Hi,

I installed the new Boinc version 5.4.9 on my Windows 2000 Computer, running with an AMD. Since that time I ran into big trouble using Boinc projects as a screensaver.
Every time Boinc is calculating, it freezes my computer so badly, not even ctrl+shift+del could activate anything on my computer. I have to use the reset button with the apparent loss of data. This computer crash doesn't happen with any other screensaver and happens with both projects, SETI and climatepredict as well. The most disturbing thing: It can happen at any time. Sometimes Boinc freezes the computer at the very beginning when starting the screensaver, sometimes it calculates for several minutes before crashing.
I deinstalled and reinstalled the new version with no effect.
On another computer, also using Windows 2000, the new boinc client works without a problem.

Any ideas other than not using boinc as a screensaver?

Tom

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Every time Boinc is calculating, it freezes my computer so badly, not even ctrl+shift+del could activate anything on my computer

I am having this issue with some BOINC clients (Predictor and LHC) on a Windows 2000 system, but I have not seen it on my XP systems. I had the problem with Rosetta 5.12, but they found and fixed the problem in 5.13. It had something to do with a debugging technique recommended by BOINC people that somehow affects switching between applications.

For various reasons, I don't use the BOINC screensaver. I use the default (blank) one instead. If LHC is running, it takes a long time for the password dialog to come up. If you experiment while in BOINC Manager, you'll find that suspending the offending projects fixes the problem. I've never seen it with SETI or Simap.

So if you can wait long enough, I think you'll find that your system will come back from the dead. It acts like BOINC clients are running at the highest priority, when we know they're designed to run at the lowest priority.

BOINC folks - any help here?

Thanks
Tom

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The simplest solution is to not use the screensaver or use some other 2D screensaver. There are problems with some video chips, especially ATI, and you do need the newest video drivers. I just use the power option to turn off the monitor instead to avoid any of the problems.

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Boinc V 7.4.36
Win7 i5 3.33G 4GB NVidia 470

The simplest solution is to not use the screensaver or use some other 2D screensaver.

I think you missed the part where I said that I do NOT use the screensaver. This is some kind of bug. It only happens with SOME clients (like LHC), not others (like SETI).

I hope some knowledgeable BOINC person can address this. Otherwise, I have to keep suspending the offending clients when I'm using my machine.

Tom

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If it's LHC that's crunching when BOINC freezes up your computer, it's more likely it's the LHC science application that's at fault. Have you asked over on the LHC boards if they've noticed this behaviour?

BOINC doesn't crunch, it's only a managing program.

And I think AB was talking to the original poster, who does use it as a screensaver.

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If it's LHC that's crunching when BOINC freezes up your computer, it's more likely it's the LHC science application that's at fault.

I agree. But the reason I posted here is because the same thing happens with Predictor as well as the 5.12 version of Rosetta, but not SETI or SIMAP. The Rosetta people discovered that their symptoms were caused by some debug code that (as I understand it) some BOINC people suggested adding. After backing that out (v5.13), the problem went away. I don't know, of course, if that's exactly the same problem that LHC and Predictor have, but I thought I'd ask here, as it's a possibility, and an easy fix too.

And I think AB was talking to the original poster, who does use it as a screensaver.

Probably. I guess *I* missed that! :-)

In any case, I switched my settings from running all the time to only run when the machine is idle. This seems to be a good workaround. It does cause some free CPU cycles to be wasted, but at least the focus switching problem is avoided.

Thanks
Tom

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The simplest solution is to not use the screensaver or use some other 2D screensaver. There are problems with some video chips, especially ATI, and you do need the newest video drivers. I just use the power option to turn off the monitor instead to avoid any of the problems.

Great advice to run Boinc not as a screensaver, but all the time. Did it - and hey, now the computer doesn't freeze, when the screensaver is activated, but out of the sudden regularly.
Thought also about an interaction with another running process. Turned them off one by one, but wasn't able to identify the responsible one.
Now I'm tired of permanently rebooting the computer and all the data loss. So in the end I deinstalled the boinc client.

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The simplest solution is to not use the screensaver or use some other 2D screensaver. There are problems with some video chips, especially ATI, and you do need the newest video drivers. I just use the power option to turn off the monitor instead to avoid any of the problems.

Great advice to run Boinc not as a screensaver, but all the time. Did it - and hey, now the computer doesn't freeze, when the screensaver is activated, but out of the sudden regularly.
Thought also about an interaction with another running process. Turned them off one by one, but wasn't able to identify the responsible one.
Now I'm tired of permanently rebooting the computer and all the data loss. So in the end I deinstalled the boinc client.

Same here running cpdn. not given up yet, but been rebooting twice three times a day for three months now. Gonna respond to the 'Windows x64' thread on this message board, but the symptoms are the same.

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not given up yet, but been rebooting twice three times a day for three months now.

I really admire your patience. Honestly. I'm waiting for the next version. Hopefully this devastating bug will be fixed by then.

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I gave up on using the ScreenSavers months ago when I discovered that it appeared to slow down the processing times for the WU's. The default setting (blank) doesn't cause the slowdown.

Of course, using several machines in a "BOINC garden" environment helps too, and it's one way to keep the older machines performing useful tasks ...

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If I've lived this long, I gotta be that old

I just ran into this on a brand new system on Boinc version 5.4.11 using a X2 4600+. Are there any updates to this problem?
thx

Hi,

I installed the new Boinc version 5.4.9 on my Windows 2000 Computer, running with an AMD. Since that time I ran into big trouble using Boinc projects as a screensaver.
Every time Boinc is calculating, it freezes my computer so badly, not even ctrl+shift+del could activate anything on my computer. I have to use the reset button with the apparent loss of data. This computer crash doesn't happen with any other screensaver and happens with both projects, SETI and climatepredict as well. The most disturbing thing: It can happen at any time. Sometimes Boinc freezes the computer at the very beginning when starting the screensaver, sometimes it calculates for several minutes before crashing.
I deinstalled and reinstalled the new version with no effect.
On another computer, also using Windows 2000, the new boinc client works without a problem.

Any ideas other than not using boinc as a screensaver?

Tom

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* What projects do you connect to?

* Do you use the screensavers?

* How much memory do you have?

* What is your CPU temperature when running boinc?

* Have you tried updating the graphics drivers?

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SETI, and ClimatePrediction at the moment
Tried screensaver, service, and am going to try command line tonight
2 gig
Lockup occurs regardless of temperature - sometimes immediately, sometimes after a bit
updated bios, updated drivers, updated chipset

In fact, I rebuilt the OS from the scratch, updated all driver software, and then only installed BOINC 5.4.11. Still had lockups - in fact a BSOD once or twice. Nothing shows in event log - and I cannot get to anything, to see process information.

I am not sure how to debug this - is there a "debug" mode in BOINC to set what is going on?

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One thing I'd recommend is running Prime95's Torture Test for 24 hours (two copies if you have two cores).

It can be downloaded free from http://www.mersenne.org

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Still had lockups - in fact a BSOD once or twice.

When machine gets BSOD'd, it displays name of module which caused the BSOD, such as name of exe or sys file.

I've had a mashine BSODing ... caused by driver for USB radio receiver...

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Metod ...

One thing I'd recommend is running Prime95's Torture Test for 24 hours (two copies if you have two cores).

It can be downloaded free from http://www.mersenne.org

Confirmed - not only BOINC, but any process that pushes both cpus 100% for x period of time. Interestingly, it seems like the video card is the problem since the non-Windows stress test did not show this.

thanks for the help.

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