rosetta@home Started download of minirosetta_graphics_3.31_windows_x86_64.exe
rosetta@home Finished download of minirosetta_graphics_3.31_windows_x86_64.exe
rosetta@home [error] Signature verification failed for minirosetta_graphics_3.31_windows_x86_64.exe
rosetta@home [error] Checksum or signature error for minirosetta_graphics_3.31_windows_x86_64.exe

I keep getting these errors on this one PC. I have tried several BOINC versions; Right now I have 6.6.38 installed. Any ideas on what I could do to fix this?

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Sometimes anti-virus software or firewalls will modify the executable. You may have to add Rosetta to a list of websites or directory names not to be scanning.

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Rosetta Moderator: Mod.Sense

Sometimes anti-virus software or firewalls will modify the executable. You may have to add Rosetta to a list of websites or directory names not to be scanning.

Okay, I gave this one a shot and it's not helping.

Besides, all my other projects are working just fine (BOINC re-installation downloaded all of the executables succesfully, except for rosetta), so what would make the Rosetta executable so special to have some application X to change it, but not any other app?

Is it possible for me to try copying the application from another computer, where it is working?

Has anyone else has experienced this problem?

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Is it possible for me to try copying the application from another computer, where it is working?

Yes, simply copy the exe files. Works of course only in case of "similar" OS, i.e. Windows 64bit or Windows 32bit or whatever, from 32bit to 64bit it won't work for example.

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If you go to the projects tab and "RESET" the project, you will download a new copy of everything. That copy is running successfully on 1000s of other machines.

If your initial copy was modified by AV software, then you would want to "white list" Rosetta and do a project reset in the BOINC manager to get a fresh start.

NOTE: Reset of a BOINC project will kill all active work units for that project (in your case, it doesn't sound like you have any).

The reason AV software might flag one application and not another is because of the way the AV is defining what a virus looks like. Some AV applications have problems incorrectly flagging things as having a virus when they do not. And so it just depends upon the program being scanned as to whether it triggers a false positive from the AV or not. Which AV are you using?

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Rosetta Moderator: Mod.Sense

Which AV are you using?

The AV is McAfee, I checked the logs of it -- There is nothing in them to suggest that the problem would be the AV. Besides the "normal" way the problem would appear if it was AV doesn't match the usual symptoms caused by AV: File can't be accessed, and/or it is deleted. Neither of these are appearing.

I also took a peek at the Rosetta exe file with a Hex edit: It is almost completely zeroed out! Windows doesn't even recognize it as a valid application. (There are some blocks of non-zero data trickled here and there, but the file 98% zero)

Is it possible that Boinc is downloading the file from a bad mirror or proxy (or something like this)? I've recently had loads of failed downloads from SourceForge, that look similar when checked with HEX editor. I solved that by selecting another mirror. I realize that the next suspect could be the firewall: It is a hardware based one, and I can't get around it. (The PC in question is at my workplace)

Link: Thanks for the reply. I will try this once I get the chance..

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I suspect the firewall has modified the download. The purpose of the signature validation that is failing is to ensure that the file has not been modified. The signature failure confirms that the file has been modified, and therefore should not be run.

The existence of such a firewall implies your employer does not wish for their machine to be used in this way. Or at least that they want the opportunity to formally approve such a use.

All of the download servers are controlled by BakerLab and all use a common file system to ensure they are distributing identical copies of things. If a download server had a problem of some king there would be many people getting signature errors at the same time. I have not seen reports that would bolster that theory.

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Rosetta Moderator: Mod.Sense

The existence of such a firewall implies your employer does not wish for their machine to be used in this way. Or at least that they want the opportunity to formally approve such a use.

This is very small company and everyone here knows about my Boinc stuff. If they don't want me doing this, they can just tell me so.

All of the download servers are controlled by BakerLab and all use a common file system to ensure they are distributing identical copies of things. If a download server had a problem of some king there would be many people getting signature errors at the same time. I have not seen reports that would bolster that theory.

Okay, it was just a thought ..

I managed to get the project going for now by copying the exe from another machine and changing the client state XML file. We will see what happens the next time an updated Rosetta application is released.

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