Hello nasst8, Take a look at Control Panel - Display. It sounds as though your display powers down shortly after starting the screensaver.

Did you install BOINC as a service? The BOINC screensaver cannot display graphics if the application is running as a service.

Anyway, it is actually faster not to display graphics. The BOINC graphics are not nearly as good as the UD graphics (in my opinion). I have 'blank' selected as my screensaver. It takes several minutes on most computers to build the graphics image after starting a BOINC work unit.

Lawrence

When installing the WCG package you were asked to do a Single User or Service Install. The latter's Screen-Saver only offers the bouncing WCG logo as what you see left hand top of this page and a description of the project running with the % progress. The blanking of the screen is not understood if you set your Display control panel to never blank or switch on energy saving mode.

To get the Single User install with graphics, either launched manually from the Tasks Tab in the BOINC manager or double clicking the slide frame in the Simple view or through the Screen saver, uninstall BOINC and reinstall.

The order for the screensaver to work if *only* computing when system is idle is:

1. Set idle delay time to X minutes
2. Set Screens-aver time to X+1 minute
3. Set Energy saving time longer than X+1 (if you want to use it).

Nicole, sounds like something missing. During the re-install did it ask for the mode of installation (Single/Service/Shared)?

If your machine was 'reimaged' it is likely a company PC. E.g. if it does not have OpenGL screen-drivers, you wont see graphics with BOINC.

Test: If you go to BOINCmanager > Advanced View (right bottom button if in Simple view), Tasks tab selecting the running WCG job, left margin top, there should be a button 'Show Graphics'. If that's greyed, you have none available on your setup. If it's not greyed, and a black/empty frame appears, you might also have shortage of video memory.... not sure.

What version of BOINC are you running? With WCG's 5.10.22 there is the Advanced Menu > Local Preferences. If the option "While Computer is in use" is selected, BOINC always works in background using spare cycles. If not, a box allows to set the idle computing delay time. That needs to be shorter than the Screensaver delay time.

Added: Here's a link to a short check-list of items to verify: http://www.worldcommunitygrid.org/forums/wcg/printpost?post=75214.

When I installed I selected the Single install. Yes, I am using a company PC.



Yes, it is greyed.



I am running 5.10.22. I just checked and have this option selected.



Thanks - I will review and verify.



Tedi Yes, I do have a paassword protected screen saver and the 5.10.22 installation.

Outstanding Nicole,

The password issue is actually mentioned in the FAQ, 3rd item. It's a question mark to me as I've got password protection for BOINC screensaver on.... a must to me, certainly on an office PC.

You may want to test the Windows KEY+L which leaves the session open, but activates the regular windows sign-in screen and see if the screensaver kicks in. I'm curious to know, as it is an knowledge item to add to the FAQ.

Else, would you mind editing the title of your opening post in this thread and insert [RESOLVED] before or after the original. This signifies to people that the Q&A did result in a solution.

cheers