I\'ve just upgraded to BOINC 4.13.

Now everytime I start BOINC, I get an error message.

Failed to cleanup the Windows Sockets Interface

But other than this error message, everything looks fine.

Is there any solution to stop this error message?

This typically means that two instances of BOINC are running at the same time. Is it starting as a service and from the startup folder or icon? Is it in the startup folder under more than one user? There have been several reports of this problem. Do a search for sockets on this forum and you should find help.

Hi, George,

I received this message, too, earlier today, on my only Windoze machine. Some unknown thing happened to Cbox (XP SP1, P4 HT 3.0).

I was making my morning rounds of machines and got nothing from Cbox. Screen changed from black to dark gray, otherwise, there was no response to keyboard or mouse. (One screen supports all four machines via KVM switch.)

I tried all I could think of to get its attention but nothing worked so, reluctantly, I hit 'power off'.

After re-booting, I checked the client_state.xml file and it SEEMED okay (though I'm not experienced enough to note minor discrepancies), so I gulped and cranked up boinc GUI. (Manual start only; not a Service and nothing for boinc in Start file.)

There was a pop-up window from boinc with "Failed to cleanup the Windows Sockets Interface". Apparently, it recovered okay, same as for arata.

I dodged a bullet after hitting 'power off' -- this time.

Trickles for the two models were sent 37 & 38 minutes later. (The lock-up, based upon Trickle times, lasted 10+ hours. Is this, perhaps, XP's version of a BSOD?)

P.S. Congratulations on selection as User of the Week.


We have met the enemy and he is us -- Pogo

Hi, geophi,

> This typically means that two instances of BOINC are running at the same time.
> Is it starting as a service and from the startup folder or icon? Is it in
> the startup folder under more than one user? There have been several reports
> of this problem. Do a search for sockets on this forum and you should
> find help.

Thanks for your advise.

I checked my PC and there were 2 BOINC startups (one for mine and another for every-user).
I don't know why this happened.
Also my screensaver was set to BOINC. (I didn't set BOINC as a screensaver)

Maybe, install program of BOINC 4.13 does something different from previous version.

> I checked my PC and there were 2 BOINC startups (one for mine and another for every-user).

Hi arata,

Having 2 startups is the reason you're getting this problem, but it's not an error that impacts on model processing. I identified a fix and notified the solution to the BOINC developer mailing list on 4th Oct. It was supposed to have been fixed the same day, but I've just spotted in the source archive for last night that it hasn't been. I'll raise it with the powers that be.

As to why you have 2 startups and the BOINC screensaver go installed, I'd guess it's something to do with the installation program.

Anyone not interested in the technical explanation for the sockets error can ignore the following :)

It's down to the way that BOINC is checking that only a single instance is run. When the second boinc_gui program starts up it detects that there is another BOINC program running (it doesn't matter if it's boinc_gui or boinc_cli), so it terminates itself. The exit routine always cleans up the windows socket interface. But in this case the interface had never been initialised, so you get the error box.
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Hi Thyme,

Thanks for your message.
I did delete one startup BOINC so it's fine now.

Let's see if this problem will be fixed in the next new version or not.

&gt; This typically means that two instances of BOINC are running at the same time.

YES, THANKS FOR THE ANSWER. I had posted this question on the SETI Message boards, and have yet to receive a reply.. Here's my further explanation:


During the installation of the V4.13 Client, I had the installer add the icon the startup folder.

On Windows 2000, you have two startup folders..

1. one for all users,
Example: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu

2. the other for individual user(s):
Example: C:\Documents and Settings\LOGGED_IN_USER\Start Menu

Since I had a BOINC Client icon in my user startup and the installer put one in the all users startup .. It resulted in TWO BOINC CLIENTS running in startup .. the second Client starup reports the error, and terminates.

// Brian

When I upgraded to 4.13, I found that it simply installed a second instance in my own startup folder.

You'd think it would at least be consistent. :)