On my new Windows 7 64-bit computer, I've installed the 64-bit Boinc client. I've set Windows to use the Boinc screensaver, but it doesn't seem to work properly.
When I try to preview the Boinc screensaver through the Windows "Personalize" window, Boinc starts up but immediately quits.
When I leave my computer alone, after 5 minutes the screensaver again attempts to start but quits immediately.
When I leave my computer on for overnight, I can come back later and look at the Boinc message logs, and can see that every three minutes Boinc attempts to start up but quits because of "user activity". See clip from log:
2/24/2010 3:38:19 PM Suspending computation - user is active
2/24/2010 3:38:19 PM Suspending network activity - user is active
2/24/2010 3:41:19 PM Resuming computation
2/24/2010 3:41:19 PM Resuming network activity
2/24/2010 3:43:19 PM Suspending computation - user is active
2/24/2010 3:43:19 PM Suspending network activity - user is active
2/24/2010 3:46:21 PM Resuming computation
2/24/2010 3:46:21 PM Resuming network activity
2/24/2010 3:48:20 PM Suspending computation - user is active
2/24/2010 3:48:20 PM Suspending network activity - user is active
2/24/2010 3:51:22 PM Resuming computation
2/24/2010 3:51:22 PM Resuming network activity
2/24/2010 3:53:21 PM Suspending computation - user is active
2/24/2010 3:53:21 PM Suspending network activity - user is active
2/24/2010 3:56:23 PM Resuming computation
2/24/2010 3:56:23 PM Resuming network activity
2/24/2010 3:58:23 PM Suspending computation - user is active
2/24/2010 3:58:23 PM Suspending network activity - user is active
2/24/2010 4:01:24 PM Resuming computation
2/24/2010 4:01:24 PM Resuming network activity
2/24/2010 4:03:24 PM Suspending computation - user is active
2/24/2010 4:03:24 PM Suspending network activity - user is active
2/24/2010 4:06:25 PM Resuming computation
2/24/2010 4:06:25 PM Resuming network activity
2/24/2010 4:08:25 PM Suspending computation - user is active
2/24/2010 4:08:25 PM Suspending network activity - user is active
2/24/2010 4:11:27 PM Resuming computation
2/24/2010 4:11:27 PM Resuming network activity
2/24/2010 4:13:26 PM Suspending computation - user is active
2/24/2010 4:13:26 PM Suspending network activity - user is active
2/24/2010 4:16:28 PM Resuming computation
2/24/2010 4:16:28 PM Resuming network activity
2/24/2010 4:18:27 PM Suspending computation - user is active

This is happening when I'm nowhere near my computer.
Note, other Windows screensavers start up properly and run until I do something like move the mouse. I've tried several Boinc settings modifications but haven't seemed to figure out the solution.

Thanks for any help!
Chris

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You are running a GT 240 on that Machine. CUDA + screensaver= 0 you can't have both running at the same time. you are asking the GPU to process a WU while processing the screensaver as well. thats like dividing by 0. We know the world implodes if that happens. you'll need to turn off the screensaver or turn off the CUDA process. your choice

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In a rich man's house there is no place to spit but his face.
Diogenes Of Sinope

Thanks for the feedback, skildude. Makes sense.

Now, can you educate me on how to either disable the screensaver or the CUDA task? I can't seem to find anything in the Boinc computing preferences that address those items. Is there a .ini file that I'm not aware of that needs editing? Or is this under the Boinc Manager preferences - processor usage - Use GPU while computer is in use?

Thanks again.
Chris

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the screensaver is part of the Windows OS. I'm not familiar with 7 but in XP you go to Control panel/display/screensaver and then put the screensaver to blank.

If I recall windows reworked the display part of Control panel into something like "Appearance". It functions the same way as display.

I do get frustrated with windows insistance on changing the names of old folders on a whim.

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In a rich man's house there is no place to spit but his face.
Diogenes Of Sinope

Screen saver changes are done in Windows, desktop properties, Screensaver tab. Set the screen saver to anything other than BOINC.

Disabling GPU options are done in Project preferences, or by using a cc_config.xml file in your BOINC Data directory with the following entries:

<cc_config>
<options>
<no_gpus>1</no_gpus>
</options>
</cc_config>

Save that with Notepad in your BOINC Data directory (default C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\BOINC\ on Windows 2000 and XP, or C:\ProgramData\BOINC\ on Windows Vista and 7), making sure to save as an "All files" option, or by renaming it after saving so it only has an .XML extension.

Then restart BOINC for the changes to take effect. Do know that any work you still have associated with the GPU will not be crunched, you either have to abort those, or leave them be to go over their deadline.

Using the <no_gpus> option will tell BOINC to cease trying to detect the GPU in your system.

Option 3 is to install BOINC as a service (protected application execution). Under Windows Vista and Windows 7 this will not detect the GPU. If you do want to follow this route, you will have to uninstall and reinstall BOINC.

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