Running the client
BOINC for Windows
The BOINC work manager program controls
the use of your computer's disk, network, and processor resources.
It is normally started at boot time.
It is represented by a icon in the system tray.
Double-click on the icon to open the work manager window.
Right-click on the icon to:
- Suspend: this stops current work.
- Resume: this resumes work.
- Exit: this exits the work manager and all running BOINC applications.
No further work will take place until you run the work manager again.
When the icon is flashing,
there is an unread error message.
To view it, open the work manager window and go to the Messages tab.
The work manager window has several tabs:
- Projects:
Shows the projects in which you're participating.
Right-click on a project name to:
- Visit its web site.
- Update preferences.
This will connect to the project
and get the newest version of your preferences.
(Note: BOINC preferences are managed using the web,
rather than in the application.
This makes it easy to manage preferences for a number of computers.)
- Detach from the project.
Your computer will stop working for the project.
- Clear project state.
This stops the project's current work, if any,
and starts from scratch.
Use this if BOINC has become stuck for some reason.
- Work:
Shows the work units currently on your computer.
Each work unit is either
- Downloading: input files are being downloaded.
- Ready: waiting to run.
An estimate of the total CPU time is shown.
- In progress: currently running.
Elapsed CPU time and estimated percent done is shown.
- Uploading: output files are being uploaded.
- Done: waiting to notify the scheduling server.
Right-click on a work unit to:
- Open a window showing application graphics for the work unit.
- Transfers:
Shows file transfers (uploads and downloads).
These may be ready to start, in progress, and completed.
- Messages:
Shows status and error messages.
Messages can be sorted by project or time.
You can control what messages are shown.
Messages are also written to a file "messages.txt".
- Disk:
This shows how much disk space is available for use by BOINC,
and how much is currently being used by each project.
The work manager's menu items are as follows:
- File
- Clear Messages: clear the message window and file.
- Clear Inactive: clear entries in the Transfers and Work window
that are completed.
- Suspend: this stops current work.
- Resume: this resumes work.
- Close: close the work manager window.
This does not exit the work manager.
To do this, use the Exit command on the system tray icon menu.
- Settings
- Attach to Project:
Enroll this computer in a project.
You must have already created an account with the project.
You will be asked to enter the project's URL and your account ID.
- Detach from Project
Stop using this computer for a project.
- Proxy Server
If you connect to the web through an HTTP or SOCKS proxy,
enter its address and port here.
- Help
- Help: show this web page.
- About: show work manage version number.
Help
Menu names and other text in the work manager are stored in
a file called language.ini.
The release uses American English.
Other languages are available
here
(thanks to Robi Buechler and other volunteers for this).
The BOINC screensaver can be selected using the Display Properties dialog.
The BOINC screensaver draws graphics from a running application,
if any is available.
Otherwise it draws the BOINC logo bouncing around the screen.
The BOINC command-line client
The command line client has several options:
- -attach_project
- Attach this computer to a new project.
You must have an account with that project.
You will be asked for the project URL and the account ID.
- -show_projects
- Print a list of projects to which this computer is attached.
- -detach_project
- Detach this computer from a project.
You will be asked for the project URL.
- -reset_project
- Clear pending work for a project.
Use this if there is a problem that is preventing
your computer from working.
You will be asked for the project URL.
- -update_prefs
-
Contact a project's server to obtain new preferences.
You will be asked for the project URL.
- -run_cpu_benchmarks
-
Run CPU benchmarks.
Do this if you have modified your computer's hardware.
- -help
- Show client options.
- -version
- Show client version.
To remove a project: quit the client.
Then delete the file "account_PROJECT-URL.xml"
where PROJECT-URL is the project's URL.