I just reinstalled BOINC and got reconnected to all my projects, but when the screensaver goes active I don't get what I used to get which was a different screensaver for each project. ??????? Help me, Help me

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Patrick Bailey
Haverhill, MA

Greetings:

My BOINC screensaver has also disappeared.

I'm running four (04) projects. S.E.T.I., World Community Grid, Climate Prediction, and SHA-1 Collision Search.

The screensaver graphics have vanished on every project.

When I click on "Show graphics", all I get is a black screen.

When the BOINC screensaver is activated, I see the BOINC logo as it begins, but then the screen is black.

I've tried uninstalling and reinstalling BOINC, both the old version and the new version.

Has BOINC been hacked?

Is someone sending our computers a malicious virus?

If something's going on at BOINC, then why don't they send e-mails to us users, and alert us to ongoing issues?

Thank you.

Sending emails to several million people is called SPAMMING.
Another reason that you won't get an email, is because nothing is going on.

The only "goings on" that might affect you, is if you're just upgraded from a BOINC version 5, to BOINC version 6, which isn't yet ready for release. And some projects may not be ready yet.

Have you two people had a Windows monthly update recently?
Have you had a look at what Windows is using for a screensaver?

And don't confuse screensaver graphics with Show graphics, they're different.

Les Bayliss, Et Alii:

It's only "spam" if it's unsolicited.

Keeping subscribers informed doesn't fall into that category.

Yes, I update my computer constantly, and yes, I do know the difference between BOINC graphics and the screensaver.

Yes, I do use Windows screensavers when the BOINC screensaver doesn't work, and specifically, I find the aquarium screensaver to be my favorite.

When selected, the BOINC graphic IS the screensaver, or at least, it was, up until a few days ago.

But, something has gone amiss, although I can't figure out what.

The screen has been black.

However, the issue is now moot

I just checked the BOINC screensaver and the BOINC graphic, and they're both working fine, just the way they're supposed to.

What caused it to quit working?

What made it start working again?

Durned if I know!

Thank you.

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John Robert Mallernee, KB3KWS
Disabled War Veteran, United States Army
Ashley Valley Shadows
Vernal, Utah 84078

Why the screen saver doesn't work:

BOINC 5:
- No up to date video card drivers and DirectX version.
- You set your Settings in Windows to switch to a blank screen immediately, or to use "resume with password".
- You didn't adjust your screen saver to kick in 1 minute after you let BOINC go crunch in Idle time.
- Your (embedded) video card cannot do OpenGL 1.2

BOINC 6:
You installed BOINC with the default option, protected install.
This means that the old graphics and screen saver do not work anymore. Projects need to release BOINC 6 compliant applications, where the graphics application is separated from the science application and built against the latest BOINC API.

The graphics applications do work on BOINC 5 clients, but BOINC Pre-6 graphics applications (built in into the science application) do not work on BOINC 6 if you installed BOINC as a protected (service) install. Only a handful of projects have so far changed their applications to be BOINC 6 compliant.

World Community Grid has some sub-projects, Einstein and Primegrid's applications work, that I know of. Seti does not work, it still uses BOINC 5 graphics.

If you want to have the graphics of non-compliant applications working under BOINC 6, you must install as a non-protected install. This installs BOINC 6 as is (no service). You also need to check the option to install the screen saver or else it will not be activated. (Although you can do so manually from the display properties->Screen saver window).

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Jord, Et Alii:

I'm running BOINC version 5.10.45.

No, I didn't do anything to change my screensaver settings, one way or the other.

The screensaver was working just fine, and then, only a few days ago, it quit working.

Well, to be more accurate in my description, the BOINC screensaver was working, but it had no graphics.

This evening, without anything being done, the graphics reappeared.

So, I have no idea what happened, or why it's back to normal.

I'm just glad everything is okay again.

Thank you.

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John Robert Mallernee, KB3KWS
Disabled War Veteran, United States Army
Ashley Valley Shadows
Vernal, Utah 84078

Well, to be more accurate in my description, the BOINC screensaver was working, but it had no graphics.

Sounds like a problem with the video card. If it's a card, check that it's seated correctly (all pins in, not wobbly), and that the fan is freely spinning, not clogged up by dust and other nasties. Check GPU temperatures, if you can.

And if it's an embedded chip... well, all bets are off. ;-)

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I had the same problem, but tonight my SETI and other project screensavers JUST STARTED WORKING!!!! Must be E.T.s helping out, I guess!

But I think it was probably the genius Leader TIM of Calm Chaos that fixed it!