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Former Member
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Re: Results and Stats for Windows and BOINC

Hi Kevin,

I don't think I was too clear with my last post. I have included the account_worldcommunitygrid.org.xml with my package so the client PC has connected to WCG, downloaded work units, etc (ie everything works fine). I was just wondering about how to stop the duplications of the devices appearing in my stats (This is not exactly a major problem I know, but I'm a neat and tidy freak!!!)

The code in the authenticator tags has remained the same, which is the only thing that I thought might change.

The other xml files that are created when boinc.exe is first run and first connects, also have long code like numbers in them, do you think it could be one of them ?

David
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[Edit 1 times, last edit by Former Member at Nov 17, 2005 9:57:08 PM]
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knreed
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Re: Results and Stats for Windows and BOINC

David,

I guess I'm a bit confused about what you are trying to do or don't quite understand the problem you are trying to fix.

First I want to understand what you are trying to do. I'm guessing that you are trying to install BOINC on a number of computers that are periodically cleaned somehow so that BOINC has to be reinstalled on them. Is this correct?

Second, when you say duplications of the device show up - do you know when the duplicate devices show up? Is it when you reinstall them or does it occur on its own?

thanks,
Kevin
[Nov 18, 2005 4:08:01 AM]   Link   Report threatening or abusive post: please login first  Go to top 
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Re: Results and Stats for Windows and BOINC

I'm going to guess that we're talking about slightly different things here.

I'm refering to te duplicate devices that appear in the 'My Grid > Device Manager' section of the WCG website.

I think you're refering to duplicate devices on the clients processing the work units.

Just to recap. I have created a new BOINC msi installation which just installs the BOINC service on my client PCs. This new package includes the account_worldcommunitygrid.org.xml file, plus the basic BOINC files required for the service. I had to tweak the msi a couple of time so that the gui_rpc_auth.cfg and remote_hosts.cfg files were also included so that I can monitor the client PCs from my server.

This resulted in me installing and uninstalling BOINC 3 times on my test PC. (uninstalling completed deletes the BOINC directory, as it should)

The net result is that I have 3 identically named BOINC devices listed in the Device Manager on the WCG website.

What I'm trying to do is to include some additional files in my custom msi installation that will tell BOINC that is doesn't need to re-register the PC and to just go and get the work units. I'm guessing that I will have to install BOINC on each of the PCs in my network once, grab a file or two from each PC and include them in the msi. (Obviously the msi would be tailered so that the right file(s) get installed on the right PC)

My guess is that the other XML files created on the first run of BOINC are the key, however I'm trying to workout which ones to use.

As I said, this is not a major issue, but just something that I would like to sort out.

Hope this is a bit clearer

David

P.S. If you're wondering why I'm bothering with the repackaging of the original BOINC msi, I have found over the years that it is much easier to patch programs when a new version is released. (ie drop the new files into my custom msi and create a msp which can then be directly applied to all of my PCs in one go - takes about 10 minites and doesn't have to be done outside of work hours - Allows more time in the pub biggrin )
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[Edit 1 times, last edit by Former Member at Nov 18, 2005 9:06:39 AM]
[Nov 18, 2005 9:04:42 AM]   Link   Report threatening or abusive post: please login first  Go to top 
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Re: Results and Stats for Windows and BOINC

A lazy man can accomplish 10 times as much as a hard worker by laying back and thinking a bit before bustling around. tongue I'll just point out that all those duplicate device names on the website can be altered. Just add numbers or something.
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Re: Results and Stats for Windows and BOINC

I do assure you I'm in the former camp - hence my forum name. smile

In fact, that's what I've been doing with my UD devices, however it appears that you can't change the name of BOINC ones. (And hence the question to you guys!)
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knreed
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Re: Results and Stats for Windows and BOINC

What if we approach this from a different angle?

Why are you uninstalling BOINC? If you are updating BOINC you can install it on top of an existing installation. That preserves your existing device record, your account and even the results that you might be half way through working on.

There are ways of doing what you ask but they will cause all the work that you had checked out but not yet returned to be marked as a client error.

Kevin
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smile Re: Results and Stats for Windows and BOINC

We are in an awkward hybrid mode at the moment. The BOINC platform does not award points immediately the way the UD platform on Windows does. Instead it holds the results for validation. Once at least 4 identical results are returned for that work unit, they are validated. Each result was returned with a provisional point score. The lowest and highest scores are dropped and the remaining scores are averaged. Then the average number of BOINC points is awarded to everybody who returned a valid result. Then the BOINC points are multiplied by a conversion factor to convert them into WCG points (trying to reconcile BOINC scores with our original UD scores) and show up on your statistics.

Will a BOINC expert explain how to check on returned results awaiting validation?
Not strictly true about 4 results required. Each Boinc project choses their own requirement.
Seti sends out 4 and requires 3 back to agree for validation.
Predictor sends out 4 also.
Rosetta only sends out 1 and validates immediately.
Climate sends out one.

So WCG could if it wished just send out the one as with the normal UD client, you can chose what you want and not be constrained by anyone else.
[Nov 19, 2005 7:21:22 AM]   Link   Report threatening or abusive post: please login first  Go to top 
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Re: Results and Stats for Windows and BOINC

Morning Kevin

With retrospect, I've made a couple of errors with my deployment and should have followed these steps.

1. Install once to check that the registration worked, units were downloaded and processing began.
2. I should have duplicated the BOINC folder on the test PC before testing the uninstallation.
3. My further installation corrections should have been completed whilst the test client PC was not connected to the internet.
4. After I had finalized the installation and deployed it to all PCs, I should have copied the duplicated BONIC folder back over the final installation on the test PC only.
5. Reconnect the Test PC to the internet

I would think that this would have left me with just one registration for the test PC on the WCG website.

(The uninstallations were only required during the testing.)


It seems that since I've started using WCG, there have been so many occations where reinstallation (and reregistration) has been required.

Original Installation
hard disk failures
failing memory (which was tricky to spot)
New PCs
Dodgy batch of hard drives in the new PCs
USERS sad

Hence why I have so many devices. (All obviously nothing to do with WCG, I know!)
I also was using one PC as a test machine for repackaging software which did nothing for 75% of the time but had Windows reinstalled at least once a month. (Using a Virtual PC now, so it's crunching for 100% of the time!).

So hopefully, you can see why I was making this enquiry in the first place. (Whether these sorts of problems require a reregistration, even though the PCs name is the same, I don't know, but I did move a hard drive from one PC to another one with different hardware, without WCG having any problem.)

You can guarantee that as soon as I have work out solution, every bit of hardware will work perfectly for the next decade!! crying

There are ways of doing what you ask but they will cause all the work that you had checked out but not yet returned to be marked as a client error.


So I'm guessing what I'm looking to do is possible and won't cause WCG any problem ????

Enjoy your weekend

David
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[Edit 1 times, last edit by Former Member at Nov 19, 2005 9:05:44 AM]
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Brian Stansbury
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Re: Results and Stats for Windows and BOINC

If you do a complete uninstall of BOINC, including deleting project folder, when you do new install on same machine you will get a new ID for that processor. Same holds true if you change OS (different Linux or Win 2000, XP home or XP pro) or if you detatch from the project from BOINC manager. On BOINC only projects, you can merge these clients IF everything is identical, as you now have. If you change OS, you will eventually be able to delete the old client without losing any credit from the old client

Doing what you have done on the testing, you should also need the client_state.xml file.
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Re: Results and Stats for Windows and BOINC

Morning Brian

I was guessing it was one of those xml files.

I'll just have to remember to exclude client_state.xml if I get some replacement PCs.

Many Thanks for the info

David
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