I have just downloaded and installed BOINC (5.2.13, in E:\\Climate, rather than the default C:\\Program Files as my C:\\ drive is getting a bit full. Computer is an Athlon XP 1800+, 768MB, running Windoze XP, SP2). On first running it, it just sat there (rather than your description \"When the BOINC software first runs, it will ask you for a Project URL and a Account key\")

I first tried \'Projects\\Connect to project\' and got a message box:

BOINC Manager - Connection Status
BOINC Manager is not currently connected to a BOINC client.
Please use the \'File\\Select Computer...\' menu to connect up to a BOINC client.
To connect up to your local computer please use \'localhost\' as the host name.

So, I tried \'Projects\\Select computer\' using \'http://climateprediction.net\' as Host name and my Account key as password, and got another message box:

BOINC Manager - Connection Failed
BOINC Manager is not able to connect to a BOINC client.
Would you like to try to connect again?

(Several attempts)
Just in case, I also tried using \'localhost\', with the same result.

I am attempting to connect via a Broadband (NTL) connection, via ZoneAlarm (free version). I have ticked the \'Allow\' box on the 2 occasions ZA has informed me that BOINC is attempting to connect to the internet; checking ZA\'s settings, BOINC is \'trusted\' for internet access, but \'ask\' if it tries to act as an internet server.

I\'ve had a good trawl through the BOINC-Wiki, but all seem to assume the first connection is OK.
Next I tried your forum and it seems that the Password field doesn\'t use the Account key, but a password. I added this on my account, but still no joy. Going back a year or so in the forum hasn\'t revealed an answer.

Is it \'http://climateprediction.net\' that it\'s trying to find as the client, or have I misunderstood the term? I notice that several of the other problems on the forum mention an e-mail field, but the \'Projects\\Select computer\' dialogue box only asks for a host & a password.

Help, what am I doing wrong?

Unfortunately, BOINC has been \'improved\'. :)

There are now two parts to it:
boinc.exec and boincmgr.exe
And they communicate through ports.

The \'Localhost\' is the other part of BOINC on your current computer, which is different to a Remotehost, which is another computer in your network.

So, to get to Localhost, click File/Select computer, and then click OK without putting anything in the 2 fields, which is only for info to describe one of your remote computers.
Which you probably don\'t have.
And which need a couple more files as well.

Unfortunately, BOINC has been \'improved\'. :)

There are now two parts to it:
boinc.exec and boincmgr.exe
And they communicate through ports.

The \'Localhost\' is the other part of BOINC on your current computer, which is different to a Remotehost, which is another computer in your network.

So, to get to Localhost, click File/Select computer, and then click OK without putting anything in the 2 fields, which is only for info to describe one of your remote computers.
Which you probably don\'t have.
And which need a couple more files as well.

Thanks Les for your prompt reply.

I tried your empty boxes suggestion, with the same result as before.
In case I\'d \"broken\" it while trying different settings, I\'ve uninstalled then re- installed BOINC, but to no avail; still the same result.

Inspecting the installation, boinc.exe, boincmgr.exe & boinccmd.exe are all there OK.
Double-clicking on boinc.exe correctly identifies the processor, memory, etc., then (brazenly?) reports that I\'m not connected to anything, only suggesting using boincmgr to connect.
So, any more suggestions please?

BTW, I\'m fairly computer-literate (I\'ve been using computers since the mid-60\'s, long before the PC), and I\'ll persevere with this, especially as I believe that your research is essential. But having read through the problems related in the (possibly) relevant threads in this forum, I suspect that you might get a rather unfortunate backlash when the BBC prog airs next week - I wish you the best of luck with that! I think you may need to update the installation instructions a bit.

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The BBC problems started some hours ago. I made the mistake of have a quick look at our phpboard at 2am, and was still there 4 hours later answering questions.

> I\'m fairly computer-literate
Good, that\'ll help. (It\'s amazing just how many of the people here are programmers/hardware people!)

> and I\'ll persevere with this
That\'s good too. This thing works first off for a lot of people, and once it\'s going, there\'s only the problem of model failures.
Which, now the BBC thing is out of the way, may have a chance of getting fixed.

**********

> boinccmd.exe

Are you running this as a command line install, or as a gui install?
More accurately, which of the 3 install options did you choose?
If you are running gui, you should have a Boincmgr icon in your BOINC folder.
Clicking on this should start the gui, which will start the other part. Sorry, forgotten what that is called \'officially\'. (A \'child process\' in some error messages.)

Just wait until they transmit the program - at the moment the traffic you\'ve seen has been generated by an article on the web-site! I must admit, I don\'t envy you one little bit. (I havn\'t noticed any Smileys available, but if there were a \'keep your head down\', it would go in here).

Anyway, thanks again for your reply.

1. I\'ve run it as a GUI install (the standard Windows installer).
2. I picked the first (recommended) option - Myself only when logged on.
2a. I\'ve set Windows not to need a log-in (no password) as I\'m the only person using this machine (it saves time when I get up in the morning - it boots while I\'m getting the 1st coffee!)
3. BOINC has stuck an icon in the taskbar, so I\'ve started with a right-click\\Open Boinc manager... I\'ve just checked double-clicking boincmgr.exe (Explorer) with the \'Manager not connected to a Client\' error message coming straight up.
4. \'Commands\' options are set to \'Run Always\' and \'Network activity always available\'.
5. \'Options\\Connections\' are set to \'Automatically detect network connection settings\'.
6. No proxies.
I can\'t think of anything else to add at the moment.

Alan

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Ah. Point 5: set it to LAN. It\'s been so long since I found out about this that I forget what it fixes. Stops BOINC asking which connection to use, perhaps? It worked for me though.

I need to do a few other things for a while, but I\'ll leave this thread on my toolbar to remind me.

Ah. Point 5: set it to LAN. It\'s been so long since I found out about this that I forget what it fixes. Stops BOINC asking which connection to use, perhaps? It worked for me though.

I need to do a few other things for a while, but I\'ll leave this thread on my toolbar to remind me.

Still the same I\'m afraid. Time for bed now, but I\'ll give it another go tomorrow.

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Have a look in Task Manager again, and if boinccmd.exe is still there, kill it.

Then click on the boinc.mgr icon in the BOINC folder. This should start the gui, (manager), which should in turn start boinc.exe
The manager should connect to the (worker?) program, and you\'ll get Connected to localhost on the right hand end of the bottom blue bar of the gui.

If you get this far, you should be able to attach to whichever project you like. Hopefully this one. :)

I don\'t know why that extra program is appearing; it seems as though there is a second install of BOINC, set up as a command line version.

I\'ve just turned on my machine, and (wonder of all wonders) BOINC immediately, without any prompting from me, ran through the connection wizard; it seems that I\'m
now working on a Sulphur model. That\'s all it needed - a reboot! I feel a bit stupid now, I\'m really sorry to have caused you so much trouble on this one.
A suggestion - get Berkley to add a reboot at the end of the Windows install, I\'m sure it would make your life a bit easier.
Once again, thanks for all your efforts
Alan

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Great. I\'m glad it worked.
No worries about the questions. They keep the old brain ticking over.