G'Day All,
I have been running Seti@home since 2000.. and have not had any problems until recently.
I purchased a new PC.. with a new legit copy of Win7.. and now every time I run Boinc.. my network crashes and I get the little yellow ! over the Network symbol.
When I troubleshoot this.. it comes up with the same error.. that the Network gateway is broken.
It fixes this.. and it all works again.. until the next time Boinc runs.

I have even done a full format and fresh install of Win 7.. and it still does it.
I have added all of the Boinc exe files into the firewall.. but still no joy.

Any suggestions???

I'd like to keep running Boinc.. but the wife is getting unhappy about the network crashing because it means she cannot do her Facebook.. and that is the END OF THE WORLD!!!!!

Help please!!!!


Nich

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How do we know that the two are related? BOINC uses your network connection the same as your web browser, so why would BOINC be the culprit?

Windows records a lot of what it does, so it'll probably state what crashes your network as well. Check in Start->in the search box type eventvwr.msc, wait and then click the Event Viewer link.

Wait for Event View to load, this may take a while, then wait for the "Summary of Administrative Events" to fully load, and when it's done that, click the + at Error. Anything in here that's of notice? You can (double-)click the error(s) in question and they'll then open in a new view.

You can also open the Windows Logs->System in the left pane and check for anything red and yellow pertaining to your network. If need be, post an error message here.

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Thanks Ageless.. I shall have a look when I get home from work!!!

As for Volunteer tester.. the Network ONLY crashes like that when BOINC is running.
I uninstall BOINC and there is not a single problem.

When I did the last format and reinstall of windows.. the first and only program I had running was BOINC... and it did the same thing.

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So then we need more information about what you mean by your "network crashes". Do you get an error message telling you it crashed? Does the network suddenly disconnect and re-connect with the yellow exclamation point? Do you get a blue screen error? Please describe what a crash means to you because we may not have the same definition.

Network disconnects.. will not reconnect until I do the right click troubleshoot on the network icon.

The yellow triangle with exclamation point appears over the network icon next to the clock and remains there until either reboot or the troubleshoot clicking mentioned above.

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Can be a heat problem, when the CPU is close to the North- or Southbridge chip (depends on the motherboard chipset), that heat disables parts of that chip.
Programs running under BOINC will add more stress to the system. More stress usually translates into more heat.

You can check with Prime95 or Folding@Home if it's exclusively a BOINC+your system problem, or that another hardware stressing program gives the same results. When it does, it's your system.

Apropos, I see you have an AMD HD7850 or 7870 as well. That one, when running, will add a lot more stress and heat as well. The previous two programs are predominantly CPU programs, so you may want to stress test your GPU as well. And I know of no better app than Furmark.

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Do you have iTunes and/or Bonjour installed?

OK... I do not have iTunes or Bonjour installed.

I have run Furmark about 5 times now.. doing the 15 minute Burn-in benchmark 1920x1080 each time, with no issues.

I have also been running Folding@Home for the last 8 hours whilst I have been at work.. and there have been no issues after that either.

Well, not heat then.

Have you checked already in Windows Event Viewer?
What kind of network is it? Wireless? Cable? Through a router?

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The network is straight out of the back of the modem into the PC via Ethernet cable.

It shouldn't the modem causing problems as I purchased a new modem when we got our new house 3 months ago and it was doing it before that.

I shall install BOINC back onto the PC and let it do its thing so I can use the Windows Event Viewer.

Thanks for the help so far.

Worst case scenario is I will pull the plug on BOINC and just keep using Folding@Home but it just seems a shame after using SETI@Home for 14 years now.

Cheers

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Do you just use Windows firewall, or some other (commercial) package?
When you got the new modem, did you also replace the Ethernet cable?

If you still know one of the times and dates that this happened, you can now check in Windows Event Viewer. It keeps records for quite some time.

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I use Windows firewall.. and yep.. replaced the Ethernet cable.

If there is a setting to disable GPU usage in BOINC I might try that first and just use the CPU.. see what that does.

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I use Windows firewall.. and yep.. replaced the Ethernet cable.

If there is a setting to disable GPU usage in BOINC I might try that first and just use the CPU.. see what that does.

Under the activity menu, select Suspend GPU.

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Well that was staring at me!!!! Ooops!!

Thanks arkayn.. I have turned it off.. let's see how that goes!!

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Well.. still no go!!!
But I think I have narrowed it down to the Network Card.

I then adjusted the Computer preferences so that BOINC just contacted the Network whenever it wanted.. and as soon as I saved that setting.. up comes the symbol on the Network Icon and no more network.
When I ran Event Viewer.. the only error that I had during the BOINC run time was:

The description for Event ID 194 from source AtcL001 cannot be found. Either the component that raises this event is not installed on your local computer or the installation is corrupted. You can install or repair the component on the local computer.

If the event originated on another computer, the display information had to be saved with the event.

The following information was included with the event:

\Device\NDMP3
Atheros L1 Gigabit Ethernet 10/100/1000Base-T Controller

The specified resource type cannot be found in the image file

When I run the network trouble shooter.. it resets the Gateway and also the Local Area Connection and all is good with the world!!!

The only thing I can think of would be that there has been a windows update to the network card that doesn't play the game.. so if I can find that and remove same.. then we should be happy.

I have tried this 4-5 times now and I keep getting the same error.

Still seems strange that Folding@Home has no issues!!!

Oh well.

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See this thread at Microsoft Answers, for what other people with this problem and that network card did to resolve this.

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Atheros L1 Gigabit Ethernet 10/100/1000Base-T Controller

Is this your driver (direct link):
http://www.qca.qualcomm.com/drivers/WIN_L1WinSetup_v2.4.7.29_WHQL.rar

... found on this page:
http://www.qca.qualcomm.com/resources/driverdownloads/

... under "L1 Family Drivers" -> "WIN_L1WinSetup_v2.4.7.29_WHQL"


In WIN_L1WinSetup_v2.4.7.29_WHQL.rar\VistaWin7_64\l160x64.inf there is this description:
Atheros.AtcL001 = "Atheros L1 Gigabit Ethernet 10/100/1000Base-T Controller"

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- ALF - "Find out what you don't do well ..... then don't do it!" :)
 

Check the thread I linked to, BilBg, as the WHQL 2.4.7.29 driver is the cause of all the hangups. It's also the default driver in Windows 7 these days. It's from 2009. Always nice to see these hardware manufacturers go belly up, or just stop supporting their own hardware.

Apropos, I checked at the supports site of Qualcomm Artheros, Inc. and even there the driver for the L1 is the 2.4.7.29 driver.

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Sounds like it's time to buy a new NIC. One with better driver support.

Interesting how BOINC was the one to show the weakness in the driver, but just as I thought, BOINC wasn't actually the cause of it.