Device Manager



I can't run the agent all the time. Is there a way to establish a set schedule?

Yes, you may customize when the agent runs. This is done by updating the device profile associated with the device where the agent is running. You can update the device profile by visiting the Device Manager. Once there, click on the device profile for the device whose schedule you want to change. Once on the Device Profile page, you can set a customized schedule for each day that you need one. When finished, press save. After you press save, the schedule will go into effect the next time your grid agent communicates with the grid servers. When establishing the customized schedule, the drop-down for Hard drive space may be ignored.

If needed, you can create additional device profiles by visiting the
Device Profiles screen. This screen has an option that allows you to create new profiles.

Changing your profile on the website will change your preferences for all of the computers you have under your member name. If you need to have different preferences for different computers you may set preferences for each computer by double clicking on the World Community Grid or BOINC icon in your system tray and selecting Advanced View. From the menu at the top of your screen, select: Advanced>Preferences and then set your preferences for that specific computer. Remember to select “OK” after you have set your preferences. Please note: Local preferences set at your computer will override preference settings on the website



I changed the schedule on the Device Profiles page but it does not seem to work?

This schedule change affects the grid agent running on your computer. For security reasons, no information is pushed to the grid agent while it is running on your computer. Only when your grid agent communicates with the grid servers does anything change with the grid agent. When your grid agent finishes its current unit of work, it will initiate communications with the grid server, and then your new schedule will take effect.

To update your preferences immediately, double click on the World Community Grid, or BOINC icon, in your system tray and select Advanced View. Then select the “projects” tab and click on World Community Grid. From the left hand menu, select “update”. This will retrieve your preferences. Please note: Local preferences set at your computer will override preference settings on the website.



I have the same device listed more than once on my device list. Why is that?

When a device first contacts the server, the server creates a database record for the device. This record stores details like Operating System, available memory and how many times the device has communicated with the server. Each time the device communicates with the server, it compares various details about the device with its record on the server in an attempt to identify if it is the same device contacting the server. If anything appears different, the system will create a new record for the device and treat it as a new device. This prevents issues that can arise in different installation scenarious (such as in computer labs where each computer is setup identically and gets an identical installation image). Sometimes this leads to multiple entries for the same device in the website device list, but it ensures the proper functioning of the overall system.  

In situations where a new device listing is created, the previous device listing will no longer act as a contributing device (even though it is showing up in your device list). The Device Manager page and the Device Statistics page shows, by default, all of your devices that were registered within the past 7 days or that have returned a result within the past 14 days. Unused devices do not appear on this page when these time periods have passed.



Can devices listed on my Device Manager page be deleted or merged?

Devices listed on your Device Manager page cannot be deleted or merged at this time.



Can I set the agent not to run while I am using the device?

Yes, you may customize the agent not to run when you are using the device. This is done by updating the device profile associated with the device where the agent is running. You can update the device profile by visiting the Device Manager on our website. Once there, click on the device profile for the device whose schedule you want to change. Once on the Device Profiles page, select 'Custom Profile'. Under 'Advanced Options' 'Processor Usage' set 'Do work while computer is in use' to 'No' and 'Do work only after computer is idle for' to the number of minutes you want the agent to delay. When finished, press save. After you press save, the schedule will go into effect the next time your grid agent communicates with the grid servers.



Is there a way to manage network bandwidth usage?

You can control the maximum rate at which BOINC will transfer data. You can set this on our website through your device profile. Your device profiles may be changed here. After logging in, select the profile that you wish to customize. (Usually the 'Default' profile) After selecting the profile you wish to change, select 'Custom Profile'. You will be presented with many option, which include a category called 'Network Usage'. You may change your bandwith use there. Remember to save your changes when you are finished customizing your profile.



How do I clear my local preferences and use the preferences set on the website?

To clear your local preferences, you will need to pull up your preferences. To do this, double click on the World Community Grid, or BOINC icon, in your system tray and select Advanced View. Then in the top menu, pull down the "Advanced" menu and select "Preferences". Then click the "Clear" button. After you have done this, press "OK" to close the preferences window. Once this is done, select the "Projects" tab and click on World Community Grid. From the left hand menu, select "Update". This will retrieve the preferences from the website and clear your local preferences.