC

In case anyone is reading this.

5x 1080 GPUs
5x 1080 Ti GPUs
150+ V3/V4 Xeon logical processors

All sitting unused because no-one is supporting/fixing this problem.

How on earth can it be an ISP issue? The BOINC software install's itself including any Auth it does.

Everything else works fine, including Folding@home.
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Message 84162 - Posted: 2 Jan 2018, 19:55:29 UTC - in response to Message 84160.  
Last modified: 2 Jan 2018, 19:58:16 UTC

All sitting unused because no-one is supporting/fixing this problem.

Probably because no one else is having the issue and therefore can’t reproduce your problem.

What is so different about your machine config to the hundreds of thousand others out there that may effect it? Maybe bleeding edge Microsoft software more likely your antivirus software/firewall blocking things.
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Message 84165 - Posted: 2 Jan 2018, 20:40:07 UTC - in response to Message 84162.  
Last modified: 2 Jan 2018, 20:44:27 UTC

The 2nd post, I did mentioned someone else having this issue. No resolution was forthcoming, and he resolved the issue by going back one version, which kind of proves it is a boinc client issue and not anything else.

The thing is, the boinc manager is saying wrong password, before it even loads add project UI etc, therefore there seems to be some internal password within boinc manager which is getting/is corrupted.

Ageless mentioned deleting and recreating the auth file, which clearly stands for authorization/authentication, which very much seems like the issue at hand.

I come from a software development background so I appreciate the difficulties, however we are just stuck in the middle here. BOINC blame Microsoft. Microsoft blame BOINC.

I just tried again on a host with no AV (as it ONLY does BOINC/F@H, as most of our hosts do) and that has the same problem. Everthing is as default, no unusual setups.

All I know is the error message I am getting, even after I have uninstalled and re-installed.

We have been doing BOINC for many years now and have never had this problem previously. We add/remove projects and manager quite frequently as we run both UK Boinc team and GridCoin team via GRCPool.

Perhaps someone can explain what 'password' this error is referring to, as no account, project, or project manager has been added to the BOINC manager yet?

I find it hard to understand how Microsoft, our AV or ISP, or something else, can trigger a 'incorrect password message box from boinc manager'..

--

I do appreciate everyone's help so far, it just very frustrating ..
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Message 84167 - Posted: 2 Jan 2018, 22:09:59 UTC

It is certainly the case that the error message "The password you have entered is incorrect" is a last-chance fall-through for otherwise undiagnosed failures: see https://github.com/BOINC/boinc/blob/master/clientgui/BOINCBaseFrame.cpp#L517. (Please confirm that the exact wording of the message you saw is "The password you have provided is incorrect, please try again.": it makes searching much easier).

Assuming that's the case, some other connection failure has occurred, and it's one I'd like to track down. BOINC consists of two local applications on your computer (the 'Client' and the 'Manager': they communicate by TCP/IP over port 31416, even on a single isolated computer). Communications failures can occur either because the Client is not running, or because the communications channel is blocked: it's hard to distinguish between the two. You've mentioned that you have purchased some very expensive hardware - how good are you on software? Could you compile and run a debug version of the Manager, if we need to explore alternative reasons for the display of this message?

The password being discussed is the contents of the file "gui_rpc_auth.cfg", which should have been created automatically in your BOINC data directory. On a default single-computer installation, this file should have been created on installation, and read from the correct location when the Manager is first run: no security is needed. The authentication is provided to cover the case where the Manager is being used to control a remote machine over a local network. This isn't the first time it's prevented normal operation: we need to do some forensic research to discover why.
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Message 84168 - Posted: 2 Jan 2018, 23:38:01 UTC - in response to Message 84167.  
Last modified: 2 Jan 2018, 23:40:58 UTC

Hi Richard,

Yeah the error message and its window are:

"The password you have entered is incorrect, please try again".
The message box window is called: "BOINC Manager - Connection Error".

Oh I had no idea it was both manager and client app, it is quite well hidden from the user (rightly so).

In truth knowing this helps me try and work out what is going, as does your explanation on the password; These are just normal desktops (workstations) with no networking used.

Technically I could recompile as I come from a C/C++ background, but it been so many years and I don't really have to time currently to go into this detail; its fine when all the .lib and .h (etc) files are where the source code expect's, and if you are using the same IDE, but if not.. :(

I am trying to rack my brains what has changed and the only things that have, guessing, are:

1) Every host has had a major Windows update lately (Creators fall)

2) I stop using Avast AV and let Windows take over AV on some hosts

3) Some of the existing hosts have had the latest BOINC version installed

4) Some of these are newly setup hosts, and hence would have had the latest BOINC version installed

Let me try and work through this logically..

Windows update (CF) was knocking out some of our GPUs so I disabled it on a host, so let me try reinstalling BOINC on that machine as that way I should be able to take that off the list as a potential problem. #1

If that does not work then I will uninstall BOINC, reinstall AVG, and reinstall BOINC again; that will take the (built in MS AV of the list) #2

That would then leave the BOINC version; so perhaps I will do this first as it is the easiest #1

When I uninstall BOINC if I wanted to remove EVERYTHING, which folders/directories should I remove? Obviously:

c:\programdata\boinc\

Or there any others I am not aware of?

Thanks..
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Message 84216 - Posted: 5 Jan 2018, 6:58:07 UTC
Last modified: 5 Jan 2018, 6:59:43 UTC

So after looking at the problem in more detail, the deciding factor over which hosts work and which do not, comes down to directly which Version of BOINC manager is running.

Version 7.6.3.3 works fine, the new version 7.8.3 has serious bugs/errors and does not run.

When you try and add a project or project manager, and BOINC client says "Your password is incorrect", before you even entered anything.


If you are having the same issue, feel free to post here.

Perhaps when enough people are unable to run BOINC manager then support/development will actually take this seriously and get it fixed.

There seems little point sending notifications to working versions of BOINC, telling people to upgrade, which when they do then actually all it does breaks the client and then stops them from crunching.

To say this issue has seriously damaged our opinion of BOINC, its development team, and its "support", would be an understatement. And the really sad point of note is the fact that we have just spent over $15K on new hardware to run solely on Volunteer computing.

If anyone else is in the same boat, with no one in support actually offering a resolution, such as where to download Ver 7.6.3.3, then take a look at the project: Folding@home, especially if you run Pascal GPUs. Folding@home is a medical research involving protein folding which is runs very similar to BOINC.

If you run GridCoin under BOINC, then you will be pleased to note that CureCoin under Folding@home is also available; CureCoin is very similar to GridCoin as both run and reward processing as POR, as well as have a very similar wallets, and basically run a very similar way.

http://folding.stanford.edu/
http://curecoin.net/
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Message 84217 - Posted: 5 Jan 2018, 7:03:27 UTC - in response to Message 84216.  
Last modified: 5 Jan 2018, 7:03:55 UTC

..
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Message 84219 - Posted: 5 Jan 2018, 14:18:44 UTC - in response to Message 84216.  

There seems little point sending notifications to working versions of BOINC, telling people to upgrade, which when they do then actually all it does breaks the client and then stops them from crunching.
Actually, the client will still work perfectly, it's just that the manager (the GUI) cannot contact the client so that you can (easily) control it. You should still be able to control it using the boinccmd tool.

Most of the problems with BOINC Manager not communicating with the client stem from anti virus software and firewalls. With Windows 10 - and especially if you run the development version of Win10 - you have to set up everything after every update, because Microsoft in their infinite wisdom will overwrite every setting you have and/or reset it to its default setting, because they will deem that your system then works better for them.

So always check your firewall (rules).
Or set up a firewall rule, an inbound and outbound one for the BOINC client (boinc.exe) and the manager (boincmgr.exe)
You don't have to set up which port number to use in the Windows firewall. But if it asks, use 31416, for both.

A lot of people come on the forums here - and at project forums - with the grcpool account manager and have questions about those. We do not develop this thing. We do not have support for it.
Simple rule of thumb: any questions not about the BOINC client or BOINC Manager or its directories, ask at the place you got it from.
We don't know how the grcpool account manager interferes with BOINC Manager, go ask them about it. It's not a sanctioned account manager, the only ones we sanction are BOINC Account Manager (BAM!) and GridRepublic and even then, if you have questions about how to use those, go ask their developers.

We do know that this problem you have is not a very widespread one. It's not as if everyone running BOINC 7.8 has this problem, so it's easy to find what could cause it. Most of the times when you're the only one with the problem it can be frustrating because help isn't coming quickly enough. Having said that, you figured out that a previous version works normally, so you can return to that one without much pain. And therefore the rant you degraded this post into wasn't necessary.

To say this issue has seriously damaged our opinion of BOINC, its development team, and its "support", would be an understatement. And the really sad point of note is the fact that we have just spent over $15K on new hardware to run solely on Volunteer computing.
Well, I'm sorry the experience you had was a bad one. There was help enough in this thread, not as much from me, but that was due to something happening in my private life for which BOINC and from my viewpoint everything else could easily drop off the face of the earth for all I cared. On top of that, I managed to get this nasty new flu.

That said, everyone here, including me, is a volunteer helper. The BOINC development is being done by volunteers. There is no dedicated team of paid developers anymore. Now, in the past, when problems came to the front with a client, one of the developers would check what the problems were and try to release a new version as soon as possible. That is not the case anymore, now the client release manager will check once every so many time units what new code was added to BOINC and make a pick from that to release a new client to the alpha testers.

In the real world, the CRM will then check channels to see if no big problems happen with this client. If there are big problems, he'll try to get new code that fixes that and release a new client, again to alpha only. So until a client emerges that works fine among the alpha testers. This client is then released onto the public, who can still find problems with it because of their different hardware/software setups. It's then pertinent to find what's causing that, get it fixed and release a new client.

All that hasn't happened with most of the BOINC 7.8 versions, and I doubt it'll happen with the 7.9/7.10 versions. This because the CRM has his own agenda and is still adjusting to the new BOINC governance setup. TL;DR

If anyone else is in the same boat
And there you went and made it an advertisement of Folding@Home & Curecoin. Hope you're happy over there. I hope for them they'll never have problems with their software, because you're not someone with patience and grace. Or trying to work with the people trying to help you. You decided it was a bug, it was with BOINC, they had to fix it - during the holidays no less. 6 days between asking for help and running away. I salute you. I hope that the next person, the one reading what I wrote here, takes it to heart that we do try to help everyone to the best of our knowledge, but that due to unforeseen circumstances and health issues, it can take time. Time that you apparently do not have.
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Message 84220 - Posted: 5 Jan 2018, 14:27:49 UTC

And for anybody else with neither patience nor diagnostic skills, the older versions 7.6.33/34 are listed on http://boinc.berkeley.edu/download_all.php, just one click away from the automatic download page.
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Message 84224 - Posted: 5 Jan 2018, 15:53:42 UTC - in response to Message 84220.  

Like I said, if anyone is having similar problems just run the older version. Hopefully in the future this issue will be resolved.

Personally I could never do support as I would take a customer's frustration personally and would end up sending derogative replies/emails which would of course be most unprofessional and definitely not helpful.

I am sure most people would agree that anyone that acts in that manner has no place within a team providing "support" and "help".
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Message 84227 - Posted: 5 Jan 2018, 16:13:45 UTC

We do development and testing here as well - all by volunteer effort. And yes, we are also human beings with our own frustrations.
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Message 84237 - Posted: 5 Jan 2018, 22:47:24 UTC

I normally write answers like my previous one out over days in Notepad++, often restarting and rewriting it completely before putting it onto the forums. This time I decided to just post it as is, no matter the backlash.

As Richard points out, I am also human.
As I pointed out, I'm also a volunteer.
There's frustration enough as it is. But do get your priorities straight.

For instance:
My partner having a heart attack the week before Christmas and her having to stay in hospital during Christmas was cause enough for frustration.
Having been bogged down with this new flu for the past 6 days is cause enough for frustration, especially since our tea is running out.
We lost 5.8TB of data on our NAS on the 30th of December when a sensor in one of the hard drives decided to go haywire and show the drive run at 140C. While running a RAID5 array, and only removing the defunct drive and adding a new one, after the repair job, we only had two directories left, instead of 7. That's cause for frustration.

Those three instances have taken up a lot of my attention these past three weeks, and will still take up my attention. If that then means I cannot help people here on the forums, not even if I am the only one with the answer, then so be it. But since you ranted, I thought it needed a reply in kind. One with a lot of data in it, with causes for the connection drop, with an explanation on how things work, with an explanation on how BOINC is being developed these days.

And that written from the heart, and hopefully as cool as it could've been done. Because at the end of the day, I should be able to say my bit on how I think you were misguided as well. Just as you feel you should be able to say how bad the software is at the moment.

Although seeing the silence on the forums, not that bad. It's been way way way worse.
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Message 84240 - Posted: 6 Jan 2018, 0:26:52 UTC

If anyone is looking for the page which has all the previous BOINC version downloads, you can find it here:

https://boinc.berkeley.edu/download_all.php

As stated, Version 7.6.3.3 worked fine for us, however the new Version 7.8.3 did not.

A picture is worth a thousand words:

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Message boards : Questions and problems : New Install of BOINC Manager; cannot add project or account manager (Connection error)

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