Hello,

The Screensaver on my BOINC client for some reason prevents Seti@Home from running. I have it set up so that BOINC starts in 10 minutes and screensaver in 15 minutes. BOINC starts fine after 10 minutes of idle, but when the screensaver starts, BOINC gets put into suspend mode. At first, I thought the screensaver would suspend it temporarily, but when Seti tries to resume, I see the graphics only for a second before the screensaver shows "BOINC Currently Suspended." BOINC runs fine either without the screensaver or if I select "run always." I turned over the mouse and left it untouched to make sure it wasn't me, but this happened several times. I suspect a bug with the screensaver. Any thoughts?

Running Windows XP Pro on P4 3.0 GHz w/ HT and 1 GB RAM. BOINC version 5.2.13 Seti@Home Client version 4.18.

JD

Hi JD,

Could please post here a copy of the preferences you'd set at the SETI website? It's under Your Account/General Preferences. I think there maybe conflict there. And I'm not sure that I know what you mean by setting BOINC to start in 10 min and the screensaver to 15. The screensaver you refer to is the SAH classic screensaver or the one from BOINC?

I see you (like myself) were a classic user, but in order to run the new version (BOINC) you need to uninstall the old screensaver. Is that what you meant? If not, I'm sorry.

Regards,
Wander

---

If you've set the 'Do work while computer is is use' to 'No', maybe the screensaver uses so much of the CPU that BOINC assumes the computer is in use. The fact that 'Run always' overrides your preferences further implies that the 'problem' is in the preferences. Try setting 'Do work while computer is in use' to 'Yes', or maybe you could just switch the screensaver off or run a different screensaver - the SETI@Home screensaver uses quite a bit of processor power.
Chirag.

---

Its not the Classic SETI screensaver, it is the BOINC screensaver. What I meant was that in the preferences, with do work while computer is in use set to 'no' I set the "do work only after computer has been idle for..." to 10 mins and in my screensaver settings, I set it to 15 mins. So, BOINC starts up fine after 10 the computer idles for 10 mins, but after being idle for 15 mins when the screensaver is supposed to come up, the Seti graphics only show up briefly (split second) before the "BOINC Suspended" message comes up. If I let the computer idle for another 15 minutes after that, leaving the screensaver running, the graphics again only come up for a split second then the "BOINC Suspended" message comes back. I've also noted the same results with Climateprediction so I think its a BOINC related issue (or a problem with my preferences). I listed my prefs below:

Processor usage
Do work while computer is running on batteries?
(matters only for portable computers) no
Do work while computer is in use? no
Do work only after computer is idle for 10 minutes
Do work only between the hours of (no restriction)
Leave applications in memory while preempted?
(suspended applications will consume swap space if 'yes') no
Switch between applications every
(recommended: 60 minutes) 60 minutes
On multiprocessors, use at most 2 processors
Disk and memory usage
Use no more than 100 GB disk space
Leave at least
(Values smaller than 0.001 are ignored) 0.1 GB disk space free
Use no more than 50% of total disk space
Write to disk at most every 60 seconds
Use no more than 75% of total virtual memory
Network usage
Connect to network about every
(determines size of work cache; maximum 10 days) 0.1 days
Confirm before connecting to Internet?
(matters only if you have a modem, ISDN or VPN connection) no
Disconnect when done?
(matters only if you have a modem, ISDN or VPN connection) yes
Maximum download rate: no limit
Maximum upload rate: no limit
Use network only between the hours of
Enforced by versions 4.46 and greater 16:00 and 10:00
Skip image file verification?
Check this ONLY if your Internet provider modifies image files (UMTS does this, for example).
Skipping verification reduces the security of BOINC. no

Thanks,
JD

Hi JD,

Could please post here a copy of the preferences you'd set at the SETI website? It's under Your Account/General Preferences. I think there maybe conflict there. And I'm not sure that I know what you mean by setting BOINC to start in 10 min and the screensaver to 15. The screensaver you refer to is the SAH classic screensaver or the one from BOINC?

I see you (like myself) were a classic user, but in order to run the new version (BOINC) you need to uninstall the old screensaver. Is that what you meant? If not, I'm sorry.

Regards,
Wander

---

Its not the Classic SETI screensaver, it is the BOINC screensaver. What I meant was that in the preferences, with do work while computer is in use set to 'no' I set the "do work only after computer has been idle for..." to 10 mins and in my screensaver settings, I set it to 15 mins. So, BOINC starts up fine after 10 the computer idles for 10 mins, but after being idle for 15 mins when the screensaver is supposed to come up, the Seti graphics only show up briefly (split second) before the "BOINC Suspended" message comes up. If I let the computer idle for another 15 minutes after that, leaving the screensaver running, the graphics again only come up for a split second then the "BOINC Suspended" message comes back. I've also noted the same results with Climateprediction so I think its a BOINC related issue (or a problem with my preferences). I listed my prefs below:
<snipp>

Hi JD,

Sorry for the delay. Since I'm using a optimized app, I couldn't test this scenario at my home's computer. As you stated, by the looks of it, BOINC maybe having trouble bringing up the graphics after the 15 minutes. Is almost as if BOINC itself is detecting the screensaver as "user activity". Can I trouble you for two bits of information? First, can you copy the messages generated by BOINC Mgr from the moment it resumes computation (after the 10 min delay) up until 5 minutes after the screensaver fires up? And what does happen if you set your screensaver time 10min as well? Thanks.

Regards,
Wander

---

Hi Wander,

Sorry it took so long for me to respond. I've been busy at work lately. Here are the messages generated by BOINC when my problem occurs. I also included what happens when BOINC tries to resume while the screensaver is running. I'll post the results of setting the screensaver to the same time as BOINCs 10 min resume time later. Thanks.

Message Output:
2006-01-31 09:01:35 [---] Resuming computation and network activity
2006-01-31 09:01:35 [---] request_reschedule_cpus: Resuming activities
2006-01-31 09:01:35 [climateprediction.net] Restarting result sulphur_i3ui_100844794_1 using sulphur_cycle version 422
2006-01-31 09:01:35 [Einstein@Home] Restarting result r1_0784.0__113_S4R2a_0 using albert version 437
2006-01-31 09:01:41 [climateprediction.net] Sending scheduler request to http://climateapps2.oucs.ox.ac.uk/cpdnboinc_cgi/cgi
2006-01-31 09:01:41 [climateprediction.net] Reason: To send trickle-up message
2006-01-31 09:01:41 [climateprediction.net] Note: not requesting new work or reporting results
2006-01-31 09:01:46 [climateprediction.net] Scheduler request to http://climateapps2.oucs.ox.ac.uk/cpdnboinc_cgi/cgi succeeded
2006-01-31 09:06:38 [---] Suspending computation and network activity - user is active
2006-01-31 09:06:38 [climateprediction.net] Pausing result sulphur_i3ui_100844794_1 (removed from memory)
2006-01-31 09:06:38 [Einstein@Home] Pausing result r1_0784.0__113_S4R2a_0 (removed from memory)
2006-01-31 09:06:39 [---] request_reschedule_cpus: process exited
2006-01-31 09:06:41 [---] request_reschedule_cpus: process exited
2006-01-31 09:16:39 [---] Resuming computation and network activity
2006-01-31 09:16:39 [---] request_reschedule_cpus: Resuming activities
2006-01-31 09:16:39 [climateprediction.net] Restarting result sulphur_i3ui_100844794_1 using sulphur_cycle version 422
2006-01-31 09:16:39 [Einstein@Home] Restarting result r1_0784.0__113_S4R2a_0 using albert version 437
2006-01-31 09:16:41 [---] Suspending computation and network activity - user is active
2006-01-31 09:16:41 [climateprediction.net] Pausing result sulphur_i3ui_100844794_1 (removed from memory)
2006-01-31 09:16:41 [Einstein@Home] Pausing result r1_0784.0__113_S4R2a_0 (removed from memory)
2006-01-31 09:16:42 [---] request_reschedule_cpus: process exited
2006-01-31 09:16:43 [---] request_reschedule_cpus: process exited

Hi JD,

Sorry for the delay. Since I'm using a optimized app, I couldn't test this scenario at my home's computer. As you stated, by the looks of it, BOINC maybe having trouble bringing up the graphics after the 15 minutes. Is almost as if BOINC itself is detecting the screensaver as "user activity". Can I trouble you for two bits of information? First, can you copy the messages generated by BOINC Mgr from the moment it resumes computation (after the 10 min delay) up until 5 minutes after the screensaver fires up? And what does happen if you set your screensaver time 10min as well? Thanks.

Regards,
Wander

---

2006-01-31 09:01:35 [---] Resuming computation and network activity
2006-01-31 09:06:38 [---] Suspending computation and network activity - user is active
2006-01-31 09:16:39 [---] Resuming computation and network activity
2006-01-31 09:16:41 [---] Suspending computation and network activity - user is active

Hi JD,

It's really puzzling. I isolated the messages that look more relevant, but it just looks like there is some process running in your machine that is putting BOINC on hold. I'm assuming that this last message (09:16:41) is you regaining control over the computer to retrieve the message buffer. Anyway, is too much of an coincidence that something got executed in your machine 05m03s after Boinc resumed crunching, but 10min later, it resumed computation, just like it should.

The SETI/Boinc has very, very low priority in the system, so pratically anything else will make it go under. I myself don't run that many projects, but they run 24/7, like most people do. Do you have any indexing service (like Y! Desktop Search) or something else that runs at regular intervals that could make Boinc go to "sleep"?

What about the messages when you set both Boinc and the screensaver to the same amount of time?

Regards,
Wander

---

Hi Wander,

Yes it is really puzzling. The last message (09:16:41) was not me regaining control. It was the last time that the process tried to run before the screensaver kicked it off. It does it every time the screensaver is running, but only when the screensaver is running. When I use my webshots screensaver, it BOINC runs fine in the background. And to make things even more confusing, this is not a problem with my laptop and desktop at home. The only difference I can think of between this computer and my laptop is that my laptops P4 doesn't have Hyper Threading like this computer does. Does your computer have HT or dual core? I remember you said you had the problem also. One of the things I had noticed was that with the HT, this computer processes more than one project simultaneously, makes me wonder if the screensaver gets confused and just says "forget it, I'm shutting you down." In any case, the messages for having the screensaver set at 10 mins is below. I also included a sample of my messages when I use a different screensaver.

Screensaver at 10 mins:
2006-02-15 08:02:46 [---] Resuming computation and network activity
2006-02-15 08:02:46 [---] request_reschedule_cpus: Resuming activities
2006-02-15 08:02:46 [Einstein@Home] Restarting result r1_1303.0__1706_S4R2a_0 using albert version 437
2006-02-15 08:02:46 [SETI@home] Restarting result 16ja00aa.20941.3569.915908.1.242_2 using setiathome version 418
2006-02-15 08:02:48 [---] Suspending computation and network activity - user is active
2006-02-15 08:02:48 [Einstein@Home] Pausing result r1_1303.0__1706_S4R2a_0 (removed from memory)
2006-02-15 08:02:48 [SETI@home] Pausing result 16ja00aa.20941.3569.915908.1.242_2 (removed from memory)
2006-02-15 08:02:49 [---] request_reschedule_cpus: process exited
2006-02-15 08:12:49 [---] Resuming computation and network activity
2006-02-15 08:12:49 [---] request_reschedule_cpus: Resuming activities
2006-02-15 08:12:49 [Einstein@Home] Restarting result r1_1303.0__1706_S4R2a_0 using albert version 437
2006-02-15 08:12:49 [SETI@home] Restarting result 16ja00aa.20941.3569.915908.1.242_2 using setiathome version 418
2006-02-15 08:12:51 [---] Suspending computation and network activity - user is active
2006-02-15 08:12:51 [Einstein@Home] Pausing result r1_1303.0__1706_S4R2a_0 (removed from memory)
2006-02-15 08:12:51 [SETI@home] Pausing result 16ja00aa.20941.3569.915908.1.242_2 (removed from memory)
2006-02-15 08:12:52 [---] request_reschedule_cpus: process exited

Note: The last time listed was not me.

BOINCs operations with different non-BOINC screensaver:
2006-02-15 06:32:08 [climateprediction.net] Pausing result sulphur_i3ui_100844794_1 (removed from memory)
2006-02-15 06:32:08 [climateprediction.net] Pausing result sulphur_ies9_100858969_0 (removed from memory)
2006-02-15 06:32:08 [Einstein@Home] Restarting result r1_1303.0__1706_S4R2a_0 using albert version 437
2006-02-15 06:32:08 [SETI@home] Restarting result 16ja00aa.20941.3569.915908.1.242_2 using setiathome version 418
2006-02-15 06:32:11 [---] request_reschedule_cpus: process exited
2006-02-15 06:32:12 [---] request_reschedule_cpus: process exited
2006-02-15 06:56:16 [SETI@home] Sending scheduler request to http://setiboinc.ssl.berkeley.edu/sah_cgi/cgi
2006-02-15 06:56:16 [SETI@home] Reason: To report results
2006-02-15 06:56:16 [SETI@home] Reporting 1 results
2006-02-15 06:56:21 [SETI@home] Scheduler request to http://setiboinc.ssl.berkeley.edu/sah_cgi/cgi succeeded
2006-02-15 07:25:24 [---] Suspending computation and network activity - user is active
2006-02-15 07:25:24 [Einstein@Home] Pausing result r1_1303.0__1706_S4R2a_0 (removed from memory)
2006-02-15 07:25:24 [SETI@home] Pausing result 16ja00aa.20941.3569.915908.1.242_2 (removed from memory)
2006-02-15 07:25:25 [---] request_reschedule_cpus: process exited

Thanks for all your help,
JD

2006-01-31 09:01:35 [---] Resuming computation and network activity
2006-01-31 09:06:38 [---] Suspending computation and network activity - user is active
2006-01-31 09:16:39 [---] Resuming computation and network activity
2006-01-31 09:16:41 [---] Suspending computation and network activity - user is active

Hi JD,

It's really puzzling. I isolated the messages that look more relevant, but it just looks like there is some process running in your machine that is putting BOINC on hold. I'm assuming that this last message (09:16:41) is you regaining control over the computer to retrieve the message buffer. Anyway, is too much of an coincidence that something got executed in your machine 05m03s after Boinc resumed crunching, but 10min later, it resumed computation, just like it should.

The SETI/Boinc has very, very low priority in the system, so pratically anything else will make it go under. I myself don't run that many projects, but they run 24/7, like most people do. Do you have any indexing service (like Y! Desktop Search) or something else that runs at regular intervals that could make Boinc go to "sleep"?

What about the messages when you set both Boinc and the screensaver to the same amount of time?

Regards,
Wander

---

Hi Wander,

Yes it is really puzzling. The last message (09:16:41) was not me regaining control. It was the last time that the process tried to run before the screensaver kicked it off. It does it every time the screensaver is running, but only when the screensaver is running. When I use my webshots screensaver, it BOINC runs fine in the background. And to make things even more confusing, this is not a problem with my laptop and desktop at home. The only difference I can think of between this computer and my laptop is that my laptops P4 doesn't have Hyper Threading like this computer does. Does your computer have HT or dual core? I remember you said you had the problem also. One of the things I had noticed was that with the HT, this computer processes more than one project simultaneously, makes me wonder if the screensaver gets confused and just says "forget it, I'm shutting you down." In any case, the messages for having the screensaver set at 10 mins is below. I also included a sample of my messages when I use a different screensaver.

<snipp...>

Thanks for all your help,
JD

Hi JD,

The problem I had was similar, but not quite like this. After an intensive research I found out that an HP Printer helper app upgrade began to interfere in the power management settings, preventing my monitor to shutdown. Since I don't use a screensaver, it was something of BIG issue for me :-)

But I only managed to discover the culprit by disabling all startup programs, enabling one by one and checking whether or not the monitor would shutdown. I know its a longshot, but maybe your system is running something else that's fired up along with the BOINC OpenGL screensaver, and BOINC is interpreting it as "user activity". Btw, my system is not HT or Dual core.

Here's a couple of things that I suggest you to try:

• Change you processor usage to 1 in the Boinc preferences. It would limit your crunching to a single WU at time, but just try it to see if it helps;
  
• Do a clean boot and check if the problem persists. I think the easiest way is to use the msconfig utility, where you can manage all startup program load. If Boinc starts to behave as it should, the next step is to track down which program is to blame;
  
• Reinstall Boinc as a service. You would loose the ability to display the screensaver, but I'm not entirely sure that this would help;
  

If none of this helps, my only advice to you is this: seek a higher power!! :-)

Kiddin' aside, give it a try and let me know, ok?

Wander

Edit: fixing the BBCode tags

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