Unable to Merge Host

> Due to a Boinc hiccup I now have an extra computer that does not exist but Docking is using it.
I went into the 'merge host' function but no duplicate computer was listed so I was unable to merge the 2 hosts.
Host 410 (the original listing)
Host 989 (appeared from nowhere but is now the one being used).
They have the same specs with Boinc calling the Host a 'AuthenticAMD Dual Core AMD Opteron(tm) Processor 2'
(Boinc missed the 75 that goes on the end).

I would like the 2 hosts to be put together as one please.
This hiccup affected 4 of the projects I run on this computer and I was able to merge the extra host on both QMC and Einstein. I am unable to merge on Ralph and Docking.

Thanks and hope to hear from you soon.
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Since the 989 host doesn't have any credit yet and isn't currently crunching, the easiest might be to delete it alltogether.

Andre

> Due to a Boinc hiccup I now have an extra computer that does not exist but Docking is using it.
I went into the 'merge host' function but no duplicate computer was listed so I was unable to merge the 2 hosts.
Host 410 (the original listing)
Host 989 (appeared from nowhere but is now the one being used).
They have the same specs with Boinc calling the Host a 'AuthenticAMD Dual Core AMD Opteron(tm) Processor 2'
(Boinc missed the 75 that goes on the end).

I would like the 2 hosts to be put together as one please.
This hiccup affected 4 of the projects I run on this computer and I was able to merge the extra host on both QMC and Einstein. I am unable to merge on Ralph and Docking.

Thanks and hope to hear from you soon.

Since the 989 host doesn't have any credit yet and isn't currently crunching, the easiest might be to delete it alltogether.

If somebody can let me know how to safely merge hosts on the server side, I will happily do that :-)

Andre

Since the 989 host doesn't have any credit yet and isn't currently crunching, the easiest might be to delete it alltogether.

I think another Host will be created then when the Host contacts the Server again if he does that Andre ...

I had a similar problem a few months ago. My computer crashed for unrelated reasons, and BOINC freaked out. When I rebooted, I found that BOINC had dumped all of my WU's - including 2 mos of a CPDN model =( -and my computer was suddenly treated as a new host on all my projects. Merging my "new" host with its former self was uneventful in most places, but there were a couple projects that refused to recognize the fact that this was the same system. Since my cache was clear of WU's anyway (sob), I just reinstalled BOINC and that solved whatever kink had been preventing the merge. Hope that helps. Good luck on solving your problem.

Atomic
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KWSN - Asylum for the Cynically Insane

Andre, any luck at getting the computer merge function to work?
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I haven't gotten any response on my request on how to do this and I honestly don't know how to do this safely (without messing up your machines and credits in the database that is). If somebody can let me know a safe way to do this, I will...

AK

Andre, any luck at getting the computer merge function to work?

Andre and all,

This happens occasionally on all projects. The client for whatever reason goes wacko and when contacting the project is given a new host id. Sometimes the host information will allow merging and sometimes not. I have many 'old' hosts on projects that cannot be merged in any way with any current host. Its a BOINC thing. Its always been this way.

I don't know how you could safely merge them. It might mess up the database as you would have to possibly replace the old id with the new one whereever it exsisted, Just a guess. I suppose you could examine the code for the current merge function and try to figue out what it does, what piece of information it keys on to make the hosts be identical and mergable and replace this information in the old id record with information from the new id record which would then make that infomation match in both records and allow merging using the already exsisting fuction. Just a suggestion, I don't know if this is possible ?

I do know that the client should always be using the highest number. If the id number on the server does not match the id stored in the clinet the server will generate another new higher number.

This is something that needs to be addressed by the developers to fix so it works in all projects without having admin tamper with manual adjustments.

Thanks Keith,

I will go through the merge code when I find some time. Good to see you back on the D@H forums :-)

Andre

Andre and all,

This happens occasionally on all projects. The client for whatever reason goes wacko and when contacting the project is given a new host id. Sometimes the host information will allow merging and sometimes not. I have many 'old' hosts on projects that cannot be merged in any way with any current host. Its a BOINC thing. Its always been this way.

I don't know how you could safely merge them. It might mess up the database as you would have to possibly replace the old id with the new one whereever it exsisted, Just a guess. I suppose you could examine the code for the current merge function and try to figue out what it does, what piece of information it keys on to make the hosts be identical and mergable and replace this information in the old id record with information from the new id record which would then make that infomation match in both records and allow merging using the already exsisting fuction. Just a suggestion, I don't know if this is possible ?

I do know that the client should always be using the highest number. If the id number on the server does not match the id stored in the clinet the server will generate another new higher number.

This is something that needs to be addressed by the developers to fix so it works in all projects without having admin tamper with manual adjustments.

I have just found another reason why I would like my hosts merged. BoincStats has deleted my 5,000+ cobblestones from my computer and replaced it with 170 cobblestones from the new host id. I am a bit disappointed in that, but as the stats are drawn from this site and it shows that host twice I am not sure why the credit and computer has been wiped (BoincStats only record this computer once).
I am also waiting for Ralph to add credit as it has the same problem as Docking and wont merge 9same computer).

I have faith that you will find a way Andre. Thanks again.
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I seem to remember that on some projects you could not merge hosts until the old host had been idle for a month or so. Is there any chance that this is a configuration option on the BOINC server software, or could it just have been an older version of the server software?

One other possibility, and I can't say whether this will work or make things worse. What happens if Conan aborts all BOINC jobs on that machine, does an update so that the Docking@Home server knows the jobs are gone, shuts down the BOINC client, and manually edits the sched_request_docking.utep.edu.xml file and changes the machine number for the Docking@Home project back to the old machine number and restarts the BOINC client? Would that work? Would he have to delete the code_sign_key section or is that the same for all users? How about the authenticator? I didn't see the machine number in any of the other XML files.

This might really mess up Docking on that machine or it might solve the problem. Try at your own risk!!!

BTW, I don't know if I somehow encountered a bug in the BOINC server software, or the newer versions are supposed to work that way, but I had a Linux machine that I had given up on and detached from Docking. I later thought of some other things to try and attached the machine to Docking again. Somehow, it got the same machine number and I didn't have to do a merge. That was really unexpected. This happened weeks ago. When it was attached the second time, it did still have the same static IP, OS kernel version, CPU, Memory, etc as when it was detached. That might have been why it got the same machine number, but I was really surprised that I didn't have to merge it. Maybe it was just a fluke.

-- David

This same question-problem came up on MC.N just recently.

otax actually took the time to consult the wiki and came up with:

Merging Duplicate Host Records

This mechanism can lead to situations where the BOINC Database has multiple Host Records for a single Host. For example, this will occur if the Participant deletes the client_state.xml file.

The Participant can merge these duplicates to a single record using the "Merge Hosts" command on the Project's Web Site.

Other actions can also give rise to multiple Host IDs, including:

* Detaching and re-attaching to a Project.
* Running a new Version of the BOINC Client Software that changes the way that CPU names are identified. (cannot be merged)
* Adding a service pack update to Microsoft Windows�. (cannot be merged)
* Adding an additional Operating System to the computer and using multi-boot (e.g.: Microsoft Windows� and Linux).
* An update to the BIOS that changes the CPU identification. (cannot be merged)
* Extreme Over-Clocking that the CPU is mis-identified. (cannot be merged)
* Attempting to run the BOINC Client Software in Windows 2000� mode under Microsoft Windows XP�
* Significant changes to the computer's hardware configuration (CPU chip, adding Physical Memory, etc.) (cannot be merged)

I also have hosts on a project which I cannot merge, but don't know why I have extra hosts there and not on other projects, what ever changed causing new id's had to be something with their server and not my host as those hosts did not get new id's on other projects at the same time and it was more than one host.

I seem to remember that on some projects you could not merge hosts until the old host had been idle for a month or so. Is there any chance that this is a configuration option on the BOINC server software, or could it just have been an older version of the server software?

One other possibility, and I can't say whether this will work or make things worse. What happens if Conan aborts all BOINC jobs on that machine, does an update so that the Docking@Home server knows the jobs are gone, shuts down the BOINC client, and manually edits the sched_request_docking.utep.edu.xml file and changes the machine number for the Docking@Home project back to the old machine number and restarts the BOINC client? Would that work? Would he have to delete the code_sign_key section or is that the same for all users? How about the authenticator? I didn't see the machine number in any of the other XML files.

Try at your own risk!!!

BTW, I don't know if I somehow encountered a bug in the BOINC server software, or the newer versions are supposed to work that way, but I had a Linux machine that I had given up on and detached from Docking. I later thought of some other things to try and attached the machine to Docking again. Somehow, it got the same machine number and I didn't have to do a merge. That was really unexpected. This happened weeks ago. When it was attached the second time, it did still have the same static IP, OS kernel version, CPU, Memory, etc as when it was detached. That might have been why it got the same machine number, but I was really surprised that I didn't have to merge it. Maybe it was just a fluke.

Thanks Keith,

I will go through the merge code when I find some time. Good to see you back on the D@H forums :-)

Andre

Actually I've had so few problems with your application there was no reason to report in. Thanks for doing a great job.

> Has there been any word Andre about why I can't merge my computer? It has been a few weeks (problem started on the 21/11/06) and they still don't merge. Of the 4 projects this happened on on the 21/11, I was able to merge Einstein and QMC that day, but have been unable to merge Docking and Ralph (curious that they are both Alpha projects).
Thanks and hope to hear from you.
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Conan,

I don't know how to safely merge your hosts without damaging your database entries. By doing that, you might loose all your credit for those hosts and I don't want to be responsible for that to be honest. I'd rather leave things as is unless you insist on trying a fix; but in that case we cannot take any responsibility for the issues that might arise. Let me know....

Andre

> Has there been any word Andre about why I can't merge my computer? It has been a few weeks (problem started on the 21/11/06) and they still don't merge. Of the 4 projects this happened on on the 21/11, I was able to merge Einstein and QMC that day, but have been unable to merge Docking and Ralph (curious that they are both Alpha projects).
Thanks and hope to hear from you.

Conan,

I don't know how to safely merge your hosts without damaging your database entries. By doing that, you might loose all your credit for those hosts and I don't want to be responsible for that to be honest. I'd rather leave things as is unless you insist on trying a fix; but in that case we cannot take any responsibility for the issues that might arise. Let me know....

Andre

> Has there been any word Andre about why I can't merge my computer? It has been a few weeks (problem started on the 21/11/06) and they still don't merge. Of the 4 projects this happened on on the 21/11, I was able to merge Einstein and QMC that day, but have been unable to merge Docking and Ralph (curious that they are both Alpha projects).
Thanks and hope to hear from you.