It is recommended to use the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) for running CERN's FLUKA and Flair on Windows 10 (see link). However, on Windows 7, 8 or an older build of Windows 10, WSL is not available. In that case one can use a virtual machine to run FLUKA. Vagrant allows easy configuration and management of a VirtualBox virtual machine.

The instructions are also available on github under this link.

1. Required software

1.1. Vagrant

Download Vagrant from vagrantup.com and install it. After the installation restart Windows.

1.1.1. Install Guest Addtion Plugin for Vagrant

Run the following command in a command prompt to install the Guest Addtion Plugin for Vagrant:

vagrant plugin install vagrant-vbguest

1.2. VirtualBox

Download VirtualBox from virtualbox.org and install it.

1.3. Xming

Xming X Server for Windows is necessary to visualize the Flair's graphical interface.

Download and install the Public Domain Release version from http://www.straightrunning.com/XmingNotes.

2. Setting up and using the virtual machine

2.1. Configuration file

Download the configuration files from here, and extract it. It contains the Vagrantfile storing the configuration of the virtual machine and a FLUKA folder.

2.2. Start a Command Prompt

Start a Command Prompt as Administrator, and change to the folder where the Vagrantfile is located.

2.3. Start the virtual machine

Simply use the

vagrant up

command. The first time you run, vagrant will download and configure the base for the virtual machine, which could take some time. Later the start should take around 20 seconds only.

If there is an error with the shared folder due to the missing VirtualBox Guest Additions, run the following command:

vagrant provision && vagrant vbguest && vagrant reload

2.4. Start Xming

Start the Xming app from the Start Menu.

2.5. Connect to the virtual machine

To connect use the command:

vagrant ssh

When you see the

 vagrant@fluka:~$

prompt, the virtual machine is ready to use.

2.6. Shared folder

In the Windows machine the FLUKA folder next to the Vagrantfile is automatically shared with the virtual machine at /fluka directory.

2.7. Log out fron the virtual machine

Use the

logout

command.

2.8. Stopping the virtual machine

the command

vagrant halt

will shut down the virtual machine

2.9. Deleting the virtual machine

In case you don't need the virtual machine any more, or you want to restart from a clean state, you can delete the virtual machine with

vagrant destroy

The shared folder on Windows won't be deleted.

3. Installing, running, and updating FLUKA and Flair

Use the instructions starting from point 2 at link.