Guide: compiling BOINC on 64bit linux

[kiwi]

I made a little guide to make BOINC run on 64bit linux (x86_64) and take advantage of 64bit capable cpus. According to my tests BOINC scores higher on 64bit linux than on Windows XP


Let's begin

I will be using CentOS linux x86_64 (very similar to Redhat and Fedora core)

All commands are done using root user. You can also use regular user if you use your own directory for files/software.


Software prerequisites for client:
GNU tools (find them here): make 3.79+, m4 1.4+, libtool 1.4+, pkg-config 0.15+, autoconf 2.58+, automake 1.8+, GCC 3.0.4+
OpenSSL version 0.9.8+
libcurl version 7.15.5
svn - Subversion command line client tool

You will have them already installed in most cases. If your linux uses RPM package manager run and make sure you get some output:
# rpm -qa|grep -i openssl
# rpm -qa|grep -i gcc
# rpm -qa|grep -i make
# rpm -qa|grep -i subversion


If you don't get any output then you need to install those packages.
For example, try

# yum install gcc

to install gcc package (it will connect to Internet and download/install automatically)

Now BOINC

# cd /opt
# mkdir boinc-src
# svn co http://boinc.berkeley.edu/svn/trunk/boinc
# svn co http://boinc.berkeley.edu/svn/trunk/boinc_samples

It might take some time, it will download more than 100MB of source files

# cd boinc
# ./_autosetup

We just want a client and install dir is /opt/boinc
# ./configure --disable-server --prefix=/opt/boinc

It will check if all prerequisites are there, if you have errors check what they say
# make

Now it compiles software
If you have errors check what they say
# make install


Now you will have only command line version
If you want a GUI BOINC manager you have to download x86 linux boinc client and copy a few files

Say you have downloaded Linux/x86 file boinc_5.9.4_i686-pc-linux-gnu.sh to /tmp

# chmod 755 /tmp/boinc_5.9.4_i686-pc-linux-gnu.sh
# sh /tmp/boinc_5.9.4_i686-pc-linux-gnu.sh

Now copy 3 files to our real boinc directory
# cp /tmp/BOINC/boincmgr /opt/boinc/bin/.
# cp /tmp/BOINC/run_manager /opt/boinc/bin/.
# cp /tmp/BOINC/ca-bundle.crt /opt/boinc/bin/.


And the last step is to rename boinc_client to boinc since X86 version has that file named boinc

# cd /opt/boinc/bin
# mv boinc_client boinc

Now you are ready to run boinc manager
# ./boincmgr

or

#./run_manager


After attaching to project it might display that it failed but just continue/update project and it should run fine

Good luck

Advantages of running 64bit Linux on your crunching box:
* Free and stable OS
* Multiple cpu/core support (1000+)
* Better BOINC numbers