I occasionally get a dialogue box popping up with details of a “Visual-Fortran Run-Time Error” – details below. This doesn’t appear to affect the model’s running but I would hate to think I will get to the end of a calculation and find that the information is useless. I have two PCs running CPDN models though BOINC – both have displayed the error. I have run other applications through BOINC without getting the error, so my conclusion is that there is a CPDN problem. Any suggestions?

Visual Fortran Run-Time Error

Forrtl: severe (38): error during write, unit 8 file C:\\Program Files\\BOINC\\projects\\climateprediction.net\\hadsm3fub_02bc_005934113\\tmp\\pipe_dummy

Image PC Routine Line Source
Hadsm3_um_5.06_wi 00632852 Unknown Unknown Unknown
Hadsm3_um_5.06_wi 0062FAE4 Unknown Unknown Unknown
Hadsm3_um_5.06_wi 005EB622 Unknown Unknown Unknown
Hadsm3_um_5.06_wi 005EB23F Unknown Unknown Unknown
Hadsm3_um_5.06_wi 005D0C11 Unknown Unknown Unknown
Hadsm3_um_5.06_wi 00423B75 Unknown Unknown Unknown
Hadsm3_um_5.06_wi 0040A226 Unknown Unknown Unknown
Kernel32.dll 7C816FD7 Unknown Unknown Unknown

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Hi,

This won\'t affect the integrity of the data, but sometimes people\'s models crash when this happens. I haven\'t seen it myself, and neither have the other moderators, so we\'re not sure what causes this on some PCs.

Is there anything in common between the two PCs? i.e., which AVs do you use, which graphics cards, is there anything unusual installed on both? Is there anything which is installed in the filesystem stack such as GoBack? Do you run with the Boinc screensaver turned on or off?

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Just to answer a different part of your post, you get Fortran errors here because the climate modelling program is written in Fortran.
You can\'t get it in other programs if they\'re NOT written in Fortran, and very few would be unless they too are scientific programs.

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Backups: Here

The two PCs are physically different. One is an HP Desktop running Windows XP Home Edition. The other is a Dell laptop running XP Professional. They both have MS Office 93 and a number of other fairly common applications in common (Messenger, AutoRoute, Encarta, WinZip, BT Broadband SoftPhone, BBC iPlayer, Google Desktop etc). There are also some differences in the apps on each machine. The BOINC screensaver is turned on; the BOINC app only runs as a screensaver and thinking about the circumstances, the Fortran error only occurs as BOINC is suspended.

If you are comfortable that no data will be lost then I won’t worry about the problem too much. Clearing the dialogue box is a mere inconvenience – nothing more. But if there is anything I can test to get closer to the problem, please let me know.

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Though the screensaver is interesting, the general advice here is to turn it off, as it slows the model down considerably. BOINC will still run in the background, and the graphics can be started from BOINC Manager when wanted.

I have had the FORTRAN error once, and it was because an HP printer driver started to run at 100% CPU. One thing therefore to check might be to start Task Manager in Windows and see if anything is running at a high CPU percentage when you\'re not actually doing anything (suspend BOINC).

Hi Wedgwood. You said

the BOINC app only runs as a screensaver

The screensaver part of BOINC is just an optional extra, and running it can cause problems (I don\'t know whether it caused your error messages though). The screensaver slows down the processing of the climate model itself and makes graphics problems more likely. I\'d disable it. You can still see your globe when you want to using the graphics button in BOINC manager.

To increase your chances of completing models, go to the README collections through my signature or Mike\'s.

* In the READMEs about backups, select a method of backing up your BOINC folder contents regularly. I use Les\'s easy manual method. This way, if a model does crash, a backup can be restored and the model continued. It\'s the only way to get a crashed model crunching again.

* In the READMEs about crashes and problems, look at item #6 by Mike where he lists all sorts of useful advice. The advice there won\'t necessarily get rid of the Fortran error messages which mysteriously appear on some computers, but it will help you avoid all sorts of other potential problems.

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Cpdn news

...thinking about the circumstances, the Fortran error only occurs as BOINC is suspended.

...

That\'s very interesting, particularly the link to suspending Boinc. If anyone else reports the problem I\'ll cross-reference your applications with theirs to see if there is something in common :-)

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I have been getting this error for at least three months and I haven\'t bothered contacting anyone because I just rebooted my laptop and it went away for two to three weeks. Well it is back again so I decided I should let someone know about it.

First here is the contents of the error dialog. Now this is the sixth or seventh error box that pops up in a row. I didn\'t watch to see if they had different info, I will try to do that next time. This time there was only about eight of these boxes. Sometimes they seem endless and that is when I just reboot because I lose patience in clicking the \'OK\' button. We are talking 20+ boxes.

Visual Fortran run-time error
fortl: severe (38): error during write, unit 8, file C:\\Program Files\\BOINC\\projects\\climateprediction.net\\hadsm3fub_036q_005935243\\tmp\\pipe_dummy
Image PC Routine Line Source
hadsm3_um_5.06_wi 00632852 Unknown Unknown Unknown
Stack trace terminated abnormally.

Now here is the recent log info from BOINC Manager:

3/18/2008 8:17:04 AM|climateprediction.net|Restarting task hadsm3fub_036q_005935243_3 using hadsm3 version 506
3/18/2008 8:17:07 AM|climateprediction.net|Sending scheduler request: To send trickle-up message. Requesting 0 seconds of work, reporting 0 completed tasks
3/18/2008 8:17:12 AM|climateprediction.net|Scheduler request succeeded: got 0 new tasks
3/18/2008 8:17:37 AM|climateprediction.net|Sending scheduler request: To send trickle-up message. Requesting 0 seconds of work, reporting 0 completed tasks
3/18/2008 8:17:42 AM|climateprediction.net|Scheduler request succeeded: got 0 new tasks
3/18/2008 8:17:48 AM|climateprediction.net|Sending scheduler request: To send trickle-up message. Requesting 0 seconds of work, reporting 0 completed tasks
3/18/2008 8:17:53 AM|climateprediction.net|Scheduler request succeeded: got 0 new tasks
3/18/2008 8:26:43 AM|climateprediction.net|Computation for task hadsm3fub_036q_005935243_3 finished
3/18/2008 8:26:43 AM|climateprediction.net|Output file hadsm3fub_036q_005935243_3_1.zip for task hadsm3fub_036q_005935243_3 absent
3/18/2008 8:26:43 AM|climateprediction.net|Output file hadsm3fub_036q_005935243_3_2.zip for task hadsm3fub_036q_005935243_3 absent
3/18/2008 8:26:43 AM|climateprediction.net|Output file hadsm3fub_036q_005935243_3_3.zip for task hadsm3fub_036q_005935243_3 absent

Finally, here is my System Information:

System Information report written at: 03/18/08 08:57:45
System Name: NIVEK-PAD
[System Summary]

Item Value
OS Name Microsoft® Windows Vista™ Home Premium
Version 6.0.6000 Build 6000
Other OS Description Not Available
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Name NIVEK-PAD
System Manufacturer Hewlett-Packard
System Model HP Pavilion tx1000 Notebook PC
System Type X86-based PC
Processor AMD Turion(tm) 64 X2 Mobile Technology TL-56, 1800 Mhz, 2 Core(s), 2 Logical Processor(s)
BIOS Version/Date Hewlett-Packard F.18, 7/20/2007
SMBIOS Version 2.4
Windows Directory C:\\Windows
System Directory C:\\Windows\\system32
Boot Device \\Device\\HarddiskVolume1
Locale United States
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = \"6.0.6000.16407\"
User Name Nivek-Pad\\Nivek
Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Total Physical Memory 1,982.00 MB
Available Physical Memory 850.89 MB
Total Virtual Memory 4.09 GB
Available Virtual Memory 1.81 GB
Page File Space 2.23 GB
Page File C:\\pagefile.sys

As the previous poster indicated, I don\'t seem to be more concerned other than having to click a few \'OK\' buttons or at worst a reboot. So you aren\'t really inconvienencing(sp?) me much in the scope of my life. If this is helpful in solving any other issues you might be having, than that is my eventual reward.

Have a great day. Kevin

Kevin,

Your portable computer has been having rather a miserable time: 30 models have got nowhere fast, whereas your XP machine has done much better. There are potential problems with BOINC on Vista, for which work-arounds are described in the Vista section of the \'Crashes and other problems\' README. The latest BOINC version also has some Vista fixes.

Iain

That\'s one thing in common from the previous poster - they are both HPs. But one is a laptop and the other a desktop.

What other software do you run - any from this list? MS Office 93, Messenger, AutoRoute, Encarta, WinZip, BT Broadband SoftPhone, BBC iPlayer, Google Desktop ... ? Any others?

Which antivirus / firewall solution do you use? Have you got anything unusual installed which affects the filesystem (such as GoBack?)

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I have, in the past, had an occasional Visual Fortran Run-Time Error - from memory about 3 occurrences with the last one being a year ago - and in each case I treated them as one-off anomolies since they caused no apparent long-term problem and I went on to complete the model satisfactorily.

However, I have, quite coincidentally, just managed to generate a series of them, and I know exactly how I did it.

Usually, when I apply any updates to Windows or to antivirus software, or any other significant software, I suspend BOINC and then Exit BOINC before applying. I never have software updates set to be applied automatically. But, with a lapse in concentration yesterday, although I had suspended BOINC, I had failed to exit it when I applied 3 software updates. They were actually related to MS Office. After the update, I resumed BOINC and the Visual Fortran Run-Time Errors popped up repetitively until I closed BOINC and reloaded Windows, since when they have not recurred.

Could Wedgwood Blue have some updates set to be automatically applied?

Okay I have had it repeat and this time something different to report. First you were asking about what other programs I was running. I was running Windows Live Messenger and Norton Internet Security ver. 10.2.0.30 and these others.
avant.exe
asghost.exe
realsched.exe
ccapp.exe
qlbctrl.exe
hpwamain.exe
wifimsg.exe
hpqtoaster.exe
hpwuschd2.exe
qpservice.exe
ituneshelper.exe
jusched.exe
sm56hlpr.exe
teatimer.exe
btstackserver.exe
bttray.exe
msascui.exe
msnmsgr.exe
wordpad.exe
sidebar.exe
yahoowidgets.exe
ehmsas.exe
ehtray.exe
explorer.exe
rthdvcpl.exe
dwm.exe
msinfo32.exe
rundll32.exe
taskeng.exe
aawservice.exe
applemobiledeviceservice.exe
appsvc32.exe
audiodg.exe
ccsvchst.exe
csrss.exe
hadam3_um_5.03_windows_intelx86.exe
hadam3_um_5.03_windows_intelx86.exe
hadcm3transum_5.44_windows_intelx86.exe
hadcm3transum_5.44_windows_intelx86.exe
hadsm3_um_5.06_windows_intelx86.exe
hphc_service.exe
hpqwmiex.exe
ipodservice.exe
lsass.exe
lsm.exe
lssrvc.exe
presentationfontcache.exe
qpcapsvc.exe
qpsched.exe
sdwinsec.exe
searchfilterhost.exe
searchindexer.exe
searchprotocolhost.exe
services.exe
slsvc.exe
smss.exe
spoolsv.exe
svchost.exe
symlcsvc.exe
syntpenh.exe
system
system idle process
tabtip.exe
taskeng.exe
usnsvc.exe
wininit.exe
winlogon.exe
wisptis.exe
wlanext.exe
wmiprvse.exe

What was different this time is that I had just been using my laptop in the unplugged mode and it had gone into hibernation. When it came out of hibernation is when I received about eight pop up boxes with the following:
---------------------------
Visual Fortran run-time error
---------------------------
forrtl: severe (38): error during write, unit 8, file C:\\Program Files\\BOINC\\projects\\climateprediction.net\\hadsm3fub_03nv_005935860\\tmp\\pipe_dummy Image PC Routine Line Source
hadsm3_um_5.06_wi 00632852 Unknown Unknown Unknown

Stack trace terminated abnormally.

---------------------------
OK
---------------------------

I just took a look at the README file and I will do at least two of those right away. I will uninstall BOINC and then reinstall the upgrade and install it outside of the \\program files\\ folder. I will let you know how that goes. Thanks for your information. kevinH

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I see Messenger is in common with the earlier reports too, but that may be simple coincidence since messenger is very common.

Regarding hibernation, I\'d recommend either disabling it, or shutting down boinc prior to hibernation (ditto with other sleep modes).

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I also got a similar message \"forrtl, severe (38) error during write ...\" with a different stack trace. The error box appeared a few more times while climateprediction was running, and them stopped appearing.

That work unit ended very early with a Status of \"computation error\", about 7% done really.

I was not hibernating (it is desktop).

Michael E.

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What software do you use on the PC? (i.e., which A/V, firewall, and anything else which is running for a long time?)

Are they associated with anything happening on the PC, such as an update?

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I started the Task manager, opened the Ptrocess tab, and noticed that indeed there was a software update running, \"Update for HP agent\".

The PC is running Windows XP SP2, Home Entertainment Edition. A/v software is Norton Internet Security.

I have been trying to run that system at 90% processor.

Should I turn off the update agent and run it manually only?

Mike, I sent you a private message with more details.

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The problem is not the automatic updates, it\'s the automatic re-boot needed by a lot of programs to make the changes work.
Re-booting the computer while BOINC (and the model), is running, is asking for trouble, as the OS doesn\'t allow enough time for BOINC, (and the programs data files), to close nicely.

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Backups: Here

Hi Michael,

I\'ve forwarded your PM to Tolu since it has some interesting information.

Could I recommend that you set up Norton A/V so that it does not scan the Boinc folders? This is done via the two \'exclusion lists\' (one list for automated scans, and the other for manual scans). It is possible that Norton is taking exclusive locks out on the project data files, and thereby preventing the system from writing to the file. (I don\'t know if this is causing your particular problem, but it has been implicated in crashes before).

-Cheers,

Mike

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OK, on my PC, I did the following:
+ Stopped the HP auto update process. I will run it manually.
+ Excluded the NAV scans from scanning the C:\\Program files\\BOINC directories.
+ BOINC preferences are back at 100% CPU use.

Is there a particular subdirectory I should exclude below C:\\Program files\\BOINC or exclude the whole tree?

I can provide some Fortran suggestions on how handle the write error.

Mike

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I think what they\'d like to do is to have some way to intercept all Fortran I/O calls and handle the exceptions from them at low level. It would be impossible to change each call individually, given the million lines of code written over 30 years by meteorologists...

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