Is 8.24 susceptible to crashes on restarts? I know 8.32 isn't but don't remember about 8.24.

Is 8.24 susceptible to crashes on restarts? I know 8.32 isn't but don't remember about 8.24.

I just had a bunch four of 8.32 tasks fail a few days ago when my system rebooted. Here is one of them, It crashed late on Tuesday night local time -- EDST. They all crashed at the same time.

Task 22473689
Name 	wah2_eas25_n2yc_201812_24_1022_012316003_0
Workunit 	12316003
Created 	24 Jul 2024, 13:55:41 UTC
Sent 	30 Aug 2024, 3:22:27 UTC
Report deadline 	8 Dec 2024, 3:22:27 UTC
Received 	11 Sep 2024, 3:32:06 UTC
Server state 	Over
Outcome 	Computation error
Client state 	Compute error
Exit status 	9 (0x00000009) Unknown error code
Computer ID 	1512658
Run time 	10 days 19 hours 54 min 33 sec
CPU time 	9 days 14 hours 57 min 27 sec
Validate state 	Invalid
Credit 	14,931.45
Device peak FLOPS 	3.68 GFLOPS
Application version 	Weather At Home 2 (wah2) (region independent) v8.32
windows_intelx86
Peak working set size 	342.49 MB
Peak swap size 	309.91 MB
Peak disk usage 	94.95 MB
Stderr 	

<core_client_version>8.0.2</core_client_version>
<![CDATA[
<message>
The storage control block address is invalid.
 (0x9) - exit code 9 (0x9)</message>
<stderr_txt>
modelGetExecutables: check control files, strTemp0 & 1 : 
C:\ProgramData\BOINC/projects/climateprediction.net/wah2_eas25_n2yc_201812_24_1022_012316003/jobs/xadae.namelists
C:\ProgramData\BOINC/projects/climateprediction.net/wah2_eas25_n2yc_201812_24_1022_012316003/jobs/xacxf.namelists
modelGetExecutables: unzipping control files : strInput & strTmp 
wah2_eas25_n2yc_201812_24_1022_012316003.zip
wah2_eas25_n2yc_201812_24_1022_012316003/jobs
gstrDump[0] = generic_phase1_spinup_eas25_global_aabaka_f
gstrDump[1] = generic_phase1_spinup_eas25_regional_aabaka_f
global model: command string: "C:\ProgramData\BOINC/projects/climateprediction.net/wah2am3m2_um_8.32_windows_intelx86.exe" wah2_eas25_n2yc_201812_24_1022_012316003 generic_phase1_spinup_eas25_global_aabaka_f ic19610310_14_N96 NATclim_ancil_168months_CMIP6-ACCESS-CM2_SST_2009-01-01_2022-12-30_v2404b NATclim_ancil_168months_CMIP6-ACCESS-CM2_SIC_2009-01-01_2022-12-30_v2404b so2dms_prei_N96_1855_0000P oxi.addfa ozone_preind_N96_1879_0000Pv5
regional model: command string: "C:\ProgramData\BOINC/projects/climateprediction.net/wah2rm3m2t_um_8.32_windows_intelx86.exe" wah2_eas25_n2yc_201812_24_1022_012316003
 cpdn_check_running: got RM PID of zero; ignoring this call and waiting for PID via shMem. 
 cpdn_check_running: got RM PID of zero; ignoring this call and waiting for PID via shMem. 
executeModelProcess: MonID=13968, GCM_PID=7496, RCM_PID=3268
Suspended CPDN Monitor - Suspend request from BOINC...
Queuing intermediate upload for CPDN/BOINC: cpdnout1.zip
Queuing intermediate upload for CPDN/BOINC: cpdnout2.zip
Suspended CPDN Monitor - Suspend request from BOINC...
Queuing intermediate upload for CPDN/BOINC: cpdnout3.zip
Queuing intermediate upload for CPDN/BOINC: cpdnout4.zip
Suspended CPDN Monitor - Suspend request from BOINC...
Queuing intermediate upload for CPDN/BOINC: cpdnout5.zip
Queuing intermediate upload for CPDN/BOINC: cpdnout6.zip
Suspended CPDN Monitor - Suspend request from BOINC...
Queuing intermediate upload for CPDN/BOINC: cpdnout7.zip
Queuing intermediate upload for CPDN/BOINC: cpdnout8.zip
Queuing intermediate upload for CPDN/BOINC: cpdnout9.zip
Queuing intermediate upload for CPDN/BOINC: cpdnout10.zip
Queuing intermediate upload for CPDN/BOINC: cpdnout11.zip
Suspended CPDN Monitor - Suspend request from BOINC...
Queuing intermediate upload for CPDN/BOINC: cpdnout_restart.zip
Queuing intermediate upload for CPDN/BOINC: cpdnout12.zip
Queuing intermediate upload for CPDN/BOINC: cpdnout13.zip
Suspended CPDN Monitor - Suspend request from BOINC...
Queuing intermediate upload for CPDN/BOINC: cpdnout14.zip
Suspended CPDN Monitor - Suspend request from BOINC...
Suspended CPDN Monitor - Suspend request from BOINC...
Suspended CPDN Monitor - Suspend request from BOINC...
Queuing intermediate upload for CPDN/BOINC: cpdnout15.zip
Suspended CPDN Monitor - Suspend request from BOINC...
Suspended CPDN Monitor - Suspend request from BOINC...
Queuing intermediate upload for CPDN/BOINC: cpdnout16.zip
Suspended CPDN Monitor - Suspend request from BOINC...
Suspended CPDN Monitor - Suspend request from BOINC...
Queuing intermediate upload for CPDN/BOINC: cpdnout17.zip
Queuing intermediate upload for CPDN/BOINC: cpdnout18.zip
Global Worker:: CPDN process is not running, exiting, bRetVal = T, checkPID = 7496, selfPID = 7496, iMonCtr = 1
Regional Worker:: CPDN process is not running, exiting, bRetVal = T, checkPID = 7496, selfPID = 3268, iMonCtr = 1

</stderr_txt>
]]>

---

Is 8.24 susceptible to crashes on restarts?

v8.24 is the old version used for many years and yes, it has a chance of crashing roughly 1 minute after start, either from start from zero or from last checkpoint.

I know 8.32 isn't

Well, having re-boot due to Windows update crash all running v8.32 models on one computer and a normal re-boot next day on another computer crash all running v8.32, in my experience v8.32 also can crap-out due to re-boot. Interestingly enough, these crashes shows-up in the BOINC client log a few seconds before log shows the normal "Exiting" message...

Using roughly 10 seconds to exit BOINC Manager + "Stop running tasks" before re-booting seems to work against these type of re-boot crashes with v8.32, but of course it would be an advantage if didn't need to baby-sit all computer re-boots.

it would be an advantage if didn't need to baby-sit all computer re-boots.

It sure would. Whenever there are CPDN tasks running on my Windows 11 machine, I set it to defer updates for 3 weeks. These Windows tasks seem to take around 2 weeks on my Windows machine. But there are some updates I do not see that come through and reboot the machine, typically when I am asleep or at least not looking at that machine. I seem to notice these come through on Tuesdays,.

---

Though Windows 11 hides the option in the settings app, group policy still lets you set update policy to notification only without any auto download or installation. This has been reliably working for me to stop auto reboots, even on the not-activated VM. When one wave of WUs finish, I install the update, close BOINC client and then reboot. So far I haven't lost a single 8.32 WU to reboot despite having rebooted a few times.

PS: Microsoft issues updates on second Tuesday of each month, other than rare very urgent zero-day fixes. That's why they usually come on Tuesdays.

Though Windows 11 hides the option in the settings app,

?

My Windows 11 machine (Windows 11 Pro, version 23H2) has it in settings, on the Windows Update page:

Interesting, now comes question.
Can you change that date, or it "hard coded"?

I've actually had good success with 8.32. Only 2 crashes out of 88 so far. One is for certain not from a reboot, the other one I don't remember for sure but like 90% sure it wasn't. I've had a few reboots, not a lot. I just got an 8.24 re-run so had to make sure to pause updates after reading replies here.

Interesting, now comes question.
Can you change that date, or it "hard coded"?

What I showed was was the current, read-only, image display of the current status (in UK format, for our American readers).

When the machine is in 'auto-update' mode, I can see (and use) an option to defer updates - by default, for 1 week, but I can choose up to 5 weeks from a drop-down list.

The machine is a Dell laptop, 5 years old, supplied with Windows 10 and auto-updated to Windows 11. If that makes any difference.

I'm not talking about the limited time pause, but the previously available option to make Windows never install any updates unless I manually click "Download and Install". They removed it from the settings app in Windows 11 (and also 10) quite a few years ago. Now such setting has to be done through group policy or registry changes.

For anyone interested and save you a quick web search:

Win + R -> gpedit.msc -> Computer Configuration > Administrator Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update -> Manage end user experience -> Configure automatic updates -> Enable / Notify for download and auto install.

(The "Manage end user experience" folder is only introduced in latest Windows 11 update. For earlier version, you might find "Configure automatic updates" right under "Windows Update")

Despite the misleading "auto install" in the name, this will only notify you for any updates and won't download or install any updates indefinitely until you hit "Download & Install".

Thread started to keep new work announcements and others clear. Sadly the BOINC server software does not allow en block moving of these messages.