For the past 2 weeks, my Boinc manager will not connect to the Local host. I have tried redownloading the Boinc program, cleaning the registry and reinstalling with the same results.

Ron

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Ron

When BOINC Manager states that, please open Windows Task Manager -> Processes tab. Make sure you allow to show processes from all users. Is Boinc.exe running?

Which BOINC version (BOINC Manager->Help->About BOINC Manager)?
On what operating system? If Windows, did you try to re-allow both boinc.exe and boincmgr.exe through your Windows firewall? Perhaps that you upgraded BOINC and inadvertently went from a 32bit version to a 64bit version, which installs in a different directory. Or vice versa.

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I am having the same problems. For a little longer than 2 weeks. I have tried all suggestions on this site. Deleted all Boinc files and folders, reinstalled, tried a previous version, made sure everything was being allowed through the firewall, all three processes are running, no viruses or malware.
Running Windows Vista Home Premium 64 bit.
nothing new has been installed in over a month.

keep getting the "connecting to localhost" or "Boinc is trying to connect" messages.
Other solutions?

Make sure boinc.exe, boincmgr.exe, boinc.scr, boincscr.exe and boincsvcctrl.exe are allowed access through your (Windows) firewall on TCP port 31416.
Separately boinc.exe needs to be allowed access to the internet through TCP ports 80 and 443.

Make sure that when you installed a 32bit BOINC, that it was installed into the C:\Program Files (x86)\BOINC\ directory, as this is the directory Windows reserves for 32bit programs. A 64bit BOINC needs to be installed in C:\Program Files\BOINC\

The different BOINC installer can be recognized by name.
The 32bit BOINC installer is named Boinc_version.number_windows_intelx86.exe
The 64bit BOINC installer is named Boinc_version.number_windows_x86_64.exe

Windows will not like it when you try to run a 64bit program from the reserved 32bit Program Files directory tree. Idem ditto with running a 32bit program from the 64bit Program Files directory. But only one of either gives a warning, or will plain refuse the program, I am just not sure which one.

Also make sure that the BOINC Data directory is outside the Program Files\ and Program Files (x86) directories. Not only are these reserved for the different bit-depths of programs, but also are programs not allowed to constantly write updates to these directories. This to make sure spam and other unwanted programs won't make use of these directories.

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Thanks for the prompt reply.

okay, deleted the 64 bit program, installed the 32 bit program. Deleted all firewall exceptions for boinc and started over. Made sure all associated programs and ports were available.
I cannot find a file called boinc.scr

Rebooted, started the program. Now I get a popup saying that Boinc manager is communicating with Boinc Client, please wait. On the manager itself, it is connecting to localhost.

other suggestions?

Now I get a popup saying that Boinc manager is communicating with Boinc Client, please wait. On the manager itself, it is connecting to localhost.

Uhm, I don't understand. You either get the pop-up saying it's trying to communicate with the client, or it'll show that it's connected to localhost --which is the client.

You didn't need to uninstall the 64bit version and install the 32bit version, I was just adding that whole bit to get you to check where you installed what. Just to make sure it was in the right place, as the installer will always follow what was last used as the installation place (unless you cleaned the registry).

So, did you set new exceptions in your firewall?
Are you seeing the "connecting to client" pop-up long?
Is it eventually going away?

As an extra, try to exit your BOINC fully (boinc.exe and boincmgr.exe not running, boinctray.exe can continue running, this is the idle detection program). Next navigate to your BOINC Data directory (where client_state.xml lives) and delete the gui_rpc_auth.cfg file. This stores the randomly made password for the GUI RPC.

You can also edit it and add your own password. Or nothing. When you do any of these, don't add a carriage return (Enter) at the end of the line, just leave it be and save it in ANSI format.

Then restart BOINC.
If you deleted the file, BOINC will remake it.

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The popup appears over the manager. On the manager program itself, at the bottom right, says connecting to localhost. The popup is over the manager itself, and says communicating with Boinc host, please wait.

I have had it running since I posted the last time, over 2 hours, and it never connected or went away.

searched my entire harddrive, and did not find any data directory or the files you mentioned.


I completely removed the boinc software and all files relating to it. Downloaded the boinc_6.12.34_windows_x86_64.exe file and reinstalled.

Installer performed installation to both file locations: \Program files and \Program Files (x86)

verified firewall settings.

Now I get the popup about communicating with Boinc host, then after a minute I get another popup saying it is unable to connect to a Boinc client, try again?
after clicking yes, I wait with the message "connecting to localhost" on the main manager program. After a minute, the popup comes back, "communicating with Boinc Client, please wait." The popup has now been active for the last 20 minutes without changing.

I cannot seem to find a BOINC\DATA location anywhere on my hard drive still.

Sorry I'm being such a pain with this.

Within task manager, I have the following applications running:
boinc.exe
Boincmgr.exe
boinctray.exe

I killed those processes.



after going to the command prompt, I entered boinc.exe.

Got a list of commands that started with Starting BIONIC client version 6.12.34, and ended with Initialization completed.

upon starting the manager, I get the same results as before. Communicating with BOINC Client, please wait....
have waited over 10 minutes again, with nothing changing.

Ok, I know this sounds like I'm a simple fool, but I ran boinc.exe from the command line, looked up the data directory which was C:\ProgramData\BOINC
I open the ProgramData folder, and BOINC folder is not there.

rechecked all the firewall settings, all are as they should be.

Downloaded the boinc_6.12.34_windows_x86_64.exe file and reinstalled.

Installer performed installation to both file locations: \Program files and \Program Files (x86)

How did you achieve that? AFAIK, one installation can't install in both places at once.

I open the ProgramData folder, and BOINC folder is not there.

That's because it's hidden by windows. You'll have to tell your file manager to show hidden files.

Gruß,
Gundolf

You'll have to tell your file manager to show hidden files.

for those of us - (like me) - who don't know how to tell your file manager to show hidden files:

I did a Google search and I found this great Link:

http://kb.mozillazine.org/Show_hidden_files_and_folders

I hope this helps.

My mistake. When you perform the installation, it lists both directories for installation options. The files were only installed into one location.

And yes, I know about hidden folders. That was the first thing that I checked on. There is no file.


Ok, on a hunch, I went through a command prompt. The folder is indeed there. why it is hidden on normal viewing has me lost, the entire ProgramData folder is flagged as unhidden.

Through command prompt, I get 10 entries:
all_projects_list.xml
client_state.xml
client_state_prev.xml
daily_xfer_history.xml
lookup_website.html
4 listings for my projects: rosetta, docking, einstein, steiathome
a directory for symbols

A directory listing for symbols produces another 54 directories.

no mention of the gui_rpc_auth.cfg file, unless it is in one of the 54 directories.

further suggestions?

My mistake. When you perform the installation, it lists both directories for installation options. The files were only installed into one location.

When you install, it lists one directory for the program files and one for the data directory.


The data directory should NOT go to C:\Program Files\BOINC\ or C:\Program Files (x86)\BOINC\ as these directories are protected by Windows and not allowed to be written to as much as any other directory outside these trees.

By default on Windows Vista and 7, the data directory goes to C:\ProgramData\BOINC\ and it is hidden.

Seeing how you miss a lot more files in your "data directory", like the account_*.xml files for the projects you seem to be attached to, I suspect that you put your present data directory elsewhere. And then seeing how you write that "Installer performed installation to both file locations: \Program files and \Program Files (x86)", it'll probably be in either of those places. Where it shouldn't be in.

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Make sure boinc.exe, boincmgr.exe, boinc.scr, boincscr.exe and boincsvcctrl.exe are allowed access through your (Windows) firewall on TCP port 31416.
Separately boinc.exe needs to be allowed access to the internet through TCP ports 80 and 443.

Make sure that when you installed a 32bit BOINC, that it was installed into the C:\Program Files (x86)\BOINC\ directory, as this is the directory Windows reserves for 32bit programs. A 64bit BOINC needs to be installed in C:\Program Files\BOINC\

The different BOINC installer can be recognized by name.
The 32bit BOINC installer is named Boinc_version.number_windows_intelx86.exe
The 64bit BOINC installer is named Boinc_version.number_windows_x86_64.exe

Windows will not like it when you try to run a 64bit program from the reserved 32bit Program Files directory tree. Idem ditto with running a 32bit program from the 64bit Program Files directory. But only one of either gives a warning, or will plain refuse the program, I am just not sure which one.

Also make sure that the BOINC Data directory is outside the Program Files\ and Program Files (x86) directories. Not only are these reserved for the different bit-depths of programs, but also are programs not allowed to constantly write updates to these directories. This to make sure spam and other unwanted programs won't make use of these directories.

I have done everything suggeted above as best I could. The Firewall modifications presented in the above quote are a little unclear and do not exactly match the way the program is presented as monitored in Norton Security Suite. Some of them were TCP/UDP and so I changed them all to TCP as advised. Some of them only had 1 of the ports mentioned open so I opened all of the above ports. Of the program elements mentioned in the above quote only 2 client elements which targeted boinc.exe and 1 Boinc Manager which targeted boincmgr.exe had associated firewall rules presented in Norton Security Suite. One thing I need to mention is that I have Boinc installed on drive D:\ not C:\. Does that make a difference?

Right now it is hopeless. I have installed and reinstalled. I have verified installation in the proper 64 bit folder and that the data files are in a folder outside of the program folder. I deleted the gui_rpc_auth.config file.

Bionc will initially restart normally, but then I come back and find the sceensaver displaying the message "Boinc is not running." I check Boinc manager and sure enough find that it needs to "communicate with local client." With futher clicking the project list disappears and the tasks disappear. I manually remove boinc.exe from task manager, but find that boinc tasks in memory will not delete in task manager.

I have been running Seti@home and then BOINC non-stop 24/7 since 2004 and I have never encountered a problem like this. I hope and believe that this problem is very widespread and is an application problem with the new version.

I don't know if it matters but this is basically what I got for a computer:

CPU: i7-860
RAID mirror duel drive: C:\
Drive D:\ (installed)
RAM: 16GB
GPUs: GTX260 (2) in SLI
System: Windows 7 Pro 64bit
PSU: 950 watts/1080 peak watts

If this can't be fixed short of reinstalling Windows then I may try reinstalling an older 32 bit version of BOINC. And if that fails then I may have to uninstall and essentially resign from participating in BOINC.

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I think things have gotten somehow confused. Probably my fault.

All previous installations have been removed. Anything with boinc was removed from my computer.

I have installed the following application:
boinc_6.12.34_windows_x86_64.exe

It installed the program to C:\Program Files (x86)\BOINC
It installed Data folder to C:\ProgramData\BOINC which is hidden and I can only find via command prompt.
Navigating to the hidden file via command prompt, I get the following listed under the directory:


all_projects_list.xml
client_state.xml
client_state_prev.xml
daily_xfer_history.xml
lookup_website.html
master_boinc.bakerlab.org_rosetta.xml
master_docking.cis.udel.edu.xml
master_einstein.phys.uwm.edu.xml
master_setiathome.berkeley.edu.xml
a directory for symbols

there is no gui_rpc_auth.cfg file listed. (unless hidden within the 54 other directories under the symbols directory... the ten or so I looked in all had 2 files in them, and none with gui_rpc_auth.cfg.)

running boinc.exe from command prompt gives me no error messages. At the end of its run I get a message saying Initialization completed.

All applications listed in the post above have been allowed access through firewall via port 31416.
In addition, boinc.exe also has access through firewall to ports 80 and 443.


After starting BOINC I have the following two applications running as shown in Task Manager:
boinc.exe
boincmgr.exe


I get a popup window which is titled : BOINC Manager - Communciaton
with the message: Communicating with BOINC Client, please wait...
and two buttons: Exit BOINC Manager or Cancel

On the Manager main window, BEHIND the popup message, and at the bottom right, I get a message saying "Connecting to localhost"

At this point... nothing happens. It will stay like this all night if I let it.

My last couple of messages were between 2 and 4 am, and most likely not as accurate as they could have been. my apologies.

However, this message is step by step what I have done this morning.

there is no gui_rpc_auth.cfg file listed.

Which is probably your main problem. Seems like BOINC doesn't start up far enough to make this file, or even completely start the client, for whatever unknown reason.

Any error messages in your Windows Event Viewer?

In any case, either try to make a file called gui_rpc_auth.cfg in your BOINC Data directory, leave it blank, nothing in it. You can do so from Notepad, just open Notepad, immediately go to File->Save ass.., navigate to C:\Programdata\BOINC\, file name: gui_rpc_auth.cfg, Save as type: All files (*.*), encoding: ANSI, save.

You can then start BOINC and see what that does.
However, you can also try to start BOINC with the --no_gui_rpc attribute. To do so, try boinc.exe --no_gui_rpc from a command line and then start BOINC Manager separately.

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Norton Security Suite

There have been problems with Norton's firewall in the past and each time, it's Norton that has to come up with a fix. So try their forums first and foremost, they're better equipped with telling you explicitly how to make program exceptions, than we are.

BOINC works with all the other firewall solutions without much problems out of the box, so that's something Norton will have to try to achieve as well.

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Event viewer shows no error messages.
created the file gui_rpc_auth.cfg and saved as directed. Restarted Boinc with same results as before.

Deleted the file gui_rpc_auth.cfg and restarted boinc... same results as before.


killed the programs through task manager.
ran boinc.exe --no_gui_rpc from command prompt within the \program files (x86)\BOINC directory. Program initialized.
started boincmgr.exe.

For the first minute, the only activity on the manager program was the message at the bottom right: Connecting to localhost.

After a minute, the popup appeared with the "communicating with BOINC client, please wait"
same results as before. been 5 minutes and still waiting on connection.