Delete on boot might be the way to go.

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Grant
Darwin NT

Greetings:

For the past several weeks, I've been unable to download any new work from SETI, nor could I complete any work for any other BOINC project.

The file or directory, "C:Program Files\\BOINC\\slots\\0" is not accessible because it is corrupted and unreadable.

The folder cannot be opened or removed.
...

Before trying to follow Grant's suggestion (Delete on boot), you should check your volume for errors! To do so, select start menu / run and type cmd. In the such opened comand window, type chkdsk c: /f (press return) and answer the question for check at reboot with y. After rebooting, make sure that boinc is not running when you try to delete the folder.

At least with windows XP that works. There's also a way to check the volume by using its properties in windows explorer, but since I have a German XP version, I can't give you step-by-step instructions for your vista.

Gruß,
Gundolf

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Computer sind nicht alles im Leben. (Kleiner Scherz)

SETI@home classic workunits 3,758
SETI@home classic CPU time 66,520 hours

At least with windows XP that works. There's also a way to check the volume by using its properties in windows explorer, but since I have a German XP version, I can't give you step-by-step instructions for your vista.

*************

Gundolf:

I did what you described, but the computer refused to cooperate.

It said I didn't have sufficient privileges.

That's what infuriates me about Windows Vista, for it's constantly denying access to all sorts of things.

This is MY computer!

What do they mean by telling ME that I don't have permission to do something on my own computer?

I wish I'd never upgraded from Windows XP to Windows Vista.

So, I reckon maybe I'll try the delete on reboot approach, and see if that works.

Thank you.

---

John Robert Mallernee
Ashley Valley Shadows
Vernal, Utah 84078

Delete on boot might be the way to go.

************

Grant:

I successfully installed the "DELETE ON REBOOT" as an option in my right hand menus.

However, it failed to remove the folder, "C:Program Files/BOINC/slots/0", nor would it remove the entire BOINC folder.

Thus, I'm still unable to do any work for SETI, because there's no way for me to repair or install a properly functioning BOINC program.

I did uninstall BOINC, but it's still on my hard disk, with no way to get rid of it.

Thank you.

John Robert Mallernee
Official Bard of Clan Henderson
Armed Forces Retirement Home
Washington, D.C. 20011-8400

It said I didn't have sufficient privileges.

That's what infuriates me about Windows Vista, for it's constantly denying access to all sorts of things.

This is MY computer!

What do they mean by telling ME that I don't have permission to do something on my own computer?

I wish I'd never upgraded from Windows XP to Windows Vista.

If a hacker is able to hack your system (and any hacker can, its only a matter of time), they will receive your level of permissions. If they're able to hack your Admin account, they'll have complete access.

Windows Vista prevents a hacker from wreaking havok on your system by making even the Administrator account run at less-than-complete privileges. Any action requiring full access will be met with a User Account Control dialog box letting you know that something wants complete control of your system. If the action is your own, you can allow the action. If not, you can deny.

Many trojans and viruses like to use the command line to modify important system files such as the registry to ensure they are executed at system startup. It is for this reason why Microsoft disallows any Administrative access from the command prompt by default.


To run many Administrative level tools from the command prompt in Vista, you should right click on the "Command prompt" shortcut and select Run As Administrator first. This will give your command session full access to do as you wish, such as a CHKDSK /F.


Hope that helps!

-OzzFan

---

Now that you managed to uninstall BOINC, you should be able to reinstall it to C:\\BOINC\\

If you haven't managed to fully uninstall the old BOINC yet, so the new BOINC installer halts you on a message that an older version is still found, then use the Windows Installer Cleanup Utility.

The corrupt BOINC version shows up as either BOINC.msi or as a corrupt icon .msi (it'll be the top most option). Click on it to select it, then click Remove and Exit. You may need to reboot your computer now.

Then install the new version of BOINC. It should now work.

(Warning: Leave all other .msi files as they are, as else you have problems uninstalling other programs! )

Vista doesn't like it when programs that write to disk are installed in the Program Files directory where the BOINC installer points to by default. This is fixed in the next version of BOINC, which separates the executables from the writable files in two different directories, but until that time, install 5.10.45 in c:\\boinc instead of c:\\program files\\boinc

To do so, make sure you click "Change path" on the third or fourth screen of the installer. This allows you to change the path in which BOINC is installed.

---

Vista doesn't like it when programs that write to disk are installed in the Program Files directory where the BOINC installer points to by default. This is fixed in the next version of BOINC, which separates the executables from the writable files in two different directories, but until that time, install 5.10.45 in c:\\boinc instead of c:\\program files\\boinc

To do so, make sure you click "Change path" on the third or fourth screen of the installer. This allows you to change the path in which BOINC is installed.

*******************

Jord:

Your advice WORKED!!!

SETI is running once again!

Thank you so VERY much!!!

The Windows Installer Cleanup Utility never did work.

After installation, it showed up as just a blank white sheet of paper, which wouldn't respond to my mouse.

The original BOINC program is still on my hard drive.

When I installed the new BOINC, I goofed and put it directly on the "C" drive, without creating a folder.

BOINC refused to connect to the Internet, and Windows kept closing the BOINC program.

So, I unistalled BOINC, then reinstalled it, and created a "BOINC" folder on my "C" drive.

Apparently, that solved the problem, for at this time, BOINC and SETI appear to be running normally.

Thank you.

John Robert Mallernee
Official Bard of Clan Henderson
Armed Forces Retirement Home
Washington, D.C. 20011-8400

OK, now then to remove the other BOINC directory. Have you tried to do it from Windows Safe Mode?

To get there, reboot the computer.
After you had the BIOS startup messages (and before you get any mention of Windows starting up) start pressing F8 on your keyboard. You'll get into a menu, where you can choose to start up Windows in Safe Mode. Probably wise to use the one without the network connection.

Then try to delete the BOINC directory in c:\\program files\\

To get back in regular Windows, reboot the system again and don't press any keys.

---

OK, now then to remove the other BOINC directory. Have you tried to do it from Windows Safe Mode?

*****************

Jord:

As you suggested, I tried doing that, but it was unsuccessful.

I removed most of the contents of the old BOINC folder, but the "C:Program Files/BOINC/slots/0" remained.

As a result of using Safe Mode, I encountered other problems.

The Windows Live Family Safety wouldn't let me on the Internet, so I uninstalled it completely, and after rebooting, I'm once more on the Internet.

Windows Defender kept aggravating me with requests for permission to run BOINC or the BOINC screensaver, so I finally figured out how to turn it off.

Somehow, those things messed up my BOINC program, so SETI wouldn't run right.

So, I did a repair, and now, it's back to normal.

I reckon I've done about all that can be done with this thing.

Thank you.

John Robert Mallernee
Official Bard of Clan Henderson
Armed Forces Retirement Home
Washington, D.C. 20011-8400

...I removed most of the contents of the old BOINC folder, but the "C:Program Files/BOINC/slots/0" remained...

I strongly recommend that you check/fix your C: volume, either with chkdsk C: /f in an adminstrator command window, as proposed by OzzFan (the command prompt can be found at start menu / programs / accessories) or by using the properties of C: in the windows explorer:

1. Open up My Computer or open Windows Explorer and then expand Computer tree.
2. Right click on the hard drive to check (i.e (C:) drive letter).
3. Select Properties on the contextual menu.
4. Click on Tools tab (should be the second one, in German it's "Extras").
5. Click Check this Volume.
6. Tick (select) the check box for correcting found errors.
7. Click Start.

Again, this is as it works in XP (and I had to translate back from German).

Gruß,
Gundolf

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Computer sind nicht alles im Leben. (Kleiner Scherz)

SETI@home classic workunits 3,758
SETI@home classic CPU time 66,520 hours

You caqn open a command prompt in administrator mode by:

1) start
2) All Programs
3) Accessories
4) RIGHT click on Command Prompt
5) Select run as administrator.

This is the only way to get a command prompt in administrator mode that I am aware of. (of course if the command prompt is available through a different short cut you can start it as administrator from there with a right click as well).

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BOINC WIKI