runRivet.log show atm for one running Theory-Docker-Task:
92000 events processed after 4 days and 11 hour.
===> [runRivet] Fri Apr 24 16:17:49 UTC 2026 [boinc pp jets 13000 180 - pythia8 8.244 CP1-CR1 100000 884]
This or next day Task will find the exit.

When you install a local CVMFS on MacOS this is what 'cvmfs_config setup' originally does (copied from the CVMFS source code):
# Since MacOS 10.15 Catalina it is not possible anymore (without disabling # SIP) create directory in root `/`. # We decide to move the standard installation directory on # `/Users/shared/cvmfs` instead of `/cvmfs` # In order to keep the standard CVMFS mountpoint, we decide to implement # firmlinks from `/cvmfs` to `/Users/shared/cvmfs` if compare_versions $(sw_vers -productVersion) -ge "10.15"; then mkdir -p /Users/shared/cvmfs chown cvmfs:cvmfs /Users/shared/cvmfs chmod 777 /Users/shared/cvmfs if ! grep -q "^cvmfs\t" /etc/synthetic.conf 2> /dev/null ; then echo -e "# The line below was autogenerated by CernVM-FS, do not delete nor edit" >> /etc/synthetic.conf echo -e "cvmfs\t/Users/Shared/cvmfs" >> /etc/synthetic.conf fi # reload synthetic.conf - seems to return nonzero status code even on success /System/Library/Filesystems/apfs.fs/Contents/Resources/apfs.util -t || true else echo "Fuse4x and autofs bug" > /dev/null mkdir -p /cvmfs chown cvmfs:cvmfs /cvmfs chmod 777 /cvmfs fi
To run Theory (docker) without a local CVMFS you MUST ensure '/cvmfs' is present since the container requires it as mountpoint.
So, manually run the relevant commands from the source code above as admin, then reboot:
mkdir -p /Users/shared/cvmfs chmod 777 /Users/shared/cvmfs if ! grep -q "^cvmfs\t" /etc/synthetic.conf 2> /dev/null; then echo -e "cvmfs\t/Users/Shared/cvmfs" >> /etc/synthetic.conf; fi
The part between 'if' and 'fi' must be run as one command without a newline that may be inserted by the forum software here!
If you get permission issues you may not be admin!
In this case, consult your manual or visit MacOS related websites.

It's working fine.

The environment proxy is nice to have for CMS (only) since CMS requests many objects from a distinct CERN webserver (but by far the most from CVMFS!). Theory does not use any data not provided via CVMFS.

Since the scripts were developed for CMS but are now also used for Theory you get that message about the missing environment proxy.
The reason is not the script but a missing tool at Theory (VM as well as podman image).
So far it makes no sense to install that tool on Theory.
Just focus on CVMFS and ignore the message.

In reply to computezrmle's message of 20 Apr 2026:
Toby Broom already mentioned that the VirtualBox app will not run on your Mx Mac (since the guest is x86_64 based).

What may run is the Theory docker app, but it reports an error since it requires /cvmfs to test whether a local CVMFS client is available.
Although running a local CVMFS would be the preferred solution I suggest to first test the following method.

Creating a subfolder directly under '/' seems to be a pain on MacOS.
See here for a possible solution and report if it works:
https://lhcathome.cern.ch/lhcathome//forum_thread.php?id=6481&postid=53450

Thanks computezrmle,

I'll see what I can do.

In reply to computezrmle's message of 22 Apr 2026:
The runspec tells you that #events had already been reduced from 100000 to 6000.
Nonetheless mcplots reports only lost tasks (9 of 9), which indicates they run much too long.
Your log snippet shows a estimated time left around 2894 days (~7.9 years!) for the integration phase.
Even if you let it run that long mcplots will mark the task as unknown (=lost).Thanks for the explanation, I will abort the task.

One more question: if the #events in a task is already reduced and the runtime is getting towards the BOINC-limit of 10 days, it should be aborted?

Name Theory_2922-4881498-693
Anwendung Theory Simulation
batch 19854517
erstellt 6 Mar 2026, 12:21:50 UTC
Mindestanzahl 1
Anfängliche Kopien 1
max # von Fehler/Gesamt/Erfolg Aufgaben 3, 3, 1
Fehler Zu viele Ergebnisse insgesamt
Command line
Priority 0
Job instances
Aufgabe
anklicken für Einzelheiten Computer Gesendet Meldezeit
oder Ablaufdatum
Erklärung Status Laufzeit
(sek) CPU Zeit
(sek) Punkte Anwendung
433463131 10870847 7 Mar 2026, 1:17:10 UTC 14 Mar 2026, 9:37:54 UTC Abgebrochen 627,659.94 595,418.10 --- Theory Simulation v302.10 (docker)
windows_x86_64
433857762 10915803 14 Mar 2026, 12:17:41 UTC 25 Mar 2026, 7:45:25 UTC Abgebrochen 137,481.22 112,932.80 --- Theory Simulation v302.10 (docker)
windows_x86_64
434120529 10797673 25 Mar 2026, 10:45:38 UTC 8 Apr 2026, 7:52:12 UTC Abgebrochen 1,197,623.06 1,139,443.00 --- Theory Simulation v302.10 (docker)
windows_x86_64
Input files

if you run boinc as the boinc user you might need to make the config global e.g.

/etc/containers/containers.conf

or put the the boinc users folder., wherever this might be for your install.

I also faked that VirtualBox is installed as alternate

New-Item "C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox\virtualbox.exe" New-Item -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Oracle\VirtualBox" New-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Oracle\VirtualBox" -Name "Version" -Value "7.2.2" -PropertyType "String" New-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Oracle\VirtualBox" -Name "VersionExt" -Value "7.2.2" -PropertyType "String" New-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Oracle\VirtualBox" -Name "InstallDir" -Value "C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox\" -PropertyType "String"

Seems like the don't use vbox would stop the tasks being sent from server.

The wrapper is part of the main BOINC code base:

https://github.com/BOINC/boinc

Its maintained.

MadGraph5

These types of tasks are rare, but I see the same scenario on one of my PCs.
1. For about half an hour, there is some activity in the VM: Guest shows some CPU load, it downloads around 200 MB, and writes about 100 MB to the disk.
2. After that, Guest activity drops to zero, all performance graphs are flat, and the task log file becomes unreachable.

Here is an excerpt from the log:
===> [runRivet] Wed Apr 8 07:03:39 AM UTC 2026 [boinc pp zinclusive 13000 -,-,200 - madgraph5amc 2.7.2.atlas3...] ... ValueError: unsupported hash type md5 AttributeError : 'module' object has no attribute 'md5' ... ERROR: missing LHE output file: /scratch/tmp/tmp.UjcDJkl2wh/MG5RUN/Events/run_01/unweighted_events.lhe ... [2]+ 2535 Running ( $rivetExecString; exit $? ) & ERROR: fail to run madgraph5amc 2.7.2.atlas3 or Rivet (error exit code)
My preliminary, but not yet firm conclusion: The simulation never started because the angry Python strangled everything, maybe even itself. :)
My action: Brick therapy for that VM.

P.S. For those who are experienced or have real knowledge – please comment, is this "Brick therapy" a correct solution?

Ah thats why i saw a ton of upload backlog on my Boinctasks before shift.

again no tasks available - what's going on over there ?

Well, it turns out I DID have to blacklist KVM.
Like this -

If it doesn't exist, create this file -sudo touch /etc/modprobe.d/kvm.conf
Edit kvm.conf and paste these lines -blacklist kvm blacklist kvm_intel blacklist kvm_amdand Save.

Update the GRUB configuration (if necessary):sudo grub2-mkconfig -o /boot/grub2/grub.cfgReboot.

It works now. Thanks!

Bonjour,est ce que vous prévoyez d'optimiser encore l'application 302.1 theory ou est ce le modéle définitif parce que c'est lent avec docker.
ça va beaucoup plus vite sur virtualbox.

Hello, do you plan to further optimize the 302.1 theory application or is it the definitive model because it’s slow with docker.
it goes much faster on virtualbox.

Two other jobs where I tested the cpu- and elapsed time difference when using VBox rather than docker for the same job:

pp bbbar 7000 20 - pythia8 8.313 default 100000 644 vbox: Run time 1 hours 18 min 2 sec CPU time 1 hours 16 min 34 sec docker: Run time 45 min 3 sec CPU time 38 min 16 sec
pp zinclusive 8000 -,-,100,170 - pythia8 8.306 tune-AU2m 100000 650 vbox: Run time 5 hours 7 min 54 sec CPU time 4 hours 57 min 50 sec docker: Run time 1 hours 54 min 10 sec CPU time 1 hours 40 min 49 sec

apres essais ,l'émulation linux pour docker me fais perdre environ 20% de performances globales sur mon pc en me basant sur les temps de calcul des autres projets non docker.C'est sans interet.autant resté sous linux.

after trying, the Linux emulation for docker makes me lose about 20% of overall performance on my PC based on the computation times of other non-docker projects. It is of no interest. as much remained under linux.

Cool, thanks for that last tip about the runRivet.log file. At least there I can keep an eye on it.
Very useful.



In reply to Crystal Pellet's message of 12 Feb 2026:
Yeah, Advice is ... let it run.
Theory tasks can run from 5 minutes to over 10 days, so don't look at the % done or remaining time. That's of no use.

The Show Graphics button is only available for VBox-tasks, not for the docker version.

I see your task is running in slot 0
In that slot is a folder named 'shared'.
In the shared folder is a file called 'runRivet.log'.
The process running in the container is writing the progress of the event processing into that file.[/quote]

In reply to Crystal Pellet's message of 9 Feb 2026:
Your i7-8700 can't make a connection to CERN:

Probing CVMFS repositories ...
Probing /cvmfs/alice.cern.ch... Failed!
Probing /cvmfs/cvmfs-config.cern.ch... Failed!
Probing /cvmfs/grid.cern.ch... Failed!
Probing /cvmfs/sft.cern.ch... Failed!
Probing CVMFS repositories failed

Thank you...

This workunit containing the job "boinc pp z1j 8000 - - sherpa 2.2.8 default 100000 500" starves because of EXIT_DISK_LIMIT_EXCEEDED
https://lhcathome.cern.ch/lhcathome/workunit.php?wuid=238981772
The 20 hours running docker task with peak disk usage of 7.48 GB contains:

got abort request from client
running docker command: kill boinc__lhcathome.cern.ch_lhcathome__theory_2922-4899195-500_1
program: podman
command output:
boinc__lhcathome.cern.ch_lhcathome__theory_2922-4899195-500_1
EOM
.
.
.
stderr end
running docker command: container rm boinc__lhcathome.cern.ch_lhcathome__theory_2922-4899195-500_1
program: podman
command output:
boinc__lhcathome.cern.ch_lhcathome__theory_2922-4899195-500_1
EOM
running docker command: image rm boinc__lhcathome.cern.ch_lhcathome__theory_2922-4899195-500
program: podman
command output:
Untagged: localhost/boinc__lhcathome.cern.ch_lhcathome__theory_2922-4899195-500:latest
Deleted: 79376ef46d917bc296637af0b05b32bfd9343f28f7fbcb0b1de6c1c506d72d39
Deleted: 9259743e983aaef18ae52b23e457320fa4e849e4e352edb3ad1bd4eece38cec6
Deleted: a42a951158504bf9a4debe713e6aa7365d4651bd8f02aa676adef32a66e324da
Deleted: e06ed2ad55322792d5d90223aced1f2c12f101443f88bc2e586a122413c7ebe0
Deleted: c4f9331961caded74fc715fe1b0e5a576df596340e8a2d50385e0fbdc1cd9ea6

I aborted mine.