I installed Boinc (5.4.11) as a service, on a P4 HT, running WinXP SP2.

I put in global preference "Do work while computer is in use? No"

Nevertheless, when I use the computer, works are not stopped and CPU is used at 100%.

Is there some known issue?

(I have a second computer, where Boinc was installed as single user, and there the global option works fine, work is stopping as soon as I start to use the PC)

Make sure that under Activity menu (on BOINC Manager) you have selected "Run based on preferences" and not "Run always".

Also make sure you Updated BOINC after you set that preference. (Boinc Manager, Projects tab, select project you changed it on, Update).

You can also try BOINC 5.8.8, which allows you to set this option in the Simple GUI. (If Advanced GUI starts up, View, Simple View, Preferences, I want to customize the options.)

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Thanks for the answers. Unfortunately, this did not help :(

The global preferences have been several times updated, and it was already on "Run based on preferences". (and as I explained below, we see that these preferences are working in some context, and not in some others)

I have also updated to 5.8.8, but same problem.

So I dig more to find the root of the problem and I think that I may have found the cause: I believe that Boinc does not manage correctly Windows XP "Fast User Switching" feature.

I explain my test.
- After booting the computer, from the "Welcome screen", I logged to User1 (which is the user that is running Boinc Service, as asked during the installation. This user has also Administrator rights), and then Boinc was reacting as wanted (starts 2 minutes after idle and stop when I start to be active as set in my global preferences).
- I switched back to the welcome screen (without log-off of User1), and logged in to the User2 account (This user does not have Administrator rights). Here Boinc was not working as expected. Even I am using the computer, the tasks are starting (and this "exactly" 2 minutes after I have left User1). I also waited few minutes without using the computer, and then started to be active again, but no effect, tasks continued to run instead of being suspended.
- Then I returned to the welcome screen (without log-off of User2), and went back to User1. Then the tasks get suspended at once, and every thing worked again as expected (start after 2 min idle, stop when active)
- Then I logged off User1 and went back to User2, and as first time, Boinc did not work as expected, with tasks always running.

I tried then opposite. I rebooted the computer and
- I logged first in to the User2 account. Boinc worked as expected.
- I switched the to User1 account (without log-off of User2), and here tasks started even I was using the computer and did not stop after I was active after an idle period
- I switched back to User2 (without log-off of User1), and this time Boinc worked as expected, stopping at once when active, starting after enough idle.
- I switched again to User1 (without log-off of User2), and as first time, Boinc was always running.
- I switched back to User2 (Boinc stopped at once again) and then log-off User2.
- returned to User1, and again Boinc was running without stopping when being active.

I made another test. I rebooted the computer and
- I logged in to User2 account, and Boinc was working correctly.
- Then I logged-off from user2 and logged in User1. This time, not as when just switching, Boinc was working correctly also.


IMHO, it shows that Boinc do not work correctly when several users are using the computer under WinXP, as it seems that tasks do not start or stop based on the current user activity, but somehow on the first user that logged in the computer

If a program running under user 1 could see if user 2 is moving the mouse, then technically it could also see *what* he is doing. Windows doesn't allow that.

I think running BOINC as a service but under 'local system' account would allow BOINC to monitor all accounts, as the 'local system' account has much more privileges.

I think running BOINC as a service but under 'local system' account would allow BOINC to monitor all accounts, as the 'local system' account has much more privileges.

I test it (went to control panel, stopped the service and changed the log-on user of the service to local system account, then rebooted), but it does not fix the issue.

I logged in User1 first, and Boinc worked fine (and checked in Task manager, Boinc.exe is now SYSTEM), but when Switching to user2, exactly as before, it does not stop when this user is active.