These Instructions will be replaced in March 2008
The following are brief instructions for using the Windows
version EGG.EXE file, which serves the same functions as the
Linux/Unix eggsh program to collect and send data for the Global
Consciousness Project (GCP).
Most of the general information you need is available on the GCP
website, under Participate -> Hosting. You will need to contact
Roger Nelson to arrange to host an "egg"
for the GCP, provide the necessary information about your
configuration and IP address, and to get the hardware REG that
is required, and the ID number that is needed for configuration.
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Please follow these instructions to install and run the program.
1) Create a directory C:\GCP
2) Download the EGG.EXE file into C:\GCP
3) Run the EGG.EXE program from C:\GCP.
You can simply double-click on the program from an explorer window
or run it from a Command Prompt window. Or even
Start->Run->C:\GCP\Egg.
This will cause the EGG program to install itself as a "Service".
It will ask you 3 setup questions. 1) Your EGG ID#, 2) The type of
REG (Orion, Mindsong...), and 3) Which COM port you've connected
the REG to. A more complete description of this dialog is provided at
the end of this document.
Doing these steps will create a service called "EGG Service", and start
it running. You will probably need to perform these steps from an account
with Administrative privileges to successfully create the service -
I haven't fully tested this aspect.
The program will write to a log file in C:\GCP called "EGG.log". There
are still a few debug messages being sent to this file so you can get
confirmation that the program is running and data is being collected and
sent to the Basket.
You should also be running some time-synchronization software, so the
system keeps accurate time. I believe Windows 2000 has a built-in program
to do so. There are also shareware programs out there to do this
functionality. I can point you to a couple if you need one.
If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please do not
hesitate to contact me.
Good luck... Paul
Paul Bethke
bethke@wi.rr.com
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Description of the EGG setup dialog, on first running the program:
When you sign up to host an EGG, you are given a unique EGG ID#.
If you have not yet been given an EGG ID#, please enter 0.
Please enter the EGG ID# assigned to you> 2000
We need to know what kind of Random Event Generator (REG) you will be
using
There current possibilities are:
0) PEAR
1) Mindsong (long box with 9-pin connector)
2) Orion (Silver 25-pin connector-box)
Please enter the number for your type of REG [0-2]> 2
Now we need to know which serial port you plugged your REG into.
It will be called something like COM1: or COM2:.
Please enter the name of the serial port [e.g. "COM2:"]> COM1:
Once these questions have been answered, they are not asked again -
unless the user runs EGGConfig.exe, which re-asks all the questions.
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Description of the file system:
The data files are stored in a directory - usually C:\GCP\EGG\Data, and
given a name which is the date they are representing. The file name is
in the format "yyyymmdd.egg". "20020118.egg" would be today's file. Each
file is 86,400 bytes long - the number of seconds in a day. Each byte
represents the "count" for that particular second of the day. The file
initializes full of "NO_DATA" values, and the actual data overwrites the
NO_DATA when it is available.
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SYNCHRONIZING YOUR COMPUTER'S CLOCK
The Windows 2000 command to set the time calibration is:
From a Command Prompt (DOS) window type:
net time /setsntp:noosphere.princeton.edu
That will cause the computer's time to synchronize with noosphere.
From then on, Windows 2000 will synchronize the time with that computer
at necessary intervals.
To see how it is currently set type:
net time /querysntp
For more Information on the command, in the Command Prompt window you
can type:
NET TIME /?
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Important: Soft rebooting and crazy mouse pointer
The following notes provide instructions for booting and soft
rebooting Windows systems with an Orion RNG device connected (they
probably should be followed in any case). A workaround is given at the
end, but it requires care.
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When the PC is soft rebooted (not powered off), power remains applied to
the modem-control pins that turn the REG on. This causes data to continue
to be emitted while Windows is starting up.
Problems may arise because Windows determines that there must be a mouse
attached to the COM port that the REG is attached to. It then automatically
tries to treat the COM port as a mouse (Windows 2000), or tries to load the
necessary mouse drivers (Windows NT).
When you bring the machine up from a powered-down state, the REG is not
activated until the EGG Service starts running and turns the REG on - and
everything works normally.
There is no EGG data collected during the system restart, and the data
file will be filled with the standard NO_DATA value. No corruption will
occur, just missing data.
If you need to start or stop the EGG Service, simply go to the Services
display, and choose Start or Stop on the "EGG Service" service.
Should you wish to SOFT-reboot the system in the future, unplugging the
REG will allow Windows to start up without second-guessing what the unknown
device is on the COM port. Once Windows has started, re-insert the REG
and the EGG will start collecting as it should.
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WORKAROUND for the mouse driver problem
** Only do this if you are not also using an actual "serial" mouse - one
plugged into a COM port **
If you are actually using a serial mouse, you should probably switch to
a PS/2 or USB mouse on the EGG computer.
1) Stop the "EGG Service" service to release the COM port
- Stop the EGG service
a) Bring up "Start->Administrative Tools->Services"
b) Right-click the "EGG Service" service
c) Choose "Stop"
2) Reproduce the problem in a controlled environment
- Bring up the Device Manager window
a) Right-click "My Computer" and choose "Properties"
b) Choose the "Hardware" tab
c) Press the "Device Manager..." button
- Record what the current "Mouse" is
a) Expand "Mice and other pointing devices"
b) Note what mice are currently defined
- Cause the problem
a) Right-click on the current mouse
b) Choose "Scan for hardware changes"
c) After Windows installs the driver for the "new mouse", disconnect
the REG (this will stop the pointer from flitting about the screen)
d) If it doesn't load a new driver, repeat the scan until it does
3) Disable the new mouse driver
- Right-click on the new mouse listing and choose "Disable"
I have seen Windows 2000 think that the REG is:
- Microsoft Serial Mouse
- Microsoft Serial BallPoint Mouse
4) Restart the "EGG Service" service
- Reconnect the REG
- Restart the EGG service
a) Bring up "Start->Administrative Tools->Services"
b) Right-click the "EGG Service" service
c) Choose "Start"
Once the serial mouse driver has been "Disabled", Windows 2000 will not
attempt to install that driver again. I have rebooted many times after this
process and have not had the problem. Prior to disabling that driver, I
would see the problem about 50% of the time using the Orion REG, and
have yet to see it with the Mindsong REG. (Odd, huh?)
I think Windows 2000 looks for a very specific sequence of consecutive
bytes to determine that there is actually a mouse connected. The "detection"
process lasts about 1 second. With the higher data rate of the Orion, I
suppose it is more likely that the sequence of bytes will occur than
with the Mindsong at about 1/3 the data rate. ??
I hope this works for you as it did for me. I have yet to receive further
word from Microsoft on the problem. Again, this is the Windows 2000 fix
only. I have a different fix for Windows NT, and 95/98 does not exhibit
this problem.
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Instructions for re-installation or installation of a new version
for Windows NT/2000:
- at a Command Prompt type> net stop "egg service"
- copy the enclosed EGG.EXE to C:\GCP - over the existing EGG.EXE
- at a Command Prompt type> net start "egg service"
You may also use the "Services" window to start and stop the "EGG
Service",if that is easier for you.
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If it becomes necessary to reconfigure your egg, for example to use a
different COM port, you can use the program EGGConfig.exe, which is
available at http://noosphere.princeton.edu/winegg/EGGConfig.exe, or via
the Windows links from the software page. The program allows you to
change the registry values for the EGG program. EGGConfig.exe will
re-ask the 3 setup questions so you can change their values. This
will save the pains of editing the registry manually.
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The following additional notes and instructions are for using the
Egg.exe program under Windows 95/98/Me. It has not been thoroughly
tested in these environments, but does appear to be working correctly
in 95/98, and is expected to work with Windows Me as well.
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Date: Fri, 17 Nov 2000 09:55:25 -0600
From: Paul Bethke
Subject: Instructions for Windows Egg software
I have not tested the program on W95. I *have* run it on W98. There
are two routines that the documentation says do not work under W95,
but I have reason to believe they might work just the same.
Anyway, the difference between running on W95/98/Me and NT/2000 is that it
cannot run in the "background" on the "lesser" versions of windows - there
is no background.
The way it works on Windows 98 is:
1) Create a directory C:\GCP
2) Download the EGG.EXE file into C:\GCP
3) Run the EGG.EXE program from C:\GCP. (in a MS-DOS window)
The program should still ask the question about the EGG ID# and the
type of REG.
In theory, you could put EGG.EXE in the "Startup" folder of your Windows 95
menu, and it would re-start when your system started or when you log in if
you are using passwords.
Once the egg is running, it will store yyyymmdd.EGG files in
C:\GCP\EGG\Data, and will write a EGG.LOG file in C:\GCP. You can examine
the EGG.LOG file to see any informational messages. The MS-DOS window itself
should not receive any messages.
Please let me know if this works for you or if you have any questions about
what I have said above.
Best of luck...Paul
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