I have more than one user account on my Mac. If I switch users then two users accounts will be active at the same time. The Mac OS will launch a new set of processes for each user account active, but they ALL work on the BOINC Data file stored in Library/Application Support. This does not always corrupt the simulation data, but it has done this twice now, which is why I tracked down the issue.

The work around is simple. I can logout of one account before opening the next, or I can Quit or Pause the BOINC Manager before switch user accounts. I have also started to do daily backups of the BOINC Data files so I can restore files from an earlier date is something still goes wrong.

The best fix for this, at least on a Windows machine, is to install BOINC in \"protected\" (Service) mode.
This means that BOINC starts before the user part of the OS, and isn\'t dependant on any user being logged in, or user switching.

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Backups: Here

With the way BOINC is installed on the Mac I don\'t believe it is possible to control the installation to run as you have described for Windows.

As a Macintosh developer, I believe I have to tools and knowledge to move the BOINC entry in the systems \"Login Items\" list (causes BOINC to be started for all users), and move it to the specific user \"Login Items\" list for the user account I use on a regular bases.

I am offering these comments so your developers for the Mac version of this program might be aware of this issued that I believe is very seldom encountered by users, but they might non-the-less like to address in the future.

BOINC is a University of California, Berkeley, program.
Berkely Open Interface for Network Computing
Their website is here.
Charlie Fenton is the Mac developer here.

To change the installation from \"unprotected\" to a \"service\" (protected) installation, you have to un-install BOINC, then re-install it, clicking on the Advanced button on one of the 1st 3 screens.
This gives you several extra options, such as where to install the 2 parts of BOINC, as well as the install type.

Also: The Big BOINC 6 Answer Thread

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Backups: Here