Trying to get boinc manager to work on ubuntu. any help would be greatly appreciated.
It works for me, no issues
What have done so far?
What have you tried?
What is your setup:
- gui/serverless
- bare metal/WSL/Virtual Machine?
Are you getting any errors?
Have you installed both the BOINC Client and the Manager?
You will have to give us a lot of information so that we can assist you
This is also a good starting point
https://boinc.berkeley.edu/linux_install.php?os_num=1
I have use google AI to help me get ubuntu setup and I got boinc manager to work.
I now have to install the AMD drivers for my GPU.
I am new to linux and I dont know much about it
I give up. This ubuntu sucks.
This is a exerts from a script I run on all my new linux installs.
***NOTE: The script reboots the machine as the last command. BOINC should start if yo added the contab below.
## In a terminal
apt install nano
sudo nano put-your-script-name-here.sh # must end with .sh
Copy everything in the code box into the file.
## Save the file
CNT+X then Y then enter
#make the script executable
chmod +x script name goes here
## You will need to know your timezone. enter this in the terminal changing the continent if required
timedatectl list-timezones | grep Australia
## RUN THE SCRIPT
sudo ./script name no space between the / and the name
##After the script has run add the startup file to crontab so boinc will start at boot time.
## In a terminal
sudo crontab -e
## It will ask you what editor you want select nano
enter this is the new file on the first empty line
** Change the user name to the one you created in the script ***
@reboot bash /home/USER NAME/myscript.sh
close the file and save
cnt+x then y then enter
#!/bin/bash
# -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Hardened Dedicated Server Setup Script (Unified)
# Author: Giles
# Location: /home/ubuntu/setup-dedicated-server.sh
# -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
echo "?? Starting setup: $(date)"
# -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Create the NEW User in case something goes wrong
# -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
echo " ** Create the NEW User in case something goes wrong **"
read -rsp "?? Enter New User name: " BOINC_USER
echo ** "You can enter through the address details. **"
echo "$BOINC_USER" | sudo tee /etc/boinc-client/gui_rpc_auth.cfg /usr/bin/gui_rpc_auth.cfg > /dev/null
echo "? BOINC password configured"
echo "Create User $BOINC_USER"
sudo adduser $BOINC_USER
echo "Add New User to sudo users"
sudo usermod -aG sudo $BOINC_USER
# -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# 1. Hostname and SSH Setup
# -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
echo "** Enter you Host name/ Computer Name here **"
read -rp "?? Enter hostname for this server: " HOSTNAME
sudo hostnamectl set-hostname "$HOSTNAME"
echo "? Hostname set to '$HOSTNAME'"
echo "?? Enabling SSH..."
sudo systemctl enable ssh
sudo systemctl start ssh
echo "? SSH enabled and running"
# -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# 2. Disable Sleep/Hibernate
# -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
echo "?? Disabling sleep and suspend modes..."
sudo systemctl mask sleep.target suspend.target hibernate.target hybrid-sleep.target
echo "? Sleep modes disabled"
# ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# 2.1 Add the CERN deb file that is used in the apt install
# ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
wget https://cvmrepo.s3.cern.ch/cvmrepo/apt/cvmfs-release-latest_all.deb
sudo dpkg -i cvmfs-release-latest_all.deb
rm -f cvmfs-release-latest_all.deb
# -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# 3. System Update and Core Packages
# -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
echo "?? Updating system and installing core packages..."
sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade -y
sudo apt install -y boinc default-jre default-jdk libquadmath0 iptables-persistent curl sendmail mailutils libdvd-pkg sshguard podman cvmfs
echo "? System updated and core packages installed"
sudo systemctl enable sshguard
sudo systemctl start sshguard
sudo cvmfs_config setup
sudo usermod --add-subuids 100000-165535 --add-subgids 100000-165535 boinc
# -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# 4. BOINC Init Script
# -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
echo "** This is a script to stop and start BOINC. It is used with the command line /ect/init.d/boinc stop OR start ie /ect/init.d/boinc start **"
echo "?? Creating BOINC init script..."
sudo tee /etc/init.d/boinc > /dev/null <<'EOT'
#!/bin/bash
# BOINC start/stop script
case "$1" in
start)
echo "?? Starting BOINC..."
cd /usr/bin
./boinc --daemon --allow_remote_gui_rpc
;;
stop)
echo "?? Stopping BOINC..."
pkill boinc || true
;;
*)
echo "Usage: /etc/init.d/boinc {start|stop}"
exit 1
;;
esac
exit 0
EOT
sudo chmod 755 /etc/init.d/boinc
sudo update-rc.d boinc defaults
echo "? BOINC init script installed"
# -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# 5. BOINC Password Setup
# -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
echo "** This the password that boinc uses to log itself in and also used by programs like BOINCTAsks. Enter a password you will remember. It replaces a long hexidecimal password boinc defaults to **"
read -rsp "?? Enter BOINC password (for remote GUI): " BOINC_PASS
echo
echo "$BOINC_PASS" | sudo tee /etc/boinc-client/gui_rpc_auth.cfg /usr/bin/gui_rpc_auth.cfg > /dev/null
echo "? BOINC password configured"
# -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# 9. BOINC Startup Script
# -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
echo "** This creates a script called myscript.sh which I use to start boinc when the computer boots up so boinc is always running. **"
echo "** Use the User name you created earlier in the script. **"
echo "?? Creating BOINC startup script..."
read -rsp "?? Enter BOINC user name for myscript.sh: " BOINC_USER
sudo tee /home/$BOINC_USER/myscript.sh > /dev/null <<'EOT'
#!/bin/bash
/etc/init.d/boinc stop
sleep 5
/etc/init.d/boinc start
EOT
sudo chmod +x /home/$BOINC_USER/myscript.sh
( sudo crontab -l 2>/dev/null; echo "@reboot bash /home/dingo/myscript.sh" ) | sudo crontab -
echo "? BOINC startup script added to crontab"
# ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# 12. SET TIMEZONE
# ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
read -rp "?? Enter Time Zone for this server like Australia/Sydney: " TIME_ZONE
sudo timedatectl set-timezone "$TIME_ZONE"
echo "? Timezone set to '$TIME_ZONE'"
# -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Final Message
# -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
echo "?? Setup complete: $(date)"
echo " ** Rebooting the computer **"
sleep 10
reboot
Afternoon, Tim B,
After reading everything now, I just noticed you are trying to get the AMD drivers working in Linux.
Sorry I cannot help there, I run NVIDIA GPU's on Linux, they are so easy to install.
I believe over in the Einstein forums, there is a post about installing the RADEON Linux drivers, as a few over there are running AMD GPU's under Linux.
That reminds me, I should probably do some Einstein GPU tasks soon, well once I get some 2nd hand GPU's lol.
Thanks for the info guys
I installed a Linux OS called Pop OS.everything seems to work .boinc manager works and I have
the drivers for the GPU installed. but Moo and Einstein wont send any GPU tasks. Mikyway runs Ok.
Nice you found a working solution TIM B :thumbsup:
If you close then reopen boinc then goto tools and select event log.
The first few lines should tell you if boinc can see and use your gpu.
eg:
25/04/2026 8:59:38 PM | | OpenCL: AMD/ATI GPU 0: AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX (driver version 3652.0 (PAL,LC), device version OpenCL 2.0 AMD-APP (3652.0), 24560MB, 24560MB available, 31039 GFLOPS peak)
Yes, It displays the text as you described .
Quote from: TIM B on April 25, 2026, 09:20:09 PMThanks for the info guys
I installed a Linux OS called Pop OS.everything seems to work .boinc manager works and I have
the drivers for the GPU installed. but Moo and Einstein wont send any GPU tasks. Mikyway runs Ok.
oooh I haven't used PopOS yet, I do hear some decent things about it.
I found that Einstein can be a bit finnicky to get working on AMD GPU for Linux. Try testing your GPU with Numberfields, you shouldn't have to make any changes and should work straight away
Numberfeilds works Ok.
Does anyone know how I might get einstein to send tasks .
I do not have any AMD video cards and no video cards on Linux so I am out of this one.
Quote from: TIM B on April 26, 2026, 02:43:12 PMDoes anyone know how I might get einstein to send tasks .
This thread should help you, it's not simple unless you know what you are doing but it's a pain
https://einsteinathome.org/fr/content/cant-get-amd-radeon-rx-7900-xtx-crunch-einsteinhome-ubuntu-2204-lts
The main thing to do is download and install the ROCm drivers (basically professional drivers) and then change the following system config
(Find boinc-client.service file (in /usr/lib/systemd/system/ for Ubuntu) and change ProtectSystem=strict to ProtectSystem=off)
Are You shore Abruraspingi . Some projects send GPU tasks and crunch just fine.
And some dont.
No I cannot guarantee it but it has worked for others. I have an external GPU and when I had an nVidia attached it worked without issues as cuda is supported.
When I swapped ot over for my you bute AMD I jumped through these hoops to get it working as OpenCL is developed differently
Im going to ask a silly question, in Einstein project preferences is Use AMD GPU: YES
yes I have selected yes for AMD GPU
can you tell me how to locate the boinc-client.service file.
I prefer using Nano but you can use VIM or any other text editor
The easiest way to do it
Open up Terminal
Sudo nano /usr/lib/systemd/system/boinc-client.service
<Enter Sudo password>
Change ProtectSystem=strict to ProtectSystem=off
Press Ctrl+X to close and press 'y' to save
You can do it graphically
Open Text Editor
Open>Open New Document>Other Location
Computer/usr/lib/systemd/system/boinc-client.service
Make the change and save
No cant get it to work. says /usr/lib/systemd/system/boinc-client.service file does not exist.
Do you have to install the ROCm drivers first?
You shouldn't need to as this should be created when BOINC is installed
Do a find command and search for it
find / -name "boinc-client.service"
This should show you were you can find it within your system.
You may just have to settle for crunching Numberfields or Primegrid on your GPU
Thanks for the info guys.
I finally got it all working by installing an OS called Garuda OS.
I got a lot of help from Google AI.
Just wondering how are you meant to monitor things like CPU and GPU temp and usage.
Quote from: TIM B on April 28, 2026, 05:12:35 AMJust wondering how are you meant to monitor things like CPU and GPU temp and usage.
You can try Mission Sensor
https://missioncenter.io/
Or PSensor
https://www.tecmint.com/psensor-monitors-hardware-temperature-in-linux/
Great work pushing through with your ordeal
I've been going through the same hell Tim. You might find some tips here but my issues were NVIDIA -
https://einsteinathome.org/content/all-things-windows?page=10
You know what... turns out Linux using WSL is worse than native Windows so whilst I kinda learnt something, I've just stuck with Windows.
I'll never get the most out of my cards compared to Linux but so be it. I can live with that these days.