Astronut

Astropulse units give you around 700+ credit!

Only done 2 so far so I don't know if that's the usual amount.

The best way to install BOINC is as a service. You don't normally get the graphics if you do that but there is a simple fix to enable the graphics screensaver when it's installed as a service:

Click start, then run and type in 'services.msc' without the quotes. Click OK (or press Enter) and right click on the BOINC service in the list that opens up. Click properties and select the 'Log On' tab.

Select 'log on as: Local System account' and make sure the checkbox 'Allow service to interact with desktop' is ticked. Finally reboot.

Personally I prefer to start the BOINC Manager manually (put a shortcut to BOINC Manager in the quick launch taskbar) so you may want to remove the BOINC Manager shortcut from 'start/programs/startup' too so it doesn't start on every reboot.

Einstein is a good project to run too - it searches for pulsars and has a really cool screensaver.

Server has been replaced and is currently working - just downloaded a work unit but struggling to download a second one. Give it time to catch up with the demand.

Does anyone know if its up and running yet, as not been able to download any work for a while

Open up the BOINC Manager client and click on the projects tab. Have a look at the list of projects you're running (if you're just doing SETI it'll be the only project listed) and click on it.

Have a look at the buttons on the left pane that appear and there's a direct link to the SETI web page. There's a news section on the homepage and a bunch of other links to server status, your account page, etc, etc.

Latest news is it'll be Monday 14 May at the earliest before any units will be available - don't forget to take into account the timezone difference ie. they're about 8 hours behind UK so it'll be Monday evening (UK time) at the earliest.

When the replacement server does go online, expect more failed connections at first as it'll be swamped with work-unit download requests so it may take a couple of days for the queue to settle down before you get a successful connection and download.

Units can be uploaded but no units can be downloaded at the moment. They having major problems with one of the Sun servers:

"May 1, 2007

Happy May Day. Unfortunately for us it's been "Mayday! Mayday!" At 4:43 (PDT) this morning, our science database machine, thumper, became hasenfeffer. It currently refuses to acknowledge that it has any disk drives. Since the controllers are attached to the motherboard, major repairs will probably be required. No work can be created until this machine gets fixed. We are on the phone with Sun now in hopes of securing repair or a replacement. More info in Technical News."

"May 4, 2007

Great news! Sun Microsystems is coming to the rescue and will be replacing our inoperative science data base server. They are preparing the machine now and will be rushing it to us on Monday. Once we have the machine up and the database recovered, we can start sending work out again. Details on the server crash and our recovery from it can be found in Technical News."

Just spotted this old thread rising from the depths

I've been looking for a team for a few years now since quitting a large well-known UK based computer overclocking team so count me in - just this minute joined. :wave:

I started running SETI@Home in 1999 not long after the project got started and have been running it ever since. Since BOINC took over the original command-line version of SETI I've joined two other BOINC projects.

I'm running 3 BOINC projects on my desktop and laptop: SETI, ClimatePrediction and Einstein (searches for pulsars).

Spare CPU cycles are shared equally between the three so only a third of my spare CPU cycles are devoted to SETI number crunching.

I ordered my first item from Steve at the weekend - a copy of Starry Night Pro Plus.

I've been down the road for a couple of days and was pleasantly surprised to find a call from Steve on my answer machine, when I got back tonight, confirming despatch and estimated delivery.

An email was waiting for me too.

Unfortunately, I'm off down the road in the early hours for another 2 or 3 days so I won't be there when it arrives but I can collect from the depot later (no big deal).

I can't think of any other companies I've dealt with that send emails AND leave phone messages. A nice personal touch.

Thanks Steve

I'll be ordering a Lightbridge very soon - just a couple of things to sort out first.