If you’re a molecular modeler working in a Linux environment, you’ve probably encountered a familiar frustration: you download an impressive-looking platform like SAMSON, excited to explore its powerful features—only to hit a wall because something doesn’t launch or render properly. The problem? Missing libraries or graphics drivers. Here’s how to avoid these initial blockers and get started with SAMSON smoothly on Linux.
Why this matters
SAMSON is a powerful platform for interactive molecular design, supporting advanced simulations, visualizations, and analysis. However, due to its advanced graphical capabilities, proper setup is essential—especially on Linux, where environment configurations can vary widely across distributions.
Essential System Requirements
SAMSON requires a 64-bit operating system and a GPU capable of running OpenGL 4.1. If you’re planning to run it in a virtual environment, be aware that hardware GPU acceleration is necessary—otherwise, you may not be able to make use of SAMSON’s visual interface.
Must-Have Libraries for Ubuntu and CentOS
Depending on your distribution, you’ll need to install a couple of libraries manually. Here’s how:
For Ubuntu and similar systems:
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sudo apt install libxcb-cursor0 libatomic1 |
For CentOS and similar systems:
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sudo dnf install xcb-util* |
Why these packages? SAMSON relies on libxcb for window and mouse handling utilities, and libatomic1 for low-level operations involving atomic variables. These libraries aren’t always pre-installed, especially on minimal or custom Linux configurations.
What if it still doesn’t run?
If you’re encountering rendering issues or SAMSON isn’t launching, the problem might be your OpenGL driver—especially if you’re using AMD or integrated Intel graphics. OpenGL enables SAMSON to render molecules in high detail, and an unsupported or outdated driver can cause unpredictable behavior.
In such cases, visit SAMSON’s OpenGL troubleshooting section for step-by-step guidance on getting the right graphics driver installed. With NVIDIA and AMD GPUs, installing the proprietary drivers generally resolves most compatibility problems.
Pro Tip: Test OpenGL Compatibility
If you want to check whether your system supports OpenGL 4.1 before installing SAMSON, you can use the glxinfo command:
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glxinfo | grep "OpenGL version" |
This will tell you the supported OpenGL version—anything lower than 4.1 means SAMSON might not work properly.
Additional note for virtual machine users
If you’re setting up SAMSON inside a VM, make sure your virtualization software allows GPU passthrough. Without this, graphical acceleration inside the VM won’t be possible, and SAMSON’s interface might crash or not open at all. Enabling the hardware GPU for the VM is usually done through the software settings of VirtualBox, VMware, or whichever hypervisor you’re using.
Preparing your Linux environment with the right packages and drivers means avoiding these speed bumps and jumping straight into what really matters—your research.
To learn more, read the SAMSON Getting Started guide.
SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. You can download the platform at https://www.samson-connect.net.