There might be a log file somewhere though that has any startup messages, but I don't know what that is called.

Event Log
Shift-Ctrl-E

Or stdoutdae.txt in the BOINC data directory.

Shift Control E brings up a kind of settings summary. Okay! I found that file. It says...

11-Jan-2022 16:25:44 [---] cc_config.xml not found - using defaults
11-Jan-2022 16:25:44 [---] Starting BOINC client version 7.16.20 for windows_x86_64
11-Jan-2022 16:25:44 [---] log flags: file_xfer, sched_ops, task
11-Jan-2022 16:25:44 [---] Libraries: libcurl/7.47.1 OpenSSL/1.0.2s zlib/1.2.8
11-Jan-2022 16:25:44 [---] Data directory: F:\ProgramData\BOINC
11-Jan-2022 16:25:44 [---] Running under account Adrian
11-Jan-2022 16:25:46 [---] CAL: ATI GPU 0: AMD Radeon HD 7850/7870 series (Pitcairn) (CAL version 1.4.1848, 2048MB, 2008MB available, 4454 GFLOPS peak)
11-Jan-2022 16:25:46 [---] OpenCL: AMD/ATI GPU 0: AMD Radeon HD 7850/7870 series (Pitcairn) (driver version 2348.4, device version OpenCL 1.2 AMD-APP (2348.4), 2048MB, 2008MB available, 4454 GFLOPS peak)
11-Jan-2022 16:25:46 [---] Windows processor group 0: 8 processors
11-Jan-2022 16:25:46 [---] Host name: Blackwater
11-Jan-2022 16:25:46 [---] Processor: 8 GenuineIntel Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-6700K CPU @ 4.00GHz [Family 6 Model 94 Stepping 3]
11-Jan-2022 16:25:46 [---] Processor features: fpu vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 clflush dts acpi mmx fxsr sse sse2 ss htt tm pni ssse3 fma cx16 sse4_1 sse4_2 movebe popcnt aes f16c rdrandsyscall nx lm avx avx2 vmx tm2 pbe fsgsbase bmi1 hle smep bmi2
11-Jan-2022 16:25:46 [---] OS: Microsoft Windows 8.1: Core x64 Edition, (06.03.9600.00)
11-Jan-2022 16:25:46 [---] Memory: 15.92 GB physical, 18.30 GB virtual
11-Jan-2022 16:25:46 [---] Disk: 465.76 GB total, 448.02 GB free
11-Jan-2022 16:25:46 [---] Local time is UTC +1 hours
11-Jan-2022 16:25:46 [---] No WSL found.
11-Jan-2022 16:25:46 [---] VirtualBox version: 6.0.14
11-Jan-2022 16:25:46 [---] Last CPU benchmark was 55 days 05:02:10 ago
11-Jan-2022 16:25:46 [Einstein@Home] General prefs: from Einstein@Home (last modified ---)
11-Jan-2022 16:25:46 [Einstein@Home] Computer location: home
11-Jan-2022 16:25:46 [---] General prefs: using separate prefs for home
11-Jan-2022 16:25:46 [---] Reading preferences override file
11-Jan-2022 16:25:46 [---] Preferences:
11-Jan-2022 16:25:46 [---] max memory usage when active: 14673.15 MB
11-Jan-2022 16:25:46 [---] max memory usage when idle: 14673.15 MB
11-Jan-2022 16:25:47 [---] max disk usage: 419.18 GB
11-Jan-2022 16:25:47 [---] suspend work if non-BOINC CPU load exceeds 80%
11-Jan-2022 16:25:47 [---] (to change preferences, visit a project web site or select Preferences in the Manager)
11-Jan-2022 16:25:47 [---] Setting up project and slot directories
11-Jan-2022 16:25:47 [---] Checking active tasks
11-Jan-2022 16:25:47 [TN-Grid Platform] no project URL in task state file
11-Jan-2022 16:25:47 [BOINC@TACC] URL https://boinc.tacc.utexas.edu/; Computer ID 930; resource share 400

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Wave upon wave of demented avengers march cheerfully out of obscurity into the dream.

Could you navigate to F:\ProgramData\BOINC, find and open global_prefs_override.xml in Notepad (no XML reader necessary, Notepad will suffice), copy all contents and post those here?

Sure.

<global_preferences>
<run_on_batteries>0</run_on_batteries>
<run_if_user_active>1</run_if_user_active>
<run_gpu_if_user_active>1</run_gpu_if_user_active>
<suspend_cpu_usage>80.000000</suspend_cpu_usage>
<start_hour>0.000000</start_hour>
<end_hour>0.000000</end_hour>
<net_start_hour>0.000000</net_start_hour>
<net_end_hour>0.000000</net_end_hour>
<leave_apps_in_memory>1</leave_apps_in_memory>
<confirm_before_connecting>0</confirm_before_connecting>
<hangup_if_dialed>0</hangup_if_dialed>
<dont_verify_images>0</dont_verify_images>
<work_buf_min_days>0.000000</work_buf_min_days>
<work_buf_additional_days>0.500000</work_buf_additional_days>
<max_ncpus_pct>100.000000</max_ncpus_pct>
<cpu_scheduling_period_minutes>60.000000</cpu_scheduling_period_minutes>
<disk_interval>60.000000</disk_interval>
<disk_max_used_gb>0.000000</disk_max_used_gb>
<disk_max_used_pct>90.000000</disk_max_used_pct>
<disk_min_free_gb>1.000000</disk_min_free_gb>
<vm_max_used_pct>75.000000</vm_max_used_pct>
<ram_max_used_busy_pct>90.000000</ram_max_used_busy_pct>
<ram_max_used_idle_pct>90.000000</ram_max_used_idle_pct>
<max_bytes_sec_up>0.000000</max_bytes_sec_up>
<max_bytes_sec_down>0.000000</max_bytes_sec_down>
<cpu_usage_limit>100.000000</cpu_usage_limit>
<daily_xfer_limit_mb>0.000000</daily_xfer_limit_mb>
<daily_xfer_period_days>0</daily_xfer_period_days>
</global_preferences>

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Wave upon wave of demented avengers march cheerfully out of obscurity into the dream.

Okay, two things you could try.

1) Exit BOINC and remove the global_prefs_override.xml file, then start BOINC and allow the BOINC Manager Computing Preferences to write it again (Save).
2) Up <suspend_cpu_usage> to 100 and try that.

Right. I've set "no new tasks" on all projects, they should wind down overnight. I'll do these when it is clear in the morning some time.
This behaviour is, obviously, not intentional. I can delete BOINC and reinstall it at the same time in case something subtle has got screwed somewhere.

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Wave upon wave of demented avengers march cheerfully out of obscurity into the dream.

I uninstalled BOINC when the tasks list was complete and returned. I still have the installer on disk, so re-installed. Two things I noticed. First, when opening the re-installed BOINC, I was somewhat suprised to see all my usual projects were already there. Obviously, uninstalling it does not remove everything from the system. For this exercise, it was quite convenient, but if I was genuinely trying to remove it, it is leaving some stuff behind, thus failing to do a good job. Secondly, I have seen the CPU is busy again with the newly installed version. I will move onto to Jords points.

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Wave upon wave of demented avengers march cheerfully out of obscurity into the dream.

Re-installing BOINC, or Upgrading to a newer version, deliberately does NOT remove the data directory.

Perhaps it should have an uninstall option somewhere. It could then ask if you want to complete the uninstall. I see what you are saying, but uninstalling a software package, in my humble opinion, should completely uninstall the package, not leave stuff around.

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Wave upon wave of demented avengers march cheerfully out of obscurity into the dream.

Perhaps it should have an uninstall option somewhere. It could then ask if you want to complete the uninstall. I see what you are saying, but uninstalling a software package, in my humble opinion, should completely uninstall the package.

No, removing the program doesn't usually remove the data. Imagine uninstalling a word processor? Should that delete the novel you've just written with it?

Bad example. When you write your novel, word processor packages invite you to save your file. If you have written a entire novel in the word processors workfile and not saved it, then perhaps a hard lesson is learnt. If I try to quit Open Office without saving, it reminds me that this is the case, often to the extent that you get the "are you sure you are sure" annoyance.

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Wave upon wave of demented avengers march cheerfully out of obscurity into the dream.

I asked this option several years ago (or in the future if you read the ticket right): #675.
If it hasn't been added now, chances are it'll never get added.

You can use the batch file I added to that ticket, if you really really want to rid yourself of everything BOINC.

>>> or in the future if you read the ticket right

Difficult to argue with that...

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Wave upon wave of demented avengers march cheerfully out of obscurity into the dream.