I recently installed the 6.2.19 client under 64-bit windows xp and ended up in an endless reboot cycle... Luckily I managed to trigger a large amount of lag at one of the startups to give me a chance to shut down the connected client (removing entries from startup and msconfig did not help), else I'd have a non-functional computer.

Unfortunately, I haven't found many clues as to why yet, but I'm posting my system specs below in the hope they help sort this problem out. The only thing that I can possibly point at would be the graphics driver, as it seemed slightly unstable at startup after reboot (in the 60-ish seconds before it'd reboot again). As a sidenote, Boinc 5.* had no issue with this machine.

Intel Core 2 Quad 2.5 Ghz
4GB DDR2 RAM
Radeon 4850
Gigabyte GA-X48-DS4 Motherboard
Onboard Gigabit/Sound
3x 1TB
1x 750GB
1x 300GB (system drive)

Thanks for the help,
Zeta

So what happens when you stop BOINC from starting up?
Method 1) delete the link to BOINC Manager from your Startup folder.
Method 2) set the BOINC service in services.msc to start up manually.

If your computer still reboots after that, it's something else.
Check Event Viewer for some clues. (Start->Control Panel->Administrative Tools->Event Viewer)

If you suspect any driver, uninstall the present one and reinstall a previous one.
Clearing out dust from any fans and heat sinks also adds towards stability of the system.

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I deleted the link in the startup folder as well as deleting the boinctray entry via msconfig with no positive results. Unfortunately, I don't know if it was set to run as a service or not, as this was an upgrade from a 5.* install.

I managed to kill it by getting boinc manager to start before the client and killing the connected client. (At least I think that's how I got it to die...) I uninstalled boinc immediately after that to prevent this cycle from continuing again, but I'd really like to run it on that system if I can, as it cranks through WUs pretty solidly.

The system is filtered and is regularly cleaned of dust, so that's not the issue. As for the driver, it's the latest catalyst driver by AMD, which I need to have to run my graphics card, so removing it isn't an option. I heard some rumblings about new CUDA compatibility, which my graphics card (being an ATI card) doesn't support. Could this be a problem from one of my projects (Spinhenge, Einstein, LHC) trying to do something with CUDA and killing things?


Thanks,
Zeta

I deleted the link in the startup folder as well as deleting the boinctray entry via msconfig with no positive results.

Despite its name, boinctray.exe does not run from the system tray or do anything for BOINC Manager. All it does is poll your mouse and keyboard for activity, for if you use the "only computer when idle" option. It'll check when the computer is idle == no keyboard or mouse activity.

Unfortunately, I don't know if it was set to run as a service or not, as this was an upgrade from a 5.* install.

Hence why I gave you the services.msc clue, to check up on it.

If you install it again, the protected application execution option under Advanced is the service install. When not checked, BOINC installs in the method of the old single/multi user install and starts only by starting BOINC Manager.

As for the driver, it's the latest catalyst driver by AMD, which I need to have to run my graphics card, so removing it isn't an option.

I disagree. You can test if it's the video card's fault by going back a driver version. There's a whole lot of them to choose from. :-)

I heard some rumblings about new CUDA compatibility, which my graphics card (being an ATI card) doesn't support. Could this be a problem from one of my projects (Spinhenge, Einstein, LHC) trying to do something with CUDA and killing things?

For the moment you have the wrong card. The new BOINC 6.3 versions now in testing only support nVidia cards. The CUDA drivers are also only for nVidia cards.

ATI may be busy with a similar thing, but there are no drivers yet and even if there were, there's no support for them yet in the present BOINC versions in testing. I know, as I test those version and I have a Sapphire HD3850 card.

At the moment no project is using any GPU applications yet, no production project at least. Einstein does want to test things, but doesn't have anything yet; Seti will want one and it'll come any day now, but it's just not there yet; the only project you can run on a GPU is GPUGrid/PS3Grid... but they support nVidia cards only.

Which doesn't say that it can't be a hardware problem. Try taking out your video card and reseating it. Other cards. Check for bulging capacitors on your motherboard and other cards.

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