After months of normal processing, I can\'t seem to access the servers to upload finished files or get new work. Internet access is working normally. I wonder if the problem relates to the use of HotSpot Shield, a virtual VPN client that I launch and use when traveling and using public wifi?? The problem occurred after I had used HotSpot Shield. However, back at the office I am not using it and all my network and internet settings are the same as before. Not using a proxy server, bionic has access through the OS X firewall.

Here is a portion of what the message log is saying:
Wed Mar 3 12:02:34 2010|climateprediction.net|Started upload of hadam3p_nqg8_1999_2_006584934_1_1.zip
Wed Mar 3 12:02:34 2010|climateprediction.net|Started upload of hadam3p_nqg8_1999_2_006584934_1_2.zip
Wed Mar 3 12:03:39 2010||BOINC can\'t access Internet - check network connection or proxy configuration.
Wed Mar 3 12:04:40 2010|climateprediction.net|Scheduler request failed: Couldn\'t resolve host name
Wed Mar 3 12:05:40 2010|climateprediction.net|Sending scheduler request: To fetch work.
Wed Mar 3 12:05:40 2010|climateprediction.net|Requesting new tasks
Wed Mar 3 12:07:36 2010|climateprediction.net|Temporarily failed upload of hadam3p_nqg8_1999_2_006584934_1_1.zip: can\'t resolve hostname
Wed Mar 3 12:07:36 2010|climateprediction.net|Backing off 3 hr 51 min 9 sec on upload of hadam3p_nqg8_1999_2_006584934_1_1.zip
Wed Mar 3 12:07:36 2010|climateprediction.net|Temporarily failed upload of hadam3p_nqg8_1999_2_006584934_1_2.zip: can\'t resolve hostname
Wed Mar 3 12:07:36 2010|climateprediction.net|Backing off 2 hr 54 min 0 sec on upload of hadam3p_nqg8_1999_2_006584934_1_2.zip
Wed Mar 3 12:07:36 2010|climateprediction.net|Started upload of hadam3p_nqg8_1999_2_006584934_1_3.zip
Wed Mar 3 12:07:36 2010|climateprediction.net|Started upload of hadam3p_npb2_2001_2_006583452_1_1.zip
Wed Mar 3 12:10:42 2010|climateprediction.net|Scheduler request failed: Couldn\'t resolve host name

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I did a quick net search, and the following is one of the early posts mentioned: CNET downloads.
It says that the program encrypts connections, and that it stays there after you exit. You need to use an icon in the tray for that.
Looks like it\'s the problem.

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Backups: Here

I did a quick net search, and the following is one of the early posts mentioned: CNET downloads.
It says that the program encrypts connections, and that it stays there after you exit. You need to use an icon in the tray for that.
Looks like it\'s the problem.

Unfortunately, I\'d already used the icon to disconnect - that didn\'t solve the issue. I have since realized that HotSpot Shield had added itself to the automatic login list so it was launching in the background when I booted up. I removed it, rebooted, but I\'m still having the same issue. I wonder if I just need to reset Bionic using the Bionic manager, which will lose the projects I have completed but hopefully will restore the ability of Bionic to access the project servers...??

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Does your worry about losing your current models (NOT projects), mean that I and others have been wasting our time posting backup instructions, and constantly telling people about this? :)
At it\'s simplest, it\'s just copy and paste.

And perhaps BOINC is just getting huffy about you constantly calling it bionic. :)

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Backups: Here

denbarth,

BOINC is pretty good at installing and uninstalling while still preserving account and project data. Before resetting BOINC and losing your running models it might be worth a try. I\'m not very hopeful that it will solve your problem, though, because \"Couldn\'t resolve host name\" looks like a connection issue (DNS?) - though your other Internet stuff is, confusingly, OK.

I haven\'t needed to restore a BOINC backup on my Mac, but there does seem to be a permissions problem with the switcher. Until I\'ve worked out what really matters my backup strategy on Mac would be copy/paste away/paste back/reinstall BOINC. More experienced users might know better!

Iain

denbarth,

BOINC is pretty good at installing and uninstalling while still preserving account and project data. Before resetting BOINC and losing your running models it might be worth a try. I\'m not very hopeful that it will solve your problem, though, because \"Couldn\'t resolve host name\" looks like a connection issue (DNS?) - though your other Internet stuff is, confusingly, OK.

I haven\'t needed to restore a BOINC backup on my Mac, but there does seem to be a permissions problem with the switcher. Until I\'ve worked out what really matters my backup strategy on Mac would be copy/paste away/paste back/reinstall BOINC. More experienced users might know better!

Iain

I read the threads on backups and made a backup copy of the entire Boinc data file in a different location. (Note: Les, I regretfully abandon the Bionic moniker. But it\'s a much cooler name!) Whew. That windows stuff is complicated. Using the supplied uninstaller, I uninstall Boinc.app, then reinstall. Run into a permissions problem, message is reinstall. That done, Boinc launches. For grins, I attempt to attach to climateprediction.net. Error message - can\'t successfully complete. Not a good sign.

So I cut and paste the backup data file over the newly created data file, and launch Boinc. Everything seems to be starting up an running ok.... and... nope. I have the same error as before. Can\'t resolve host name.

So.... it seems from the attempt to attach to climateprediction.net that my MacBook is not even able to connect to the project, much less resume the processing and upload of completed models.

I\'m going to search the initial install and startup forums carefully again and see if I can spot anything that is amiss in my network/internet settings. Since I attached successfully in the past, something must be awry...

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denbarth,

BOINC is pretty good at installing and uninstalling while still preserving account and project data. Before resetting BOINC and losing your running models it might be worth a try. I\'m not very hopeful that it will solve your problem, though, because \"Couldn\'t resolve host name\" looks like a connection issue (DNS?) - though your other Internet stuff is, confusingly, OK.

I haven\'t needed to restore a BOINC backup on my Mac, but there does seem to be a permissions problem with the switcher. Until I\'ve worked out what really matters my backup strategy on Mac would be copy/paste away/paste back/reinstall BOINC. More experienced users might know better!

Iain

I read the threads on backups and made a backup copy of the entire Boinc data file in a different location. (Note: Les, I regretfully abandon the Bionic moniker. But it\'s a much cooler name!) Whew. That windows stuff is complicated. Using the supplied uninstaller, I uninstall Boinc.app, then reinstall. Run into a permissions problem, message is reinstall. That done, Boinc launches. For grins, I attempt to attach to climateprediction.net. Error message - can\'t successfully complete. Not a good sign.

So I cut and paste the backup data file over the newly created data file, and launch Boinc. Everything seems to be starting up an running ok.... and... nope. I have the same error as before. Can\'t resolve host name.

So.... it seems from the attempt to attach to climateprediction.net that my MacBook is not even able to connect to the project, much less resume the processing and upload of completed models.

I\'m going to search the initial install and startup forums carefully again and see if I can spot anything that is amiss in my network/internet settings. Since I attached successfully in the past, something must be awry...

I tried to ping 163.1.124.171 (climateprediction.net), and of course, it works fine - no packet losses. So I can apparently reach the climateprediction.net servers ok. The problem must be elsewhere. any ideas?

I tried to ping 163.1.124.171 (climateprediction.net), and of course, it works fine - no packet losses. So I can apparently reach the climateprediction.net servers ok. The problem must be elsewhere. any ideas?

Have you tried pinging climateprediction.net directly rather than the 163.1.124.171 address to which it resolves? Or is that what you meant?

I tried to ping 163.1.124.171 (climateprediction.net), and of course, it works fine - no packet losses. So I can apparently reach the climateprediction.net servers ok. The problem must be elsewhere. any ideas?

Have you tried pinging climateprediction.net directly rather than the 163.1.124.171 address to which it resolves? Or is that what you meant?

I typed climateprediction.net and it transformed into 163.1.124.171 when I started the ping. So I assume the ip address for climateprediction.net is 163.1.124.171.

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I typed climateprediction.net and it transformed into 163.1.124.171 when I started the ping. So I assume the ip address for climateprediction.net is 163.1.124.171.

... which means that DNS is working for ping (as expected from your other comments), but not for BOINC.

Unless anyone with better knowledge of networking and BOINC can come up with some other idea, it looks to me like you\'ll have to clear BOINC out and start again.

I acquired similar behaviour when I upgraded from BOINC 6.10.21 --> 6.10.36.

I tried to revert to 6.10.21, but the installer checks if there was a previously installed more recent version & refuses to install even after uninstall & reboot.

It will be a pity to scrub everything to start over. There is now over 900 hours of completed work waiting for upload.

Mac people are well known for their non-appearance on these boards, so perhaps you should ask about the network problem on the BOINC boards.
These are here.
You\'ll need to open an account there first.

There\'s a thread here called: BOINC 6.10.36 Intel Mac Network Problems, which may be a good place to read / make a post.

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Backups: Here

Thank you very much for your help . . .

The reference thread proposed a test fix for this problem in response to another user --

Installing the experimental version (6.10.36A) directly over 6.10.36 completely resolved the issue. My client has uploaded 4 completed simulations, downladed 4 new simulations, and resumed computation; although I did need to force the update manually to overcome the automated delays.

I do not want to create YET ANOTHER account, thus I must leave it to somebody else, who has write access in those forums, to report this back to Charlie Fenton.

I am using OS X 10.6.2 on a 4x3GHz (early) Mac Pro tower.

... thus I must leave it to somebody else, who has write access in those forums, to report this back to Charlie Fenton.

Done. Thanks for the feedback.

Installing the experimental version (6.10.36A) directly over 6.10.36 completely resolved the issue.

Hello DKD and denbarth,

BOINC uses a couple of open-source libraries called cURL and c-ares to do its network communications. The difference between BOINC 6.10.36 and earlier versions of BOINC is that we upgraded to cURL version 7.19.7 and c-ares 1.7.0 for the newer release. The test build that worked for DKD and others was the same BOINC code but reverting to cURL 7.19.4 and c-ares 1.6.0.

cURL version 7.20.0 was recently released. Since we have not been able to reproduce your problem with resolving hostnames, it would be a great help to us to know if the new version of cURL has solved your problem. If so, we would upgrade to the new cURL for future releases of BOINC.

I\'ve posted another experimental version of BOINC 6.10.36, this time using cURL 7.20.0, here. Would you be kind enough to try it and report back here whether it works for you?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Charlie Fenton
BOINC Mac Developer

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Charlie,

Unfortunately, installing BOINC 6.10.36, this time using cURL 7.20.0 did not resolve the issue for me. The same error message occurs, here\'s the log again:

Wed Mar 17 09:38:04 2010|climateprediction.net|Scheduler request failed: Couldn\'t resolve host name
Wed Mar 17 09:39:05 2010|climateprediction.net|Sending scheduler request: To report completed tasks.
Wed Mar 17 09:39:05 2010|climateprediction.net|Reporting 2 completed tasks, requesting new tasks
Wed Mar 17 09:47:09 2010|climateprediction.net|Scheduler request failed: Couldn\'t resolve host name

Do you want me to try installing the experimental install using cURL 7.19.4, that worked for DKD, to see if it resolves my issue? I\'ll need a bit of coaching on how to find that install and any issues in how to install an older version over a newer one.

Thanks. I appreciate all the hard work that is being done to allow us to participate in these projects through BOINC!

Dennis

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The test version which worked for DKD can be downloaded from the link in this message. I\'m sure Charlie would appreciate it if you could try installing that, and report back.

The test version which worked for DKD can be downloaded from the link in this message. I\'m sure Charlie would appreciate it if you could try installing that, and report back.

I followed the link, downloaded the test version, and... no change. Still reporting same error. Rats.

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The test version which worked for DKD can be downloaded from the link in this message. I\'m sure Charlie would appreciate it if you could try installing that, and report back.

I followed the link, downloaded the test version, and... no change. Still reporting same error. Rats.

Message passed on. Thanks for trying.