Check to see if a line

<dont_use_vbox>1</dont_use_vbox> or <dont_use_vbox/>

has been created in configuration file cc_config.xml

It's a long shot, but at one time the BOINC client created that value to save repeated error messages when things went wrong.

You are right that BOINC can be too busy at startup to detect things like VirtualBox and GPUs. The solution is to use the sleep command on the Boinc process for N seconds, where N is your wanted wait time. You can read through https://boinc.berkeley.edu/forum_thread.php?id=12946 to see if that helps (depending on if you sue systemd or not though)

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I didn't offer the delay_start option in cc_config because it delays the starting of science applications only. It may help, but I doubt it because it's the whole hypervisor that isn't detected as I understand. Since the science applications run in that hypervisor, delay starting them doesn't help because they won't start anyway without the hypervisor. (if there are science applications already available)

But it's the same here, BOINC seems to start before VirtualBox is ready. Which means that by the time VirtualBox starts, BOINC has already started and it won't try to redetect VirtualBox. So delay starting BOINC can fix this.

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You can check client_state just to be sure it didn't get borked somehow.

* Did you try to crunch Projects using VMs in the past while VT-X / AMD-V / VIA-VT was not enabled? Could be that BOINC has kept this in mind!

To check and fix this, first exit BOINC and make sure, all BOINC-Tasks have really finished.

In your BOINC_Data-Directory you will find a client_state.xml. Open this with a simple editor and search for:

<p_vm_extensions_disabled>1</p_vm_extensions_disabled>


If this is absent or the number is 0 / zero than all is fine. Otherwise change it to 0 / zero <p_vm_extensions_disabled>0</p_vm_extensions_disabled> and safe the file. Be carefull to save it as a real ascii-file

Be carefull that you closed your BOINC-Client successfully before you change anything in client_state.xml. Otherwise BOINC will overwrite your changes

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However, if this was the problem a simple restart of the client after system start should solve the problem.

But when are you sure that system start has ended? Simply looking at the drive light won't do it.

Would be nice to have the ability to recheck for VB or GPUs without having to restart the client similar to re-read config files.

Detection of GPUs, coprocessors and VirtualBox is quite a resource intense procedure and we prefer it only happens at BOINC client start.

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In that case I would uninstall and reinstall VirtualBox first, to make sure there isn't something wrong with it or its startup scripts.
I didn't read it, but are you sure you need VirtualBox?

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When the client starts, depending on project work, the client process (BOINC) runs at least 90% busy for minutes.

I've recently had a private communication suggesting that, in the author's opinion, the process which reads, parses and sorts into order the tasks in client_state.xml is coded inefficiently, and in particular takes O(n²) to perform the sort. They have coded an alternative procedure, but I am not sufficiently skilled to verify it is fit for purpose in this context. Anybody available with coding skills to committer level like to take this on?

Have you read https://wiki.centos.org/HowTos/Virtualization/VirtualBox?
(Although someone should tell them that hard pink is a difficult background!)

(Although someone should tell them that hard pink is a difficult background!)

But it so brings out the colour in your eyes !

ROFLOL 🤣

That's the nicest thing you ever said to me. 😊😄

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And thank you for reporting the solution back. I'll see if we need to document this.
I've added it to the BOINC manual. Thanks again.

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