Client running as service does not use preferences

Spacetime
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Topic 188230

I am running BOINC client 4.24 as WinXP service. I have changed log on to LOCAL SYSTEM. It works fine, however, it does not use preferences, i.e. it does not pause computation while computer is in use. Any hint?


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Client running as service does not use preferences

> I am running BOINC client 4.24 as WinXP service. I have changed log on to
> LOCAL SYSTEM. It works fine, however, it does not use preferences, i.e. it
> does not pause computation while computer is in use. Any hint?
>

I did not experience it.
However, I am not seeing any difference while running BOINC and using my PC (reading email, writing docs, open files....). As (at least in Windows environment) the process priority is set to low, any other task takes precedence on it. If I were you, I would not be afraid...

Bernd Machenschalk
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Are you using local

Are you using local preferences (Work, Home, School) or just the default ones?

BM

BM

Spacetime
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I'm using local preferences

I'm using local preferences for Home. I have also found on another computer (where service logs on as some user - as specified during installation) it uses the preferences. I don't know if this is relevant in this case.
However, low priority of the BOINC service is a good workaround and solves the problem.


John McLeod VII
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> I'm using local preferences

Message 6908 in response to message 6907

> I'm using local preferences for Home. I have also found on another computer
> (where service logs on as some user - as specified during installation) it
> uses the preferences. I don't know if this is relevant in this case.
> However, low priority of the BOINC service is a good workaround and solves the
> problem.
>
The service is running in a restricted context, and cannot see the keyboard. It may be able to if you allow interaction with desktop, or it may not be able to. I have an idea for a development solution, but it would have to be new development. I will make the suggestion.

fogcutter
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> I am running BOINC client

> I am running BOINC client 4.24 as WinXP service. I have changed log on to
> LOCAL SYSTEM. It works fine, however, it does not use preferences, i.e. it
> does not pause computation while computer is in use. Any hint?
>

I've been having the same problem since I started Boinc about a month ago. No matter how many times or ways I update my preferences and click the Run based on Preferneces command it seems to ignore my settings. i.e. Boinc runs continuously wether I'm using the computer or not. I've set my preferences to run when computer is idle for 10 minutes or more. Anyone have any suggestions?

trhill
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> I've been having the same

Message 6910 in response to message 6909


> I've been having the same problem since I started Boinc about a month ago. No
> matter how many times or ways I update my preferences and click the Run based
> on Preferneces command it seems to ignore my settings. i.e. Boinc runs
> continuously wether I'm using the computer or not. I've set my preferences to
> run when computer is idle for 10 minutes or more. Anyone have any
> suggestions?

I have installed recently and I am having the same problem - I have my Mac G4 OS X.3.8 to run Boinc after computer is idle for 15 min. but it runs pretty much all the time. I have rebooted and re-logged on.

Thanks,
Terry Hill

gravywavy
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> [...]it seems to ignore my

Message 6911 in response to message 6909

> [...]it seems to ignore my settings. i.e. Boinc runs
> continuously wether I'm using the computer or not.

I agree it is annoying that the client ignores the settings and we now know the reason, becasue of 'privacy' issues windows is not letting the service see the keystrokes, so the client does not know if you are working or not. If this were changed then there would be an opportunity for a rogue project to run as a service and report back on passwords typed, etc.

Whether BOINC takes up the development solution suggested by John Mc VII will be partly a policy issue: at present if a rogue project did try to do this
then only the user who installed BOinc on a machine would be hit; with John's change the rogue project would have access to all the users of that computer.

But, exactly why do you want to disable E@H while you are working anyway?

Within a microsecond of you touching the keyboard, the Windows task manager will have given you back your CPU for your live task, and will not give it back to BOINC until the CPU has done all the stuff it needs to do in response to your keystroke. While I am typing this posting into the machine, BOINC is probably getting in around a dozen million cpu cycles between each keystroke, even on my puny 700MHz box.

Ditto when you use the mouse.

It seems to me that the only time it really matters is if you are running a program that needs a huge amount of real memory: then the fact that E@H has jumped in to some of this memory will slow you down a little. But for all normal computer tasks (word processing, graphics, spreadsheets, and even almost all games) I never see any change in the subjective response
time whether E@H is running or not.

I'd suggest that this option is one that is useful only on machines with very little RAM, or for other projects where crunching the WU takes a much much more memory than E@H does.

My own preference would be that BOINC keeps things the way they are, and documantes the fact that for security reasons the progam will not detect mouse/keyboard usage when running as a service, and also documents the fact that the priority system means that BOINC ducks out of the way when real work being done by the CPU.

~~gravywavy

Gary Roberts
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> But, exactly why do you

Message 6912 in response to message 6911

> But, exactly why do you want to disable E@H while you are working anyway?

Whilst I fully agree with what you are saying, just telling people that E@H has a low priority isn't going to allay all fears. If E@H is running as a service in the background, the minute there is any perception of a slowdown due to anything, people will do the 3 fingured salute and immediately spot a process consuming 99% and they will want to terminate it with extreme prejudice.

So all we need to do is rename the system idle process and call it "System problem Indicator" and educate people to believe that the system has real problems if that indicator ever gets to 99%. Then we just rename the einstein process and call it "System Idle Process". Then when the ill-informed user has a look at taskmanager he will see the System Problem Indicator at "00" and the system Idle Process at "99" and go away happy that it must be a "network problem" rather than his own machine :).

:) ;).

Cheers,
Gary.

gravywavy
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> > But, exactly why do you

Message 6913 in response to message 6912

> > But, exactly why do you want to disable E@H while you are working
> anyway?
> [...] If E@H is running as a
> service in the background, the minute there is any perception of a slowdown
> due to anything, people will do the 3 fingured salute and immediately spot a
> process consuming 99% and they will want to terminate it with extreme
> prejudice.

Point taken

> So all we need to do is rename the system idle process and call it "System
> problem Indicator" and educate people to believe that the system has real
> problems if that indicator ever gets to 99%. Then we just rename the einstein
> process and call it "System Idle Process".

Or call the Einstein process the "System Idle Process (SP2)".

Or "System Idol Process" and hope lysdexia doesn't point out the difference ;-

~~gravywavy

Gary Roberts
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> Or "System Idol Process"

Message 6914 in response to message 6913

> Or "System Idol Process" and hope lysdexia doesn't point out the difference
> ;-

LOL!! I just love that idea!! If he spotted that, it should really send him beserk!!

Cheers,
Gary.

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