The Lazy Slug's Guide To...

Preparation

Firstly, you will need to download the BOINC_MST_Creator.hta file and the latest Windows version of the BOINC Installation. The following instructions will assume that the two files are saved in the C:\ directory and that the BOINC version is 5.4.9. (Don't worry if there is a newer version available - these instructions will still apply.)

Extracting the installation files

The downloaded BOINC Installation file must be unpacked so that you can access the files within. To do this, follow these steps.

1. Click Start, click Run, type C:\boinc_5.4.9_windows_intelx86.exe /a and click OK.
2. Depending on the security settings on your computer, you may have a 'Open File - Security Warning' window pop up. As you have initiated this program, it is fine to just click Run.
3. After a few moments you will be prompted with the 'Welcome to the InstallShield Wizard for BOINC' window. Click Next.
4. Now you need to tell the installer which folder you would like the BOINC Installation files put in. This shared folder will be the one that your other computers will come to when they install BOINC. (It does not have to already exist and can be moved later.) Once you have enter a location, click Next.
   If you are installing on a Windows Small Business Server, a network share will already exist for software distribution, so use the folder \\YOUR_SERVER_NAME\ClientApps\BOINC.
5. The installer will now unpack the BOINC Installation files into the folder specified above.
6. Providing there has been no problems, untick the Launch BOINC checkbox on the 'InstallShield Wizard Completed' page and click Finish.

Building the MST

To run the BOINC_MST_Creator.hta file, click Start, click Run, type C:\BOINC_MST_Creator.hta and click OK. Although you may have never run a HTML Application before, Windows will automatically identify it as such.

There are two views in the MST Creator which are used to set your preferences. You can toggle between the two by clicking the Standard/Advanced options button at the bottom of the page.

• The Standard Options are the ones you would normally decide on when installing BOINC, plus a few MSI ones.
• The Advanced Options would normally have to be set, via the BOINC Manager, on each workstation, after deployment.

The settings that are displayed when you first run the creator are the default ones. Each option is explain below, together with some links for further information from other websites. At the end there are some examples of how you might want to set the options depending on your deployment aims. 

Standard Options

1. Path to BOINC.MSI file
   Providing you're running this script on Windows XP, you can click the little button at the end of the text box to select the extracted BOINC.msi file in the folder created earlier. Otherwise you have to type the location in manually. (The full path and file are required.)
2. BOINC Project URLs and account keys
   You need to enter the information as to which BOINC Projects you will want to work on here. Each project requires two pieces of information: the project URL and the project account key. The project URL is where your workstation goes to download work units and the account key identifies your user account with that project. You can find the project URL on the 'Getting Started' pages of each project's website - it is the same as the one entered when you use the BOINC Manager to join a project. The account key can be found in your 'user profile' on the project website.
   When you have the information required, enter the project URL (the http:// part and any final / are not required) and then the account key, with a space between the two.
   Please ensure that you enter this information correctly and bear in mind that the main project website is not always the same as the project URL
   To make things a little quicker and easier, you can import these settings from an existing BOINC installation. Just click the 'Import projects from an existing BOINC installation...' button and locate the XML account files which will be in the same directory as 'boinc.exe'. (The normal location is C:\Program Files\BOINC.)
3. Location to install BOINC to
   This is where the BOINC files will be installed on your workstations. You can change this to any location you like. (The normal path will be displayed by default.)
4. Installation Method
   Whilst you can pick from any of the three different types of installation methods, the 'Service Install' option is the best way to go for deployment. However, if you only want BOINC to run when users are logged in, select the 'Shared Install'. Finally, pick the 'Single-User Install' option if you only want BOINC to run when a particular user is logged in. For more information on this option, refer to the BOINC Windows Installer help page.
5. Automatically enable the screensaver
   This enables the BOINC screensaver. Not all projects have a screensaver that produces the graphics that other projects do, however the graphics do slow down your processing of work units.
6. Automatically start BOINC when users sign on
   When disabled, this option deletes the 'Startup' menu folder shortcut. It has no effect when a 'Service Install' has been selected.
7. Launch BOINC Manager after setup completes
   A Ronseal option. Again, this has no effect with a 'Service Install'.
8. Remove 'Programs Menu' Shortcut
   Removes the BOINC Manager shortcut from the users 'Programs Menu' list. Helps to stop inquisitive users from messing up your settings.
9. Remove BOINC from the 'Add/Remove Programs' list
   Again, this option helps to stop inquisitive users from messing up your settings, but makes it a bit awkward for you to manually uninstall BOINC if you have to. (Please see this note in Troubleshooting for the solution.)
10. Allowed Remote Hosts (one per line)
    This is list of remote host computers that are allowed to access BOINC on the workstations that you are deploying to. For example, if you want to be able to monitor BOINC on all of your workstations from your server, then put your server IP address or its name in the list box. You can add as many as you like, but do make sure that you press enter at the end of each item. You may also have to adjust your firewall settings, which is covered in the Troubleshooting section.
11. Remote Access password
    An optional password can be specified here which has to be used by the Remote Hosts that you may have added above. The password is stored as clear text in the gui_rpc_auth.cfg file. Repeat the password in the second textbox.
12. User account for the service
    This is the user account that the service uses to run. Make sure that you specify an account that has suitable permissions to run a service. If you leave this blank, the workstation's 'SYSTEM' account will be used.
13. Password for the user account
    Enter the password for the user account in the first box and repeat the password in the second one. (You do not need to enter a password for the 'SYSTEM' account.)
14. BOINC Folder Permissions
    There are many permutations that could be applied to the BOINC installation folder, but hopefully one of the choices here should be suitable. If you select nothing, the BOINC folder will inherit the permissions from the parent folder. If you select 'Domain Administrators' then only members of the domain administrators group can access the folder. With 'Local Administrators', both domain administrators and local workstations administrators groups get access. Finally the 'All Users' option allows everyone access.

Advanced Options

1. BOINC Run Activity
   Normally BOINC processes work units during the time period specified in the workstation's profile,  on the projects' website. If you want to override this, you can select one of the following options. More information can be found on the BOINC Wiki website.
   
   • Run Always - BOINC will always process work units, whatever time period you may have specified in the profile, on the projects' website.
   • Run based on preferences (Default) - Work units are processed during the period set in the profile.
   • Suspend - No work units are processed at all. (Probably not the most useful option in the world - it is just included for completeness.)
2. Network Activity
   Periodically BOINC connects to the internet to send completed work units and download new ones. How often depends on the settings specified in the workstation's profile. More information can be found on the BOINC Wiki website.
   
   • Always Available - BOINC will connect to the internet whenever it requires to.
   • Run based on preferences (Default) - A connection will only be made a number of times per day, according to connection setting in the profile on the projects' website
   • Suspend - No connection made. (Again, probably not the most useful option in the world, but included for completeness.)
3. Connect via HTTP Proxy server
   If you use a proxy server to connect to the internet, you will have to check this option and specify the 4 additional fields as required.  To find out what your proxy settings should be you can open up your web browser and check what is stored in it. Click Tools > Internet Options, select the Connections tab and press the LAN Settings... button. If your proxy settings are automatically detected or you need a password, then you'll need to find out what your settings are.
4. Connect via SOCKS Proxy server
   If you use a SOCKS proxy server to connect to the internet, you will have to check this option and specify the 4 additional fields as required. See Connect via HTTP Proxy Server above.

Examples

1. Service Install. These are the settings I use for deploying BOINC on my network. The location of the BOINC.msi is the server shared directory from where applications can be deployed. All of the shortcuts are removed, although I don't remove BOINC from the 'Add/Remove Programs' list and I have the IP address of my server listed in the Allowed Remote Hosts box. (There is no password as this is just for use in my internal network.) The workstation's 'SYSTEM' account runs BOINC as a service and finally, the permissions allow all Administrators access to the BOINC folder, but you may want to change that to Domain Administrators, if your workstations have to run with Local Administrator privileges. (There are no changes to the advanced options.)
2. Hidden Service Install. These settings do their best to hide BOINC from nosey users. Again, the location of the BOINC.msi is the server shared directory from where applications can be deployed. The BOINC files will be hidden away in a subfolder of the WINDOWS folder with permissions allowing only Domain Administrators access. All of the shortcuts are removed, including the 'Add/Remove Programs' entry, and I have the IP address of my server listed in the Allowed Remote Hosts box. The workstation's 'SYSTEM' account runs BOINC as a service. (There are no changes to the advanced options.)
3. Advanced Options. These settings can be applied to both of the examples above, if required. In this example, you decide that you want BOINC to always be running and connect to the internet as per your workstation's project profile.  The network uses a HTTP proxy server to connect to the internet, so the Server Address (192.168.0.1) and Port number (53200) are entered. (This mythical server does not require a user name and password.)