We provide a Linux virtual machine with a fully working ROOT and Garfield++ system. We have made two virtual machines that are adapted to different hardware (CPU architecture): AMD (or x64) and ARM. People with AMD Ryzen or Intel Core processors are recommended to download the AMD virtual machine. People with Mac M1-4 processors are recommended to download the ARM virtual machine.
Step 1: Download the virtual machine & install Virtual Box
The virtual machines can be downloaded here:
GDSims-2026-Xubuntu-AMD64.tar.gz
GDSims-2026-Xubuntu-ARM64.tar.gz
The virtual machine works with Oracle Virtual Box software (version 7.0 or higher)
that can be downloaded for Windows, Linux and MacOS from the following webpage:
Once installed virtual box, there will be folder VirtualBox VMs. Unpack the zip-file in this directory and open VirtualBox. Click in the menu on "Open" and select the directory that you created unpacking the zip-file. The virutal machine should now appear in left menu. Click on it and the virtual machine should start. The password for the user "student" is "password".
Step 2: Test the Virtual Machine:
Now you can test the garfield installation. Open a terminal (e.g. from the bottom menu) and go into the "Software/garfield" directory and source the script "startgarfield.sh":
AMD:
cd Software
source SetupGEANTandGARFIELD.sh
cd GARFIELDPP_w_GEANT4_from_source_20260225
ARM:
cd Software/garfield
source startgarfield.sh
Both AMD and ARM:
Then go to the examples and compile and execute an example:
cd Examples/Gem
mkdir build
cd build
cmake ..
make
./Gem
You should be running a simulation of an electron traveling in a single-gem detector:
Make a screenshot of the Electric Field and the Electron Drift inside the GEM detector and send it to: drd1-gdsims2026@cern.ch with subject title: "GDSims2026 - Test Virtual Machine - <your name>