I followed your link. First part...been there several times....no good. Second part was new to me. Followed steps 1-4, but 5,6 were not there. Another dead end.

I predate the punched cards. Worked on punched tape for a couple of years 1962-1967 before leaving the field for steel fabrication. Then built my first computer with a Heath/Zenith in ~1980. Was on top of things for ~10 years then technology left me in the dust.

The problem is almost certainly in the outbound rules of your firewall. You have to allow BOINC.exe outbound access to the internet on ports 80 and 443.

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BOINC WIKI

Never thought to just put it in a search engine? I just asked Google to look up for me "add programs to dmz norton 360" and it spit out for me http://community.norton.com/t5/Norton-360/Add-a-new-program-rule-to-Norton-360-program-doesn-t-appear/td-p/65408
That may be an older thread (2009), but I doubt they change their method of adding programs to the firewall every new version, just to confuse their fan base.. So why not try the steps in the second post in that thread:

Open 360 Main Menu.
Go to the Settings tab.
Select Firewall protection.
Toward the top of the window select Program Rules.
Toward the bottom of the screen click on Add.

This will bring up a window that you can use to navigate to where the executable file is located on your system.

Default Programs directory for BOINC is:
Windows 32bit: C:\PROGRAM FILES\BOINC
Windows 64bit: C:\PROGRAM FILES (x86)\BOINC for 32bit BOINC, C:\PROGRAM FILES\BOINC for 64bit BOINC

The programs to add are:
boinc.exe and boincmgr.exe
If you are able to set specific ports, then it's:
TCP port 80 and 443 outbound for boinc.exe
TCP port 31416 for boinc.exe and boincmgr.exe

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I hate to think it, but I'm afraid Boinc (or Seti) is an impossibility on this system for unknown reasons. I'm right on the verge of un-installing Boinc permanently and forgetting the whole thing. It's so frustrating when things don't work and I don't have a clue.

I'm hoping to prod you just a little bit with this statement, but I'd imagine an old computer tech like you wouldn't accept that BOINC doesn't work on your machine "for some unknown reason". Surely anyone who has worked with computers knows it's all ones and zeroes, so it's just a matter of finding the right solution. ;-)

Also, if you believe in the SETI@home project, why delete BOINC permanently and not Norton 360? If even just to confirm it is the problem? I would hope your love for science and you interest in finding ETI would be greater than a firewall package. :-D

Been there more times than I can count on all my digits. Please see the screenshots 1 & 2 on my website. Going beyond this, I can change settings to; in only, out only or custom. Custom is where I changed to specify the ports. That didn't work so I went back to the settings in the screenshots.

http://www.metalsmithpro.com/Pics/screenshot1.jpg
http://www.metalsmithpro.com/Pics/screenshot2.jpg

Why don't I remove Norton instead of Boinc? I paid good money for Norton and taking it out leaves me without virus protection. To replace it would cost me more money and I don't have money to throw away. It is all I have ever used and it has served me well over the years.

Yes, there is most likely an answer to my problem. I've spent many hours over several days working on it and at the rate it's going, I may not live long enough to find the answer. Yes, I'm old, but computer tech....not so much. As I said before, the technology left me in the dust long ago. I've learned a lot tackling this problem, but not enough to solve the problem.

Jack

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Jack

Why don't I remove Norton instead of Boinc? I paid good money for Norton and taking it out leaves me without virus protection. To replace it would cost me more money and I don't have money to throw away. It is all I have ever used and it has served me well over the years.

Microsoft's own Security Essentials is free and is far superior to Norton's (Symantec) product.

Most home internet routers have Stateful Packet Inspection (SPI) firewalls built in, and utilize NAT Transversal (NAT-T) which is more than sufficient for a firewall, making third-party software firewalls wasted money.

If you want to try to at least verify that it is Norton that's causing the problem, there's a good alternative that won't block all internet communications.

Well, you convinced me. I removed Norton 360 and downloaded the Security Essentials software and all of the updates. With Windows firewall on, I tried again to connect with Seti. Still no go. Then I checked the allowed list to see if Boinc was listed. Boinc Mgr was listed, but not Boinc Client. I added Boinc Client and tried again. No good.

See screen shots 3,4,5.
http://www.metalsmithpro.com/Pics/screenshot3.jpg
http://www.metalsmithpro.com/Pics/screenshot4.jpg
http://www.metalsmithpro.com/Pics/screenshot5.jpg

It would seem that Norton was not the problem. I have not tried with the Windows firewall off.......yet. I guess it's worth a try.

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Jack

Tried with Windows firewall off. Still no go. Same error message.

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Jack

Tried with Windows firewall off. Still no go. Same error message.

Windows firewall does not turn off correctly - for your own protection, I suppose (grumble). Try allowing all outbound connections for a short time to see if that helps. That would confirm whether it is a Windows Firewall issue, or something else.

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BOINC WIKI

* On the HOME page here press Ctrl+U (to view-source:setiathome.berkeley.edu)
Ctrl+F for scheduler

You will find the line:
<scheduler>http://setiboinc.ssl.berkeley.edu/sah_cgi/cgi</scheduler>

Will this URL open in your browser?:
http://setiboinc.ssl.berkeley.edu/sah_cgi/cgi


You may try the same with other projects:
http://einstein.phys.uwm.edu/

<scheduler>http://einstein.phys.uwm.edu/EinsteinAtHome_cgi/cgi</scheduler>
http://einstein.phys.uwm.edu/EinsteinAtHome_cgi/cgi


* In BOINC Data directory do you see files with names:
master_setiathome.berkeley.edu.xml
create_account.xml
lookup_account.xml
sched_request_setiathome.berkeley.edu.xml
sched_reply_setiathome.berkeley.edu.xml

! Do NOT post the contents - some of them contain:
<authenticator>111111111111112222222222222333333333333AAAAA</authenticator>

REMOVE that line (or edit it) if you intent to post the contents


P.S.
If you want to check are you protected with Software (Windows) Firewall OFF (to see how good is your Router) you can use this site:

GRC | ShieldsUP! — Internet Vulnerability Profiling:
https://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2

Click [Proceed] button, then:
- use UPnP (orange button) to check for a bug in the Router (is UPnP exposed to the EXTERNAL public Internet)

- use 'All Service Ports' to check for 'holes' in the first 1056 TCP ports

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

Try allowing all outbound connections for a short time to see if that helps. That would confirm whether it is a Windows Firewall issue, or something else.

I don't understand.

Will this URL open in your browser?:
http://setiboinc.ssl.berkeley.edu/sah_cgi/cgi

See http://www.metalsmithpro.com/Pics/screenshot6.jpg

You may try the same with other projects:
http://einstein.phys.uwm.edu/

<scheduler>http://einstein.phys.uwm.edu/EinsteinAtHome_cgi/cgi</scheduler>
http://einstein.phys.uwm.edu/EinsteinAtHome_cgi/cgi

Similar to screenshot6 above.

* In BOINC Data directory do you see files with names:
master_setiathome.berkeley.edu.xml
create_account.xml
lookup_account.xml
sched_request_setiathome.berkeley.edu.xml
sched_reply_setiathome.berkeley.edu.xml

Link brings up a FAQ page. In my Boinc program files, I see no data directory.

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Jack

Link brings up a FAQ page. In my Boinc program files, I see no data directory.

Yes - and did you read where is BOINC Data directory on that FAQ page?
(because it's not in "Boinc program files" for any BOINC version >5 (BOINC 5.x have mixed program/data files, BOINC 6.x++ have separate program and data directory) - but all that is in the FAQ)

Or see at the top lines of your Event Log (Ctrl+Shift+E)


screenshot6.jpg looks good (I wanted to check if something is generally blocking such URL)

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

Event log http://www.metalsmithpro.com/Pics/screenshot7.jpg

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Jack

Well, you convinced me. I removed Norton 360 and downloaded the Security Essentials software and all of the updates. With Windows firewall on, I tried again to connect with Seti. Still no go. Then I checked the allowed list to see if Boinc was listed. Boinc Mgr was listed, but not Boinc Client. I added Boinc Client and tried again. No good.

It would seem that Norton was not the problem. I have not tried with the Windows firewall off.......yet. I guess it's worth a try.

Hmmm... exceptions shouldn't need to be added to the firewall. With SPI Firewalls like the built-in one for Windows, any communications that original from the machine (the BOINC client initiates comms to the server), it is allowed and so is return communications.

Even so, obviously something is still amiss. Let me think on this some.

Event log http://www.metalsmithpro.com/Pics/screenshot7.jpg

Aha! In that screen shot I can see you're using an internet proxy at pacinfo.com. Did you enter this into BOINC? Do you indeed require a proxy for internet communication?

It may actually be the proxy interfering with connecting to projects. Looks like the firewall was a red herring. I'd owe you some money if we agreed upon a dollar amount. :-D I suppose that means you should be able to re-install your Norton 360 if you prefer it. ;-) Thank you for at least confirming that it wasn't the problem.

No, I do not use a proxy. Pacinfo.com just hosts my website. My internet connection is through Verizon MiFi (cell based WiFi).

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Jack

Another screen shot of Data file http://www.metalsmithpro.com/Pics/screenshot8.jpg

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Jack

Event log http://www.metalsmithpro.com/Pics/screenshot7.jpg

Aha! In that screen shot I can see you're using an internet proxy at pacinfo.com. Did you enter this into BOINC? Do you indeed require a proxy for internet communication?

It may actually be the proxy interfering with connecting to projects. Looks like the firewall was a red herring. I'd owe you some money if we agreed upon a dollar amount. :-D I suppose that means you should be able to re-install your Norton 360 if you prefer it. ;-) Thank you for at least confirming that it wasn't the problem.

BOINC clearly sees PacInfo as your proxy. It is retrieving this from the windows proxy info. Please check your Internet settings.

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BOINC WIKI

Event log http://www.metalsmithpro.com/Pics/screenshot7.jpg

1) Make the Message column wide to the right so you can see the full lines/messages
2) Don't give screenshots of Event Log, better copy the text. How? Read again Event Log (Ctrl+Shift+E) ('Copy Selected')

To switch OFF the Proxy:
BOINC Manager Menu

Tools -> Options -> HTTP Proxy

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

I'm there! The proxy was the problem. Don't know how it got there or why it was working with my previous computer, but all is well. Been using Verizon for two years now. Pacinfo was a dial-up and all I use them for now is to host my website...no dial-up no connection.

Thank you so much for the help and for pointing me to the free virus software. My Norton expires in a month anyway and I won't renew. You saved me some money, too.

What a great bunch!

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Jack

Excellent! Another case solved! :-D