diff --git a/kaikoura/Kaikoura.ipynb b/kaikoura/Kaikoura.ipynb
index e4e0e16..696e929 100644
--- a/kaikoura/Kaikoura.ipynb
+++ b/kaikoura/Kaikoura.ipynb
@@ -78,7 +78,9 @@
    "metadata": {},
    "outputs": [],
    "source": [
-    "!OMP_NUM_THREADS=4 mpirun -n 1 SeisSol_Release_dhsw_4_elastic parametersLSW.par"
+    "!OMP_NUM_THREADS=4 mpirun -n 1 SeisSol_Release_dhsw_4_elastic parametersLSW.par\n",
+    "# on Frontera with apptainer, replace with:\n",
+    "# !SEISSOL_COMMTHREAD=0 OMP_NUM_THREADS=28 mpirun -n 2 apptainer run {\"~/my-training.sif\"} SeisSol_Release_dhsw_4_elastic parametersLSW.par"
    ]
   },
   {
diff --git a/kaikoura/parametersLSW.par b/kaikoura/parametersLSW.par
index 6c3ca8e..3949d68 100644
--- a/kaikoura/parametersLSW.par
+++ b/kaikoura/parametersLSW.par
@@ -12,12 +12,6 @@ FreqRatio=100
 &IniCondition
 /
 
-&Boundaries
-BC_fs = 1                               ! enable free surface boundaries
-BC_dr = 1                               ! enable fault boundaries
-BC_of = 1                               ! enable absorbing boundaries
-/
-
 &DynamicRupture
 FL = 16                      ! Friction law
 !0: none, 16:LSW, 103: RS with strong velocity weakening
@@ -32,7 +26,6 @@ YRef = 0.0
 ZRef = -1.0
 refPointMethod = 1
 
-RF_output_on = 0            ! Rupture front ascii output
 OutputPointType = 4         ! Type (0: no output, 3: ascii file, 4: paraview file, 5: 3+4)
 SlipRateOutputType=0        ! 0: (smoother) slip rate output evaluated from the difference between the velocity on both side of the fault
                             ! 1: slip rate output evaluated from the fault tractions and the failure criterion (less smooth but usually more accurate where the rupture front is well developped)
@@ -41,7 +34,6 @@ SlipRateOutputType=0        ! 0: (smoother) slip rate output evaluated from the
 !see: https://seissol.readthedocs.io/en/latest/fault-output.html
 ! parameterize paraview file output
 &Elementwise
-printIntervalCriterion = 2       ! 1=iteration, 2=time
 printtimeinterval_sec = 1.0      ! Time interval at which output will be written
 OutputMask = 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1   ! turn on and off fault outputs
 refinement_strategy = 2
@@ -74,14 +66,12 @@ ClusteredLTS = 2                     ! 1 for Global time stepping, 2,3,5,... Loc
 /
 
 &Output
-FaultOutputFlag = 1                  ! DR output (add this line only if DR is active)
 OutputFile = 'output/NZ_LSW'
 Format = 10                          ! Format (10= no output, 6=hdf5 output)
 !             |stress     |vel
 iOutputMask = 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1
 !                 |strain     |eta
 iPlasticityMask = 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
-printIntervalCriterion = 2           ! Criterion for index of printed info: 1=timesteps,2=time,3=timesteps+time
 TimeInterval = 5.                    ! Index of printed info at time
 refinement = 0
 OutputRegionBounds = 6.10e6 6.27e6 -3.97e6 -3.80e6 -60e3 10e3 !(optional) array that describes the region 
@@ -90,7 +80,6 @@ OutputRegionBounds = 6.10e6 6.27e6 -3.97e6 -3.80e6 -60e3 10e3 !(optional) array
 ! off-fault ascii receivers
 RFileName = 'receivers-NZfinal_SJF80_withHope_NewHumps-large.dat'      ! Record Points in extra file
 pickdt = 0.01                        ! Pickpoint Sampling
-pickDtType = 1                       ! Pickpoint Type
 ! (Optional) Synchronization point for receivers.
 !            If omitted, receivers are written at the end of the simulation.
 ReceiverOutputInterval = 5.0
@@ -108,6 +97,7 @@ EnergyOutput = 1 ! Computation of energy, written in csv file
 EnergyTerminalOutput = 1 ! Write energy to standard output
 EnergyOutputInterval = 0.2
 
+Checkpoint = 0
 /
            
 &AbortCriteria
diff --git a/kaikoura/parametersRS.par b/kaikoura/parametersRS.par
index ba716b2..92fdbbb 100644
--- a/kaikoura/parametersRS.par
+++ b/kaikoura/parametersRS.par
@@ -12,11 +12,6 @@ FreqRatio=100
 &IniCondition
 /
 
-&Boundaries
-BC_fs = 1                               ! enable free surface boundaries
-BC_dr = 1                               ! enable fault boundaries
-BC_of = 1                               ! enable absorbing boundaries
-/
 
 &DynamicRupture
 FL = 103                      ! Friction law
@@ -38,7 +33,6 @@ YRef = 0.0
 ZRef = -1.0
 refPointMethod = 1
 
-RF_output_on = 0            ! Rupture front ascii output
 OutputPointType = 4         ! Type (0: no output, 3: ascii file, 4: paraview file, 5: 3+4)
 SlipRateOutputType=0        ! 0: (smoother) slip rate output evaluated from the difference between the velocity on both side of the fault
                             ! 1: slip rate output evaluated from the fault tractions and the failure criterion (less smooth but usually more accurate where the rupture front is well developped)
@@ -47,7 +41,6 @@ SlipRateOutputType=0        ! 0: (smoother) slip rate output evaluated from the
 !see: https://seissol.readthedocs.io/en/latest/fault-output.html
 ! parameterize paraview file output
 &Elementwise
-printIntervalCriterion = 2       ! 1=iteration, 2=time
 printtimeinterval_sec = 1.0      ! Time interval at which output will be written
 OutputMask = 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1   ! turn on and off fault outputs
 refinement_strategy = 2
@@ -80,14 +73,12 @@ ClusteredLTS = 2                     ! 1 for Global time stepping, 2,3,5,... Loc
 /
 
 &Output
-FaultOutputFlag = 1                  ! DR output (add this line only if DR is active)
 OutputFile = 'output/NZ_RS'
 Format = 10                          ! Format (10= no output, 6=hdf5 output)
 !             |stress     |vel
 iOutputMask = 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1
 !                 |strain     |eta
 iPlasticityMask = 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
-printIntervalCriterion = 2           ! Criterion for index of printed info: 1=timesteps,2=time,3=timesteps+time
 TimeInterval = 5.                    ! Index of printed info at time
 refinement = 0
 OutputRegionBounds = 6.10e6 6.27e6 -3.97e6 -3.80e6 -60e3 10e3 !(optional) array that describes the region 
@@ -96,7 +87,6 @@ OutputRegionBounds = 6.10e6 6.27e6 -3.97e6 -3.80e6 -60e3 10e3 !(optional) array
 ! off-fault ascii receivers
 RFileName = 'receivers-NZfinal_SJF80_withHope_NewHumps-large.dat'      ! Record Points in extra file
 pickdt = 0.01                        ! Pickpoint Sampling
-pickDtType = 1                       ! Pickpoint Type
 ! (Optional) Synchronization point for receivers.
 !            If omitted, receivers are written at the end of the simulation.
 ReceiverOutputInterval = 5.0
@@ -114,6 +104,7 @@ EnergyOutput = 1 ! Computation of energy, written in csv file
 EnergyTerminalOutput = 1 ! Write energy to standard output
 EnergyOutputInterval = 0.2
 
+Checkpoint = 0
 /
            
 &AbortCriteria
diff --git a/northridge/Northridge.ipynb b/northridge/Northridge.ipynb
index c7d8b74..b678748 100644
--- a/northridge/Northridge.ipynb
+++ b/northridge/Northridge.ipynb
@@ -331,7 +331,9 @@
    "outputs": [],
    "source": [
     "# transform the gmsh mesh into the SeisSol mesh format using pumgen\n",
-    "!mpirun -n 1 pumgen -s msh2 mesh_northridge.msh2"
+    "!mpirun -n 1 pumgen -s msh2 mesh_northridge.msh2\n",
+    "# on Frontera with apptainer, replace with:\n",
+    "# !mpirun -n 1 apptainer run {\"~/my-training.sif\"} pumgen -s msh2 mesh_northridge.msh2"
    ]
   },
   {
@@ -393,7 +395,9 @@
    "metadata": {},
    "outputs": [],
    "source": [
-    "!rconv -i northridge_resampled.srf -o northridge_resampled.nrf -x visualization.xdmf -m \"+proj=tmerc +datum=WGS84 +k=0.9996 +lon_0=-118.5150 +lat_0=34.3440 +axis=enu\""
+    "!rconv -i northridge_resampled.srf -o northridge_resampled.nrf -x visualization.xdmf -m \"+proj=tmerc +datum=WGS84 +k=0.9996 +lon_0=-118.5150 +lat_0=34.3440 +axis=enu\"\n",
+    "# on Frontera with apptainer, replace with:\n",
+    "# !apptainer run {\"~/my-training.sif\"} rconv -i northridge_resampled.srf -o northridge_resampled.nrf -x visualization.xdmf -m \"+proj=tmerc +datum=WGS84 +k=0.9996 +lon_0=-118.5150 +lat_0=34.3440 +axis=enu\""
    ]
   },
   {
@@ -409,7 +413,9 @@
    "metadata": {},
    "outputs": [],
    "source": [
-    "!OMP_NUM_THREADS=4 mpirun -n 1 SeisSol_Release_dhsw_4_elastic parameters.par"
+    "!OMP_NUM_THREADS=4 mpirun -n 1 seissol parameters.par\n",
+    "# on Frontera with apptainer, replace with:\n",
+    "# !SEISSOL_COMMTHREAD=0 OMP_NUM_THREADS=28 mpirun -n 2 apptainer run {\"~/my-training.sif\"} seissol parameters.par"
    ]
   },
   {
diff --git a/northridge/parameters.par b/northridge/parameters.par
index 7d34988..a55d65e 100644
--- a/northridge/parameters.par
+++ b/northridge/parameters.par
@@ -8,12 +8,6 @@ FreqRatio=100
 &IniCondition
 /
 
-&Boundaries
-BC_fs = 1                                      ! enable free surface boundaries
-BC_dr = 0                                      ! enable fault boundaries
-BC_of = 1                                      ! enable absorbing boundaries
-/
-
 &SourceType
 Type = 42   ! 42: finite source in netcdf format
 FileName = './northridge_resampled.nrf' ! input file.
@@ -35,7 +29,6 @@ ClusteredLTS = 2                               ! 1 for Global time stepping, 2,3
 /
 
 &Output
-FaultOutputFlag = 1                            ! DR output (add this line only if DR is active)
 OutputFile = 'output/test'
 Format = 10                                     ! Format (10= no output, 6=hdf5 output)
 !             |stress     |vel
@@ -50,10 +43,7 @@ SurfaceOutput = 1
 SurfaceOutputRefinement = 1
 SurfaceOutputInterval = 1.0
 
-printIntervalCriterion = 2          ! Criterion for index of printed info: 1=timesteps,2=time,3=timesteps+time
-
 pickdt = 0.005                       ! Pickpoint Sampling
-pickDtType = 1                       ! Pickpoint Type
 RFileName = 'offreceivers.dat'       ! Record Points in extra file
 
 !xdmfWriterBackend = 'posix' ! (optional) The backend used in fault, wavefield,
@@ -63,6 +53,8 @@ RFileName = 'offreceivers.dat'       ! Record Points in extra file
 EnergyOutput = 1 ! Computation of energy, written in csv file
 EnergyTerminalOutput = 1 ! Write energy to standard output
 EnergyOutputInterval = 0.5
+
+Checkpoint = 0
 /
 
 &AbortCriteria
diff --git a/sulawesi/parametersLSW.par b/sulawesi/parametersLSW.par
index cc8e6c1..8f0ca36 100644
--- a/sulawesi/parametersLSW.par
+++ b/sulawesi/parametersLSW.par
@@ -12,11 +12,6 @@ FreqRatio=100
 &IniCondition
 /
 
-&Boundaries
-BC_fs = 1                                      ! enable free surface boundaries
-BC_dr = 1                                      ! enable fault boundaries
-BC_of = 1                                      ! enable absorbing boundaries
-/
 
 &DynamicRupture
 FL = 16                                         ! Friction law  
@@ -34,14 +29,12 @@ YRef = 0.0
 ZRef = -1.0
 refPointMethod = 1
 
-RF_output_on = 0                               ! Rupture front ascii output
 OutputPointType = 5                            ! Type (0: no output, 3: ascii file, 4: paraview file, 5: 3+4)
 /
 
 !see: https://seissol.readthedocs.io/en/latest/fault-output.html
 ! parameterize paraview file output
 &Elementwise
-printIntervalCriterion = 2                     ! 1=iteration, 2=time
 printtimeinterval_sec = 0.5                    ! Time interval at which output will be written
 OutputMask = 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1             ! turn on and off fault outputs
 refinement_strategy = 2
@@ -74,21 +67,18 @@ ClusteredLTS = 2                               ! 1 for Global time stepping, 2,3
 /
 
 &Output
-FaultOutputFlag = 1                            ! DR output (add this line only if DR is active)
 OutputFile = 'output/SulawesiLSW'
 Format = 10                                    ! Format (10= no output, 6=hdf5 output)
 !             |stress     |vel
 iOutputMask = 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1
 !                 |strain     |eta
 iPlasticityMask = 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
-printIntervalCriterion = 2                     ! Criterion for index of printed info: 1=timesteps,2=time,3=timesteps+time
 TimeInterval = 5.                              ! Index of printed info at time
 refinement = 2
 
 ! off-fault ascii receivers
 RFileName = 'GPSfiltered_proj_200m_8e6.dat'    ! Record Points in extra file
 pickdt = 0.01                                  ! Pickpoint Sampling
-pickDtType = 1                                 ! Pickpoint Type
 ! (Optional) Synchronization point for receivers.
 !            If omitted, receivers are written at the end of the simulation.
 ReceiverOutputInterval = 1.0
@@ -106,6 +96,8 @@ SurfaceOutputInterval = 0.25
 EnergyOutput = 1 ! Computation of energy, written in csv file
 EnergyTerminalOutput = 1 ! Write energy to standard output
 EnergyOutputInterval = 0.5
+
+Checkpoint = 0
 /
 
 &AbortCriteria
diff --git a/sulawesi/parametersRS.par b/sulawesi/parametersRS.par
index bce05f5..6bed675 100644
--- a/sulawesi/parametersRS.par
+++ b/sulawesi/parametersRS.par
@@ -12,12 +12,6 @@ FreqRatio=100
 &IniCondition
 /
 
-&Boundaries
-BC_fs = 1                                      ! enable free surface boundaries
-BC_dr = 1                                      ! enable fault boundaries
-BC_of = 1                                      ! enable absorbing boundaries
-/
-
 &DynamicRupture
 FL = 103                                       ! Friction law  
 !0: none, 16:LSW, 103: RS with strong velocity weakening
@@ -40,14 +34,12 @@ YRef = 0.0
 ZRef = -1.0
 refPointMethod = 1
 
-RF_output_on = 0                               ! Rupture front ascii output
 OutputPointType = 5                            ! Type (0: no output, 3: ascii file, 4: paraview file, 5: 3+4)
 /
 
 !see: https://seissol.readthedocs.io/en/latest/fault-output.html
 ! parameterize paraview file output
 &Elementwise
-printIntervalCriterion = 2                     ! 1=iteration, 2=time
 printtimeinterval_sec = 0.5                    ! Time interval at which output will be written
 OutputMask = 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1             ! turn on and off fault outputs
 refinement_strategy = 2
@@ -80,19 +72,16 @@ ClusteredLTS = 2                               ! 1 for Global time stepping, 2,3
 /
 
 &Output
-FaultOutputFlag = 1                            ! DR output (add this line only if DR is active)
 OutputFile = 'output/Sulawesi'
 Format = 10                                    ! Format (10= no output, 6=hdf5 output)
 !             |stress     |vel
 iOutputMask = 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1
-printIntervalCriterion = 2                     ! Criterion for index of printed info: 1=timesteps,2=time,3=timesteps+time
 TimeInterval = 5.                              ! Index of printed info at time
 refinement = 2
 
 ! off-fault ascii receivers
 RFileName = 'GPSfiltered_proj_200m_8e6.dat'    ! Record Points in extra file
 pickdt = 0.01                                  ! Pickpoint Sampling
-pickDtType = 1                                 ! Pickpoint Type
 ! (Optional) Synchronization point for receivers.
 !            If omitted, receivers are written at the end of the simulation.
 ReceiverOutputInterval = 1.0
@@ -101,7 +90,6 @@ ReceiverOutputInterval = 1.0
 SurfaceOutput = 1
 SurfaceOutputRefinement = 1
 SurfaceOutputInterval = 0.25
-!ReceiverOutputInterval = 0.05
 
 ! xdmfWriterBackend = 'posix' ! (optional) The backend used in fault, wavefield,
 ! and free-surface output. The HDF5 backend is only supported when SeisSol is compiled with
@@ -110,6 +98,8 @@ SurfaceOutputInterval = 0.25
 EnergyOutput = 1 ! Computation of energy, written in csv file
 EnergyTerminalOutput = 1 ! Write energy to standard output
 EnergyOutputInterval = 0.5
+
+Checkpoint = 0
 /
 
 &AbortCriteria
diff --git a/sulawesi/sulawesi.ipynb b/sulawesi/sulawesi.ipynb
index 4fae2f6..11d4a24 100644
--- a/sulawesi/sulawesi.ipynb
+++ b/sulawesi/sulawesi.ipynb
@@ -82,7 +82,9 @@
    "metadata": {},
    "outputs": [],
    "source": [
-    "!OMP_NUM_THREADS=4 mpirun -n 1 SeisSol_Release_dhsw_4_elastic parametersLSW.par"
+    "!OMP_NUM_THREADS=4 mpirun -n 1 SeisSol_Release_dhsw_4_elastic parametersLSW.par\n",
+    "# on Frontera with apptainer, replace with:\n",
+    "# !SEISSOL_COMMTHREAD=0 OMP_NUM_THREADS=28 mpirun -n 2 apptainer run {\"~/my-training.sif\"} SeisSol_Release_dhsw_4_elastic parametersLSW.par"
    ]
   },
   {
diff --git a/tpv13/parameters.par b/tpv13/parameters.par
index 53532b0..ee3be63 100644
--- a/tpv13/parameters.par
+++ b/tpv13/parameters.par
@@ -9,12 +9,6 @@ Tv = 0.03
 &IniCondition
 /
 
-&Boundaries
-BC_fs = 1                                      ! enable free surface boundaries
-BC_dr = 1                                      ! enable fault boundaries
-BC_of = 1                                      ! enable absorbing boundaries
-/
-
 &DynamicRupture
 ! linear slip-weakening friction
 FL = 16                                        ! Friction law  
@@ -30,14 +24,12 @@ YRef = -1.0
 ZRef = 0.0
 refPointMethod = 1
 
-RF_output_on = 0                                ! Rupture front ascii output
 OutputPointType = 4
 /
 
 !see: https://seissol.readthedocs.io/en/latest/fault-output.html
 !parameterize paraview file output
 &Elementwise
-printIntervalCriterion = 2                     ! 1=iteration, 2=time
 printtimeinterval_sec = 1.0                    ! Time interval at which output will be written
 OutputMask = 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1             ! turn on and off fault outputs
 refinement_strategy = 2
@@ -65,7 +57,6 @@ ClusteredLTS = 2                               ! Enable local time-stepping
 /
 
 &Output
-FaultOutputFlag = 1                            ! DR output (add this line only if DR is active)
 OutputFile = 'output/tpv13'
 Format = 6                                     ! Format (10=no output, 6=hdf5 output)
 !             |stress     |vel
@@ -80,10 +71,7 @@ SurfaceOutput = 1
 SurfaceOutputRefinement = 1
 SurfaceOutputInterval = 2.0
 
-printIntervalCriterion = 2          ! Criterion for index of printed info: 1=timesteps,2=time,3=timesteps+time
-
 pickdt = 0.005                       ! Pickpoint Sampling
-pickDtType = 1                       ! Pickpoint Type
 RFileName = 'tpv12_13_receivers.dat'      ! Record Points in extra file
 
 ! xdmfWriterBackend = 'posix' ! (optional) The backend used in fault, wavefield,
@@ -93,6 +81,8 @@ RFileName = 'tpv12_13_receivers.dat'      ! Record Points in extra file
 EnergyOutput = 1 ! Computation of energy, written in csv file
 EnergyTerminalOutput = 1 ! Write energy to standard output
 EnergyOutputInterval = 0.5
+
+Checkpoint = 0
 /
 
 &AbortCriteria
diff --git a/tpv13/tpv13.ipynb b/tpv13/tpv13.ipynb
index fe78080..f9cd59c 100644
--- a/tpv13/tpv13.ipynb
+++ b/tpv13/tpv13.ipynb
@@ -46,7 +46,9 @@
    "metadata": {},
    "outputs": [],
    "source": [
-    "!gmsh -3 tpv13_training.geo"
+    "!gmsh -3 tpv13_training.geo\n",
+    "# on Frontera with apptainer, replace with:\n",
+    "# !mpirun apptainer run {\"~/my-training.sif\"} gmsh -3 tpv13_training.geo"
    ]
   },
   {
@@ -65,7 +67,9 @@
    "metadata": {},
    "outputs": [],
    "source": [
-    "!mpirun -n 1 pumgen -s msh2 tpv13_training.msh"
+    "!mpirun -n 1 pumgen -s msh2 tpv13_training.msh\n",
+    "# on Frontera with apptainer, replace with:\n",
+    "# !mpirun -n 1 apptainer run {\"~/my-training.sif\"} pumgen -s msh2 tpv13_training.msh"
    ]
   },
   {
@@ -131,7 +135,9 @@
    "metadata": {},
    "outputs": [],
    "source": [
-    "!OMP_NUM_THREADS=4 mpirun -n 1 SeisSol_Release_dhsw_4_elastic parameters.par"
+    "!OMP_NUM_THREADS=4 mpirun -n 1 seissol parameters.par\n",
+    "# on Frontera with apptainer, replace with:\n",
+    "# !SEISSOL_COMMTHREAD=0 OMP_NUM_THREADS=28 mpirun -n 2 apptainer run {\"~/my-training.sif\"} seissol parameters.par"
    ]
   },
   {