The Scottish Boinc Team

Posted: **Mon Dec 29, 2014 7:54 pm**

Installed this on 9 different computers and using it to view them all from 1 system. So far quite impressed with it.
http://efmer.com/b/boinctasks

Posted: **Fri Jan 16, 2015 12:38 am**

I'll give this a thumbs up too.

With the Android TV boxes and raspberry pi's, I now have 13 systems running at home and this allows me to manage them all in one view. No more switching from client to client using BOINCManager.

Posted: **Fri Jan 16, 2015 2:02 am**

Just a pity it doesn't do Android. It will work on linux but needs wine so I never bothered. All win systems run from 1 PC is a great work saving tool.

Posted: **Fri Jan 16, 2015 2:06 am**

What do you mean by it doesn't do Android? It attaches to all my Android systems.

Posted: **Fri Jan 16, 2015 2:11 am**

does it ? where did you get the android app or did you just copy the toolbox onto the android device ?
if I can get this on my 12 androids then it would be awesome.

Posted: **Fri Jan 16, 2015 2:15 am**

You don't have to install it on all your systems. Just the one you want the user interface on. It connects to the BOINCClient just like the BOINCManager does.

I scanned for computers and it found them if that system was configured as a valid remote host in Native Boinc. Then I just had to change the password for each computer (to what was setup in NativeBOINC on that system)

Posted: **Fri Jan 16, 2015 2:28 am**

I thought you had to have toolbox running on all the systems except the one you are connecting from which you need to run eFmer Boinc Tasks on. Guess I need to rescan my network

If this works then my inner geek is very happy indeed.

Posted: **Fri Jan 30, 2015 2:01 am**

How did you get it to connect to nativeBoinc. I've had no success connecting to any of my androids. Share the knowledge, inquiring minds want to know ....

Posted: **Fri Jan 30, 2015 2:10 am**

Can you connect to the Androids using BoincManager on the same system running eFMer?

Posted: **Fri Jan 30, 2015 2:30 am**

Never tried. Is that start a new Boinc Manger and use the ip address of the Android device ? I never set a password for any of my Androids. Where did you find the password. Does Android have a gui_rpc_auth.cfg file ?
As far as I can tell I can't see any of them using eFMer and doing a find computers. ( well maybe a couple as I guess it has also found a couple of linux systems. I need to go through all my systems and write down their IP's as I have 25 systems at the moment ( with another 2 on the way

)and less than half are win systems which I can find easily )

Did you have to do anything special or did you have allow remote host enabled in nativeBoinc and that was it ?

Posted: **Fri Jan 30, 2015 2:38 am**

You don't have to run a separate Boinc Manager. Just go to the Advanced menu, choose Select computer... like you would to connect to any other Boinc Client, but you do have to setup a password and host list that are allowed to connect to the Android. I don't know whether Native Boinc uses the same config files for password and remote hosts as the regular Boinc version. I set it up right after the initial install. If you haven't configured Native Boinc with a password you know or set a list of host names/ip addresses you want to allow to connect to it, that's the issue.

Under the Native BOINC Client settings, there's:
- A option to Allow remote access
- Access password
- Access host list

Update those, it will restart the client and you should be able to connect to it, using Boinc Manager or BOINCTasks, just as you can to any other BOINC Client.

Posted: **Fri Jan 30, 2015 3:32 am**

Got it thanks. Problem was no access password set, doesn't accept a blank password. Another job for the morning, got to go round get the IP's and set a password. Some systems it doesn't find automatically but does if you add by IP. eFMer far better at finding systems on wired network by MAC than IP's on WIFI.

Posted: **Fri Jan 30, 2015 2:41 pm**

On a role now. Fill in the details in remote_hosts.cfg and Linux will connect as well. Going to take time but hopefully by end of play tonight should have all hosts connected and controlled remotely. Makes the job so much easier can't believe I didn't do this sooner.
Only fly in the ointment so far is my Baytrail system which I installed the official boinc on. Can't find a way to allow remote access. Doesn't seem to be an option. Think I will have to wipe Berkley boinc and install nativeBoinc.

Posted: **Sat Jan 31, 2015 2:03 pm**

Everything connected now except the x86 baytrail tablet. Berkley Boinc doesn't support remote access on Android and nativeBoinc sees the tablet as an ARM device and so downloads all the wrong apps which then crash. Pity that development of nativeBoinc seems to have died and the stats site etc. is not being updated.
I wonder if freeDC or bamStats would consider taking over the android stats. I wouldn't even know where to start.

Posted: **Sun Feb 24, 2019 11:57 am**

On remote PCs there are a couple of important files to check and edit (where necessary). Also, these files may or may not exist on your Remote PCs and may have to be created:

gui_rpc_auth.cfg - This file contains an authentication password that BOINC can use. This password is used with BoincTasks when you add a Computer to be monitored/controlled. In some cases, there is already a long password in this file that BOINC created. You can either use that password or remove it and create on of your own choosing. On windows this will have an entry. In Linux it is empty. Fill in a simple password and use the same on all your Linux systems for ease.

remote_hosts.cfg This file is where you put the IP address of your Host PC that is running the BoincTasks software. It is a single line entry (such as 192.168.x.x). You'll need to find that exact IP address for your Host PC. You can also specify a host name. Instructions are in the file already.

In Windows 7, these files (if they exist) are located in: C:\ProgramData\BOINC\ ( or wherever you installed if you did a non standard install ie D:/
You can use Notepad to edit these files, just make sure that when they are saved, the .cfg extension is retained and not changed to .txt.

In Ubuntu, these files are located in: /var/lib/boinc-client/
You can use these commands to edit each file:
Sudo gedit /var/lib/boinc-client/gui_rpc_auth.cfg ( Will be empty, fill in a password )
Sudo gedit /var/lib/boinc-client/remote_hosts.cfg ( IP of the system you use to connect to remote hosts )

Posted: **Sun Feb 24, 2019 12:01 pm**

It's easiest to run the main system under Win. Linux can be used but program needs to run under WINE.

Easiest way to add windows systems as remote systems is to run BoincToolbox on each one. Instructions here https://efmer.com/boinctasks-add-computers/

on Linux you need to edit the 2 files and then connect via the IP of the remote system.

Posted: **Thu Feb 28, 2019 1:57 pm**

This is a REALLY great program.

It could be even better with a couple of changes

I wish it would sort the machine names alphabetically on Add Project dialogue. The scroll boxes on top aren't easy to navigate
Nice if it retained the URL for the last project added too

Most of all, what would be REALLY nice, is if you could apply computer preferences such as Minimum and Additional Work buffers

Posted: **Thu Feb 28, 2019 2:23 pm**

davidBAM wrote: ↑Thu Feb 28, 2019 1:57 pm Most of all, what would be REALLY nice, is if you could apply computer preferences such as Minimum and Additional Work buffers

You can. Highlight the computer you want on the left hand list and then select computer preferences ( Extra --> BOINC preferences ) if I remember.

Posted: **Thu Feb 28, 2019 2:24 pm**

Yes, I do that but does it work across them all if I select 10 computers?

Posted: **Thu Feb 28, 2019 2:30 pm**

I'm not sure, can't say I've ever done it accept 1 by 1. Still easier than wandering round the house and shed changing them at source.
Guess give it a try and see. Hopefully I'll be changing my servers tomorrow this way, if I get home, to download a few days work and then turn off the network. Fingers crossed.

Posted: **Sun Mar 03, 2019 12:25 am**

Hmmmm - problems

Boinctasks started 'not seeing' some boinc instances, even though it could see others on the same physical machine. I decided to close it down, and reboot. Now it won't run at all !! Double-click the icon simply gives me a spinning thing for maybe 10 secs and then nothing. Not sure what do do next - should I maybe remove and re-install?

Posted: **Sun Mar 03, 2019 12:41 am**

The systems are over allocated on CPU resources are they? How many instances do you have? How many WUs on each instance? Number of instances, number of WUs and how busy a system is can affect response time.

Posted: **Sun Mar 03, 2019 12:48 am**

I think all systems bar one were properly allocated on CPU resources. I was in the process of bunkering for a new instance when I got distracted so I think the 1 hour 'pause' on another instance must have timed out.

I have now sorted that with RPC from Linux boincmgr.

Meanwhile I decided to shutdown the Windows laptop running boinctasks and - guess what - it is downloading File 2 of 114 on an update cycle. I'll try again in the morning.

To answer your question, I guess I would have over 50 instances spread over maybe 15 machines. Variable number of cores so a very variable number of WU on each. It isn't a monster laptop BTW, 4Gb RAM, Dell Vostro 1720

Posted: **Sun Mar 03, 2019 1:36 am**

Set the Group on the Computers tab and collapse any group you aren't currently working on or looking at. I set the computer name as the group so I can make sure each instance on that system is working 100%.

Posted: **Sun Mar 03, 2019 1:49 am**

davidBAM wrote: ↑Sun Mar 03, 2019 12:25 am Hmmmm - problems

Boinctasks started 'not seeing' some boinc instances, even though it could see others on the same physical machine. I decided to close it down, and reboot. Now it won't run at all !! Double-click the icon simply gives me a spinning thing for maybe 10 secs and then nothing. Not sure what do do next - should I maybe remove and re-install?

I've seen this before. After you start it and it disappears check in the hidden Icons list. On Win7 that is a little up arrow on the right side of the taskbar. It may be in there.

Posted: **Sun Mar 03, 2019 10:46 am**

Happy to report that all is well this morning - after shutdown, auto-update of 116 files, umpteen reboots.

It is a busy program so is bound to have memory leaks. Must remember to restart occasionally .

Off to see if it has an export utility for all connections

Posted: **Sun Mar 03, 2019 11:59 am**

scole of TSBT wrote: ↑Sun Mar 03, 2019 12:41 am The systems are over allocated on CPU resources are they? How many instances do you have? How many WUs on each instance? Number of instances, number of WUs and how busy a system is can affect response time.

Project website tells me I have 5879 WU in progress. Some will be waiting to run, of course, but I have to be well through them

Posted: **Sun Mar 03, 2019 12:41 pm**

No export utility that I can see. Will have a look to see if I can save the appropriate file.

Setting up on a new syste, would be a bit of a hassle now. Unless 'Find Computer' silently scans all ports? Hmmm - must try that

Posted: **Sun Mar 03, 2019 4:03 pm**

davidBAM wrote: ↑Thu Feb 28, 2019 2:24 pm Yes, I do that but does it work across them all if I select 10 computers?

No. You can select multiple computers but if you then change the buffer settings in network preferences, it only applies them to one machine. Pity

Posted: **Sun Mar 17, 2019 7:36 pm**

I have got two projects (Einstein and Enigma) on a system from which boinctasks is unable to 'Detach'. If I go onto that system and run boincmgr locally, that too is unable to 'Remove' these projects - the button is greyed-out so it knows it isn't going to be able to remove them.

I've 'Reset' the projects on boincmgr and 'Remove' is still greyed-out

I've checked file permissions and they seem to be the same as other projects.

Baffled

Posted: **Sun Mar 17, 2019 7:59 pm**

Try a manual method. Stop the boinc client, delete the account and master xml files for that project, go to project dir and delete the dir for those projects, restart the boinc client.

Posted: **Sun Mar 17, 2019 8:08 pm**

Will try that thanks

Posted: **Sun Mar 17, 2019 11:18 pm**

scole of TSBT wrote: ↑Sun Mar 17, 2019 7:59 pm Try a manual method. Stop the boinc client, delete the account and master xml files for that project, go to project dir and delete the dir for those projects, restart the boinc client.

That did the trick thanks.

I had actually considered doing something like that but was concerned that there might be other mentions to the projects inside other XML file(s)

Posted: **Mon Mar 18, 2019 3:11 am**

You joined those projects through Bam I'll bet.
The Bam manager overrides the local manager of boinc tasks.

Posted: **Sat Apr 06, 2019 4:25 pm**

Anyone happen to know if times reported by BoincTasks for WU deadlines are local time or UTC please?

Posted: **Sat Apr 06, 2019 4:57 pm**

Local time.

Posted: **Sat Apr 06, 2019 5:06 pm**

Bugga !! I got a shedload of Enigma WU which will deadline just before the sprint opens (not that it will necessarily be Enigma of course)

Posted: **Sun Apr 07, 2019 5:11 pm**

Once again, I find boinctasks virtually grinds to a halt when I start bunkering up. 19 machines, most with several client instances and the resulting WU count means it just dies on its feet. I was just spending way too much time using it for health-checking & the 'waiting', 'closing' 'updating' delays were driving me nuts

I've started developing my own variant; runs on Linux but can happily cope with clients of all kinds. Mainly just for monitoring at this time - it reports per-machine regardless of number of clients running and flags up warnings in red if too little or too much is running. The data source is simply /etc/hosts (with some comments added to describe machine capabilities, physical location etc)

R is running, U uploading, S suspended

Hope to extend it as time and inclination permits. Output is pretty spartan as I am simply running in an xterm command prompt as the lowest common denominator & I can run it from any machine I want. I should probably tabulate output for GTK or find away to get around the permissions difficulties running it from a browser

Posted: **Sun Apr 07, 2019 7:30 pm**

scole of TSBT wrote: ↑Sun Mar 03, 2019 1:36 am Set the Group on the Computers tab and collapse any group you aren't currently working on or looking at. I set the computer name as the group so I can make sure each instance on that system is working 100%.

Have you tried this?

Posted: **Sun Apr 07, 2019 7:39 pm**

scole of TSBT wrote: ↑Sun Apr 07, 2019 7:30 pm Have you tried this?

Yes, I think so. All I can make it do is hide or display individual systems though. I was hoping it would support multiple named groups

Posted: **Sun Apr 07, 2019 7:49 pm**

Oh !!! The group is an entry field too. I never twigged to that. That will be handy, thanks.

I'll press ahead anyhow as I am hoping to extend it to cover things which boinctasks can't do (at least what I think it can't do)

Posted: **Sun Apr 07, 2019 9:08 pm**

Limit the number computers in a group to no more than 20. If you collapse the group, I think it helps response time.

Posted: **Thu Apr 11, 2019 11:11 am**

Made groups and still seem to be getting heaps of problems when I bunker up.

Maybe my laptop isn't up to the job? Dell Vostro 1720, Core2 processor P8600, 4Gb RAM, Windows 7 64bit

Posted: **Thu Apr 11, 2019 12:15 pm**

Glad I'm not the only one

Is it possible to have multiple copies of Boinctasks running on the same machine please? If so, I'd simply split my client machines into groups across 2 or more instances of boinctasks

Posted: **Tue Apr 16, 2019 11:22 pm**

scole of TSBT wrote: ↑Sun Mar 17, 2019 7:59 pm Try a manual method. Stop the boinc client, delete the account and master xml files for that project, go to project dir and delete the dir for those projects, restart the boinc client.

Sussed it. This did the trick.

Code: Select all

boinccmd --acct_mgr detach

Posted: **Tue Apr 16, 2019 11:26 pm**

BTW, I had 240 boinc clients setup on BoincTasks for the XANSONS work release. No matter how I sliced it, it had my CPU utilization at 100%. Had to shut it down, open it only to check on things, then shut it down again.

Posted: **Thu Apr 18, 2019 4:15 am**

Maybe you guys just have too many systems ......... not that that is a bad thing. Copes with my meager croft fine with a few cores dedicated on an old xeon server. Guess it wasn't designed to run entire server rooms

( I'm just jealous )

Posted: **Thu Apr 18, 2019 5:09 am**

Can't have too many systems (need some shares in electricity companies).

Too many clients and too many WU soon causes problems for me though as I get the impression that boinctasks is keeping microscopic detail on every WU. Admirable motives but overkill in a lot of situations. Seems it creates its own DDOS attack on itself

The Scottish Boinc Team

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