I did give up after more than a couple of hours. Ugh!
I've been running Seti software since '99, with 20,000 hrs of machine time. When I D/L'd BOINC I have no credit showing and Seti has not credited any time since mid-November. WTH, I quit. I can't get anything to do anything afer setting up project!
FRegards
Please give F@H a try. I have used incarnations going back to the Genome@Home project, and it seems very stable.
You are not the only BOINC user to despair. Eventually they will have their problems ironed out, but that day is not here yet.