A molecular modeling session can be interrupted before it begins: the installer runs, but the application will not launch—or graphics features fail on a workstation that otherwise seems powerful enough. The useful first step is to separate three questions: is the operating system in the supported range, can the graphics hardware provide the required OpenGL support, and are any Linux libraries missing?
Start with the support matrix
SAMSON currently supports Windows 10 and 11; Linux distributions including Ubuntu 22.04 and newer, Fedora 42 and newer, CentOS, and similar systems; and macOS Tahoe (26), Sequoia (15), Sonoma (14), Ventura (13), and Monterey (12), on Intel and Apple Silicon. Older platforms may work, but they are not part of the currently tested support matrix. That distinction matters: if you are troubleshooting on an older system, a problem may be difficult to reproduce or diagnose because the setup is outside the tested range.
Before downloading, note the exact operating system and version of the machine you plan to use. If you are choosing between computers, prefer one that falls within the listed versions rather than assuming that a similar-looking older release will behave the same way.
Check the graphics path—not just the computer’s age
The listed graphics requirement is a card that supports OpenGL 4.1. The documentation also recommends current NVIDIA or AMD drivers when applicable. A recent processor or a large amount of memory does not, by itself, confirm that this graphics requirement is met: the relevant question is whether the graphics card and its driver provide the required OpenGL support.
This is especially important on shared workstations, teaching-lab computers, and remote or virtualized setups. If you use a virtual machine, enable hardware GPU acceleration. Without it, the OpenGL features SAMSON requires may be unavailable. In other words, the virtual machine’s graphics configuration is part of the application’s requirements—not an optional performance tweak.
A practical preflight is to confirm the GPU and its driver on the actual machine where SAMSON will run, then verify that the graphics path is configured for hardware acceleration if the machine is virtualized. For a lab or team deployment, test one representative workstation before rolling the software out broadly.
Linux: resolve common missing libraries
On Linux, the installer or application may need libraries that are not present by default. The documentation lists these example packages for Ubuntu-like systems:
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sudo apt install libxcb-cursor0 libatomic1 |
For CentOS-like systems, it lists:
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sudo dnf install xcb-util* |
These are possible prerequisites, not a guarantee that every Linux installation needs the same packages. If OpenGL libraries are missing or incorrectly configured, follow the documented Linux OpenGL driver troubleshooting guidance.
One less installation concern: administrator rights
SAMSON installs in the user’s home directory and does not require admin rights. It also checks that it is not running in admin mode. If you are preparing a personal workstation, this means the installation is intended to take place from a regular user account rather than by launching it as an administrator.
A quick readiness checklist
- Confirm that your operating system is in the supported list.
- Check that the graphics card supports OpenGL 4.1 and that applicable NVIDIA or AMD drivers are up to date.
- If using a virtual machine, enable hardware GPU acceleration.
- On Linux, install any needed packages and investigate OpenGL configuration if the application reports graphics-library problems.
- For shared machines, test the setup before deploying it to everyone.
For the complete requirements and platform details, see the SAMSON requirements and platforms page. For access to the account and installer, visit SAMSON Connect.
Note: SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. Get SAMSON.