World Community Grid - View Thread - BOINC: "Zero Status" & "If this happens repeatedly...." & "Too many exits" Messages

The following 2 messages can occur if the client lost briefly contact with the science process or when the Operating System has synchronized the time with the internet, particularly backwards.

Exited with zero status but no 'finished' file
If this happens repeatedly you may need to reset the project. ++

The Result Log [link found on the Result Status page, Status column] could be showing lines such as

too many exits [the task was automatically aborted, ending in error ++]
loss of heartbeat for more than 30 seconds [task continued till the end, but may need additional validation, getting e.g. a Pending Verification status]

Time keeping is an essential part of BOINC verifying that all processes are properly progressing. The client will report incidental or frequent interruptions. When occurring incidentally, it is save to ignore them. Usually it results in the task returning to the last saved checkpoint to ensure full integrity of the science. This can show itself as loss of CPU time and percentage progress as shown in the Tasks window of the BOINC manager.

Look for signs in the BOINC message log to see if this happens at frequent intervals like a fixed number of hours or days. In that case it is probable that the Operating System synchronized the system clock with the internet. If exact atom clock precision is not important, switch the OS function off. It is not unthinkable that OverClocked computers have this problem more frequent due e.g. misalignment of different system functions.

Most frequently these messages show up after taking a computer out of standby or hibernation or when overloaded.

Best if putting a computer to sleep rather than full shut-down is, to suspend BOINC activity prior to doing this. With the Leave application in memory ** option *On*. The full static memory state will be held or saved to disk. After reviving the PC, set BOINC to continue computing.
.When the system is overloaded [particularly with too many concurrent CEP2], consider using the option "While processor usage is less than [default 50%]", or to pause the client entirely by unticking "While computer is in use" [Make sure the Activity menu settings are selected to run based on preferences for CPU or GPU or both].

If this happens very frequently like every minute, system diagnosis needs to be performed as it will prevent the task from completing properly. Interference from Security Software is not unthinkable after e.g. daily automatic definition updates. Radical steps at that time if no clear cause can be determined are to exit and restart BOINC or reset the client by selecting WCG in the Projects Window of BOINC manager and operating the relevant button in left margin. All Tasks in buffer, including the one in progress will be eliminated.

An example of this being caused by the operating system regular clock synchronization is this next sample where someone had it showing every 3 hours:

9/17/2007 10:01:19 AM|.....|Task lh307_00094_15 exited with zero status but no 'finished' file
9/17/2007 10:01:19 AM|.....|If this happens repeatedly you may need to reset the project.
9/17/2007 10:01:19 AM|.....|Restarting task lh307_00094_15 using hpf2 version 518
9/17/2007 01:00:07 PM|.....|Task lh307_00094_15 exited with zero status but no 'finished' file
9/17/2007 01:00:07 PM|.....|If this happens repeatedly you may need to reset the project.
9/17/2007 01:00:07 PM|.....|Restarting task lh307_00094_15 using hpf2 version 518

(Clock reversal is logged in the message/event log of newer clients)

Further info can be found in:

BOINC Frequently Asked Questions Service (BFS):
Task (task) exited with a DLL initialization error
Unrecoverable error for r...too many exit(0)s)
Result '(result)'...finished' file

++ Jobs will self-abort with "too many exits(0)" if this happens after 100 times restarting at start and or same checkpoint.

** Leave Application In Memory, LAIM for short, can be activated in the Device Profile or with BOINC 5.10 and up in the Local Preferences screen of BOINC Manager (Advanced menu). In full it's called "Leave Applications in Memory While Suspended".