A molecular modeling session can come to a halt before you even reach the structure: SAMSON refuses to open, or its graphics setup fails. On Linux, two different issues can look like a general launch problem: missing xcb libraries and missing or unavailable OpenGL libraries. Checking them separately can make troubleshooting less like guesswork.
First, identify which problem you’re seeing
If the launch error mentions xcb, start with the desktop-platform libraries. If SAMSON starts but reports a graphics or OpenGL problem—or fails while setting up its display—check the GPU and OpenGL libraries. The remedies are different, so it’s useful to follow the branch that matches the error rather than installing everything at once.
If the error mentions xcb
On Ubuntu-like systems, the documentation recommends installing these packages:
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sudo apt install libxcb-xinerama0 libxcb-cursor0 |
On CentOS-like systems, it suggests installing the xcb-util* packages:
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sudo dnf install xcb-util* |
These are platform dependencies, not GPU drivers. If the message you’re seeing is about OpenGL instead, continue with the graphics checks below.
Check the GPU and OpenGL setup
SAMSON requires a graphics card that supports OpenGL 3.2. To see which display adapter Linux reports, run:
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lspci | grep VGA |
For more detail, the documentation also suggests:
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sudo lshw -c video lspci -nn | grep VGA |
If the output identifies an NVIDIA or AMD card, the appropriate GPU driver may be needed. Driver installation depends on the GPU and Linux distribution, so use instructions for that specific combination. If the system reports an integrated Intel GPU, the documentation points to Mesa as a possible source of the OpenGL libraries.
See whether the OpenGL libraries are present
On Debian-based systems, you can inspect OpenGL information and look for the relevant library files with:
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glxinfo | grep OpenGL locate libOpenGL.so locate libGL.so |
For AMD-related troubleshooting, the required library names include libOpenGL.so.0 and libGLX.so.0. Check for them with:
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sudo updatedb locate libOpenGL.so locate libGLX.so locate libGL.so |
If you’re on a Debian-based system and need Mesa, the documented install command is:
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sudo apt-get install libgl1-mesa-dev mesa-utils |
For the AMD section, the documentation also gives this alternative command:
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sudo apt-get install mesa-utils libgl1-mesa-dev |
Use library links cautiously
The troubleshooting guide describes creating symbolic links when libOpenGL.so or libGLX.so is missing. These examples depend on particular library locations and, in one case, a SAMSON installation path. Don’t copy a path blindly: first confirm that the target library exists on your machine and that the path matches your installation. The guide’s bundled-library example uses SAMSON version 11.0.0; if SAMSON is updated, it says that link must be created again. A system-library example is also provided, but its location may not match every Linux installation.
Older Ubuntu-specific driver references in the guide—including the note about Ubuntu 14.04 and fglrx—are tied to that historical platform context. For a newer system, check the driver guidance for your distribution and GPU instead of assuming an older instruction applies.
A practical order is: match the error to xcb or OpenGL, identify the GPU, check whether the needed libraries are installed, and only then consider a driver, Mesa, or a library-link workaround. For the full instructions and related platform guidance, see the SAMSON troubleshooting page.
Note: SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. Get SAMSON.