On two of my machines the Synchronize button launches popup which then returns message Failed to update account manager. On a third machine no problem.
Log shows:
06/12/2017 07:39:58 | | Fetching configuration file from http://www.charityengine.com/get_project_config.php 06/12/2017 07:40:16 | | Project communication failed: attempting access to reference site 06/12/2017 07:40:17 | | Internet access OK - project servers may be temporarily down.
It's worth trying to be sure you can access charityengine.com in a web browser from those two machines, but I'd expect that will be fine. It may have been a temporary issue. Have you tried to sync again since then, or is this a problem that has happened more than once for you in general?
I can access CE via a web browser (on both machines) - doing so in composing this response! But still getting sync error (for several days at least).
07/12/2017 09:12:59 | | Fetching configuration file from http://www.charityengine.com/get_project_config.php 07/12/2017 09:13:15 | | Project communication failed: attempting access to reference site 07/12/2017 09:13:18 | | Internet access OK - project servers may be temporarily down.
Maybe I should try uninstalling CE and install BOINC instead?
That would definitely be interesting to know whether a version of BOINC behaves differently for you upon attachment to Charity Engine. Is that a difference between the one working machine and the two that are getting sync errors?
Otherwise, this may be a wider issue. It's just odd that one system works consistently; I would expect failures to be spread among all three of your systems if it was a general problem (and I have not been able to reproduce it yet).
I shall try - but yes the Windows 10 laptop with BOINC is OK. The two old XP machines running Charity Engine show the error, so may try changing one of those to BOINC. (Just need to look up process for doing so!)
OK - result! On one of the XP machines I uninstalled Charity Engine and installed BOINC. BOINC manager recognised my previous CE account and automatically looged into my CE account (and seemingly picked up project work from where previous installation had got to). Also Synchronize button works fine:
That sounds like a good idea. I ran a couple of tests on XP also and it seems to be working fine, no issues contacting the account manager.
One other thing to confirm is whether time of day is an issue. Both of the failures you referenced here took place around 8-9:00a. Does the log also show these same failures in the afternoon or evening?
I have run into the same problem at all times of day.
Tried reinstalling Charity Engine on the "other" XP machine (Dell3100) - no difference.
To experiment: on first XP machine (Dell8250) I took off BOINC and reinstalled Charity Engine. Synchronize -> same error
08/12/2017 07:27:23 | | Fetching configuration file from http://www.charityengine.com/get_project_config.php 08/12/2017 07:27:39 | | Project communication failed: attempting access to reference site 08/12/2017 07:27:40 | | Internet access OK - project servers may be temporarily down.
So BOINC put back on Dell8250. And back to working OK. Conclusion: My XP machines do not like Charity Engine but are happy with BOINC!
It's possibly an SSL issue with the combination of the version of Windows XP and the version of the CE desktop client. The get_project_config.php URL was being redirected to HTTPS, which works fine in most cases. An exception has been made to not redirect this URL now, so if you still have CE installed on the Dell 3100, you can give it one more shot. I'm glad BOINC is an alternative solution in any case!
No problem, thanks for working through it. We weren't aware there was an issue with SSL for some systems, so this is very good information to know--your reporting is much appreciated!
On two of my machines the Synchronize button launches popup which then returns message Failed to update account manager. On a third machine no problem.
Log shows:
06/12/2017 07:39:58 | | Fetching configuration file from http://www.charityengine.com/get_project_config.php
06/12/2017 07:40:16 | | Project communication failed: attempting access to reference site
06/12/2017 07:40:17 | | Internet access OK - project servers may be temporarily down.
Any ideas?
It's worth trying to be sure you can access charityengine.com in a web browser from those two machines, but I'd expect that will be fine. It may have been a temporary issue. Have you tried to sync again since then, or is this a problem that has happened more than once for you in general?
I can access CE via a web browser (on both machines) - doing so in composing this response! But still getting sync error (for several days at least).
07/12/2017 09:12:59 | | Fetching configuration file from http://www.charityengine.com/get_project_config.php
07/12/2017 09:13:15 | | Project communication failed: attempting access to reference site
07/12/2017 09:13:18 | | Internet access OK - project servers may be temporarily down.
Maybe I should try uninstalling CE and install BOINC instead?
That would definitely be interesting to know whether a version of BOINC behaves differently for you upon attachment to Charity Engine. Is that a difference between the one working machine and the two that are getting sync errors?
Otherwise, this may be a wider issue. It's just odd that one system works consistently; I would expect failures to be spread among all three of your systems if it was a general problem (and I have not been able to reproduce it yet).
I shall try - but yes the Windows 10 laptop with BOINC is OK. The two old XP machines running Charity Engine show the error, so may try changing one of those to BOINC. (Just need to look up process for doing so!)
OK - result! On one of the XP machines I uninstalled Charity Engine and installed BOINC. BOINC manager recognised my previous CE account and automatically looged into my CE account (and seemingly picked up project work from where previous installation had got to). Also Synchronize button works fine:
07/12/2017 17:39:36 | | Fetching configuration file from http://www.charityengine.com/get_project_config.php
07/12/2017 17:39:41 | | Contacting account manager at http://www.charityengine.com/
07/12/2017 17:39:42 | | Account manager contact succeeded
07/12/2017 17:39:48 | Rosetta@home | Sending scheduler request: Requested by account manager.
07/12/2017 17:39:48 | Rosetta@home | Not requesting tasks: don't need (job cache full)
07/12/2017 17:39:50 | Rosetta@home | Scheduler request completed
So maybe a problem with Charity Engine installation. May try reinstalling that on other XP machine to see if it makes a difference.
That sounds like a good idea. I ran a couple of tests on XP also and it seems to be working fine, no issues contacting the account manager.
One other thing to confirm is whether time of day is an issue. Both of the failures you referenced here took place around 8-9:00a. Does the log also show these same failures in the afternoon or evening?
I have run into the same problem at all times of day.
Tried reinstalling Charity Engine on the "other" XP machine (Dell3100) - no difference.
To experiment: on first XP machine (Dell8250) I took off BOINC and reinstalled Charity Engine. Synchronize -> same error
08/12/2017 07:27:23 | | Fetching configuration file from http://www.charityengine.com/get_project_config.php
08/12/2017 07:27:39 | | Project communication failed: attempting access to reference site
08/12/2017 07:27:40 | | Internet access OK - project servers may be temporarily down.
So BOINC put back on Dell8250. And back to working OK. Conclusion: My XP machines do not like Charity Engine but are happy with BOINC!
It's possibly an SSL issue with the combination of the version of Windows XP and the version of the CE desktop client. The get_project_config.php URL was being redirected to HTTPS, which works fine in most cases. An exception has been made to not redirect this URL now, so if you still have CE installed on the Dell 3100, you can give it one more shot. I'm glad BOINC is an alternative solution in any case!
It works! Just tried Synchronize on Dell3100 and got positive response:
08/12/2017 16:52:11 | | Fetching configuration file from http://www.charityengine.com/get_project_config.php
08/12/2017 16:52:15 | | Contacting account manager at http://www.charityengine.com/
08/12/2017 16:52:17 | | Account manager contact succeeded
On Dell3100 internet options says use SSL 3.0, but it's working now anyway. Thanks for your patience.
No problem, thanks for working through it. We weren't aware there was an issue with SSL for some systems, so this is very good information to know--your reporting is much appreciated!
Good luck in the next drawing!