Hi,

I raised this issue in the wcg forums and it was suggested that I post here. I hope this is the right place to address my concern.

I've noticed that when installing BOINC v6.2.14 (or .18) on a Windows system then a reboot is required. This is both in the case of a fresh install and in the case of an upgrade from a v5.10 client.

Is it _really_ necessary for the installer to push for a reboot? v5.10.45 doesn't require one. I find it very intrusive for non-driver level software to push for a reboot and would hope that v6.2 could be 'trained' not to require one. I'm choosing the "single user install" rather than the background service.

Cheers,
Mark

Is it _really_ necessary for the installer to push for a reboot? v5.10.45 doesn't require one.

Yes. See the FAQ on it (which has a warning about the reboot being necessary!) and the developer's post for explanations on why this is.

It'll only happen when you update or install for the first time. Afterwards never again.

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It'll only happen when you update or install for the first time. Afterwards never again.

Thank you for your reply. I'll check out the threads you've mentioned. I beg to differ about the one-time only. I'm almost certain I upgraded a Vista machine from 6.2.14 to 6.2.18 and it required a reboot.

Cheers,
Mark

I'm almost certain I upgraded a Vista machine from 6.2.14 to 6.2.18 and it required a reboot.

This only happens if you deleted the accounts made by BOINC. They are the sole reason for the reboot, so Windows knows which accounts BOINC uses to run under.

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... the developer's post for explanations on why this is.

Wow, ok. I understand the need to protect everyone from the potential for a hacker group to setup a rogue project. That's cool. However I'm running 6.2.18 on XP and when I look at the Task Manager the boinc.exe boincmgr.exe and wcg_hcc1_img_6.06_windows_intelx86 processes are all listed against my username. Shouldn't it show boinc_project as the user?

Cheers,
Mark

Only if you installed BOINC as a protected application execution installation.
This is equivalent to the old Service install.

When unchecked, you installed equivalent to the old single user installation.

My installation shows:
boinc.exe -> boinc_master
boincmgr. exe -> my username
applications -> boinc_project

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Only if you installed BOINC as a protected application execution installation.

Hmmm.. I'm not sure which I did. My usual approach is to choose advanced and untick "Use BOINC screensaver" but otherwise leave the defaults. Not sure what the default setting is for "Protected application execution"?

Given that I'm not seeing boinc users in task manager I'm guessing the default is not "Protected application execution" which then begs the question again, why the reboot? since I'm not getting the benefit of these additional users. Nor can I find an option to change to "Protected application execution" in the client, nor if I re-run the installer, which makes me think I'll have to uninstall and the install again (and risk another reboot ;-)).

Questions:

1) How can I see these boinc users? (they don't show in Control Panel, users)
2) How can I change to "Protected application execution" preferably without rebooting?

Cheers,
Mark

Not sure what the default setting is for "Protected application execution"?

If you never changed it before, its default is on.
Once changed, the setting is stored in the registry and taken over at subsequent installs of BOINC. Unless changed again, of course.

Questions:

1) How can I see these boinc users? (they don't show in Control Panel, users)
2) How can I change to "Protected application execution" preferably without rebooting?

1) Start->(Settings->)Control Panel->System Administration->Computer Administration->Local users and groups.

boinc_master and boinc_project are under Users.
boinc_admin, boinc_projects and boinc_users are under Groups.

2) Only by an uninstall and reinstall. You only won't reboot if the accounts are already made.

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This isn't true. The reboot is only needed in a few rare cases. But, rather than do it properly, the BOINC developers decided to force a reboot anyway, when this was drawn to their attention.

Wasn't that nice of them?

1) Start->(Settings->)Control Panel->System Administration->Computer Administration->Local users and groups.

boinc_master and boinc_project are under Users.
boinc_admin, boinc_projects and boinc_users are under Groups.

Which version of Windows are you describing? I've looked at both XP Pro and Vista Home Premium and neither match the sequence of options you describe. I did manage to find mention of the boinc_master user by doing the following:-

Start -> Control Panel -> System -> Advanced Tab -> User Profiles Settings

That worked on both XP Pro and Vista Home Premium.

XP Pro had 6.2.14 installed in "protected application execution" mode.
Vista Home Premium had 6.2.14 installed in "non protected" mode.
Both showed the boinc_master user profile.

When I upgraded to 6.2.18 I chose "protected" mode on both machines. The Vista machine requested a reboot. The XP machine did not. The Vista machine also requested a reboot when I first installed 6.2.14.

So that leads me to conclude that the creation of the boinc_master user isn't the trigger for requesting the reboot, but perhaps the move to using the "protected" mode is.

Cheers,
Mark

Which version of Windows are you describing?

Dutch Windows XP Pro. I had to translate the sequence on the fly. ;-)

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It'll only happen when you update or install for the first time. Afterwards never again.

Thank you for your reply. I'll check out the threads you've mentioned. I beg to differ about the one-time only. I'm almost certain I upgraded a Vista machine from 6.2.14 to 6.2.18 and it required a reboot.

Cheers,
Mark

Yes.

The code was put in place in 6.2.16. So the 6.2.14 client did not not know not to do the uninstall as 6.2.18 requested (ouch that is a lot of negatives).

The installer for 6.2.16 and later tell the uninstaller for the old version not to do the migrate back to the old location. 6.2.16 and later also honor this setting. 6.2.15 and earlier do neither.

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BOINC WIKI

Thanks for the clarification John.
Cheers,
Mark