Windows Boinc Manager and gui_rpc_auth.cfg

Keith Myers
Keith Myers
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An issue I know about with

An issue I know about with the gui_rpc_auth.cfg file in Windows is that when you edit the file with the normal Windows file editors, it adds a hidden CR and LF in the file that screws up the client from reading it correctly.

You need to input just the password and save the file without adding any extraneous characters after the password.

You should be able to configure the Windows file editors to not add the CR and LF characters when saving the file.

 

OpenlySecular
OpenlySecular
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So still no success: I have

So still no success: I have also have tried copying the 'authenticator' password given in file account_einstein.phys.uwm.edu into the subject .cfg file and then restarting, but still not recognised -whether in simple or expanded view.

My PC continues to crunch per schedule, using parameters from the project web site (which it picks up routinely).

I will install the updated version when its made available, but would like to continue to try to find the problem solution in the current version

Julian Pedley BSc, MSc

Julianrani-[at]-gmail.com

UK, Nottinghamshire 

Gary Roberts
Gary Roberts
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OpenlySecular wrote:So still

OpenlySecular wrote:
So still no success:    ....   My PC continues to crunch per schedule, ....

You don't give enough details about exactly what you have done for anyone to know for sure what the problem is.

So here's my guess.  You seem to be implying that your boinc client continues on in the background, receiving new work and returning completed tasks without any intervention from you.

You seem to imply that you have made various adjustments to gui_rpc_auth.cfg whilst boinc has been running.  The client will not know of these adjustments unless you have restarted it after each one.  How did you make these adjustments - ie what program?  Have you confirmed the precise contents (no hidden characters) and the correct filename after you finished?  Did you restart the client each time?

If you haven't restarted the client, it would still be using the old password.  The manager would read the new password and so a conflict would result.  Are the manager and boinc client in the same directory?  If they are, and if the client is restarted PRIOR to launching the manager, the manager should automatically attach to the client without asking for a password since they have both read the same password from the same file.  If you have done all this and it's still not working, it's likely there is something butchered in the data in the file.

Please note that the password in gui_rpc_auth.cfg is NOTHING to do with your account password on the website.  By default it is a 32 char random string.  It can be anything you choose for convenience - even a single character.  If you only ever run the client and the manager from the boinc directory on a single host, you will never be asked for a password so you could leave it at the default without needing to know it.  If you manage multiple machines over a LAN from a single, central location, you would need to give the relevant password for each machine you connect to when launching the manager.  In that case, changing every machine to have the same, easy to remember single 'word' would be recommended.

Cheers,
Gary.

Keith Myers
Keith Myers
Joined: 11 Feb 11
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Another thought I had that

Another thought I had that hasn't been covered yet . . .  . .  do you have any kind of antivirus software running that locks out that file from being read?

Being a salted password with random letters and characters, I wonder if it is being flagged as suspect and being quarantined.

Also have you tried to manually run the Manager yet from the Terminal in the same directory that the client resides?

 

OpenlySecular
OpenlySecular
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I haven’t been able to get

I haven’t been able to get Boinc manager authenticated- it’s still shown as disconnected on the pane’s status bar

Julian Pedley BSc, MSc

Julianrani-[at]-gmail.com

UK, Nottinghamshire 

Keith Myers
Keith Myers
Joined: 11 Feb 11
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I ask again, have you tried

I ask again, have you tried to run the Manager in the Terminal?

Doing so, you get a lot more information about what is wrong other than just a mesage in the status bar that the Manager is disconnected.

You would get the reason WHY the Manager is disconnected.

 

OpenlySecular
OpenlySecular
Joined: 25 Apr 15
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Hi Allthanks for

Hi All

thanks for continuing ideas.

Addressing points raised:

  1. No Av software, just the Windows defender that came with the os
  2. I don’t know how to run manager in the terminal, or even what that is. Possibly someone can expand on that, or share a link. I have admin rights on the account in which Boinc is installed 
  3.  Yes, the client service runs in the background with no intervention from me. Screensaver shows running BOINC tasks and their status per Schedule. Scope of work adjustable via the Project preferences in e@home web site in my account 
  4. I restart the account in which Boinc runs after any change. I have tried updating the cfg file password, deleting it.
  5. After deleting the cfg file, a new one is generated after service restarted, but it still won’t authenticate
  6. File edits, if attempted, done in windows notepad. I don’t have an ASCII viewer to check for spurious chars, but, as it won’t authenticate from new .cfg even without editing, that doesn’t appear to be cause.

Julian Pedley BSc, MSc

Julianrani-[at]-gmail.com

UK, Nottinghamshire 

Keith Myers
Keith Myers
Joined: 11 Feb 11
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Credit: 17549610551
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Terminal is another name for

Terminal is another name for Command Prompt. Type Terminal in the Search box and it will launch Terminal.

You used to be able to launch a Terminal with a right-click in any directory back in Windows 7.  Not sure if the same can be done in Windows 10.

The BOINC Manager executable is located in the C:\Programdata\BOINC which is a hidden directory.  You need to change the File Manager preferences to show hidden files and directories and then you can navigate to the BOINC folder.

Then you can open a Terminal or Command prompt and execute the Manager in the Terminal by typing:

boincmgr.exe and hitting <Enter>

That will launch the Manager GUI but you will see the transactions between the client (boinc.exe) and the Manager (boincmgr.exe) in the Terminal window and see what the client is saying about letting the Manager connect to it.

I still have a suspicion that since you are editing with Notepad, that every change you make to the gui_rpc_auth.cfg file is being saved as gui_rpc_auth.cfg.txt.  That will make the client and Manager ignore the file because it is not the name it should be and what they are looking for.

With Notepad you need to make sure you save the file as is without having Notepad add the .txt extension to the filename.

https://www.thesitewizard.com/faqs/save-without-txt-extension-notepad

 

 

OpenlySecular
OpenlySecular
Joined: 25 Apr 15
Posts: 31
Credit: 97335148
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Thanks for

Thanks for insights 

However, I always save the cfg file with the .cfg extension, so that removes the option of system appending .txt

I have a shortcut to the Boincdata directory as I have to explore it so frequently.

i have run the boincmgr.exe from the command window: it simply opens a new disconnected boincmgr window on the desktop, with no additional dialog in the command window itself.

Julian Pedley BSc, MSc

Julianrani-[at]-gmail.com

UK, Nottinghamshire 

Tom M
Tom M
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Do you have the file manager

Do you have the file manager in Windows set to display the extension on the files?

Tom M

A Proud member of the O.F.A.  (Old Farts Association).  Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.® (Garrison Keillor)

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