This is a copy of a guide I made with a different title to be more precise.

First thing I must say is that it was thanks to [AF>Linux] Dudumomo that I was able to do this at all, being a Linux N00B.

Ubuntu is as everyone tells me the easiest choice for N00B's wanting to use Linux & have little or no experience with it. There are different flavors & variations of Ubuntu out there, my choice was Mint Linux, because I like the feel & look of it.

First of all, you'll want the latest version of Ubuntu, which is Karmic Koala (Ubuntu 9.10) 64bit, if your CPU supports it.

If you have this, then we can start.

In terminal type :
sudo gedit /etc/apt/sources.list

enter your root password.

the gedit software (kind of wordpad) pops up & you add the lines:

deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/nvidia-vdpau/ppa/ubuntu karmic main
deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/nvidia-vdpau/ppa/ubuntu karmic main

save & quit.

Now, still in the terminal, write :

sudo apt-key adv --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com --recv-keys CEC06767

then add:

sudo apt-get update

Finally, you just need to activate the hardware driver on system-->Administration--->Hardware Drivers

Choose the latest version which should be Nvidia version 195 & activate.

After that you must restart Linux.

After you have restarted, set up you screen to the resolution of your liking. system-->Administration--->NVIDIA X Server Setting

for some reason I couldn't Save to X Configuration File so I did what a N00B does & that is a messy improvisation by clicking on Show preview, Select All, copy then going to system-->File System, Open as Root, enter root password, File System-->etc-->X11-->open xorg.conf & then paste over (on top of) everything what you copied from the Show preview, then save & exit.

Now to get BOINC to run on Linux, go to:

http://www.getdeb.net/updates/Ubuntu/all#how_to_install

Follow the steps, even do that & install the getdeb package.

I still couldn't get it to work via their site. So I did that N00B thing again.

system-->Administration-->Synaptic Package Manager

type BOINC in the Quick search field & choose everything which starts with boinc & has a version 6.10 or higher

After that, it should work. May The Forceful One Be With You!

[AF>Linux] Dudumomo wanted to add:

if someone wants to use the latest BOINC version, please use the berkeley .sh file.

But with getdeb it is really easy to install it.
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A possible argument to why using Linux to run GPUGRID.net on BOINC Manager might be found here: http://www.gpugrid.net/forum_thread.php?id=1985 roughly 27% increase in credits from GPUDRID.net Another argument being that if you award your kids with a certain amount of time to play games per week, & don't want them gaming 24/7. Yet another might be if you have an office PC that you want to leave running but not accessing Windows (unless you want it to).
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