Few things interrupt a molecular modeling session like installing software, opening a project, and discovering that the workstation cannot provide the graphics capabilities the application needs. The useful check is not just whether a computer is new enough or has a dedicated graphics card: SAMSON requires a 64-bit operating system and graphics support for OpenGL 4.1.
A quick preflight can help you catch the most common compatibility issues before installation—and can make troubleshooting more focused if something does go wrong.
Start with the graphics requirement
Confirm that the graphics hardware and its drivers support OpenGL 4.1. On Windows, macOS, or Linux, check the graphics details available for your system and consult the GPU manufacturer’s information where needed. The key is the OpenGL version exposed by the graphics setup, not simply the GPU’s name or the fact that the computer can display a desktop.
Also check that NVIDIA or AMD drivers are up to date when those GPUs apply. A capable card with old or misconfigured drivers may not expose the graphics features an application expects. If you manage a teaching lab or shared workstation, test the actual machines students or colleagues will use rather than relying on one representative computer.
Check whether your operating system is in the support matrix
The documented platforms for this SAMSON version are:
- Windows: Windows 11 and Windows 10.
- Linux: Ubuntu 22.04 and newer, Fedora 42 and newer, CentOS, and other similar Linux operating systems.
- 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 when planning a workstation refresh or diagnosing a problem: a platform that happens to launch the software is not necessarily one covered by the current testing.
Give virtual machines a separate graphics check
If you run SAMSON inside a virtual machine, enable hardware GPU acceleration. Without it, the virtual machine may not provide the OpenGL features SAMSON requires. A virtual machine can appear perfectly usable for everyday tasks while still lacking the graphics path needed for molecular visualization, so check this before troubleshooting the application itself.
For Linux: check required libraries
Some Linux installations may need additional libraries before SAMSON runs correctly. On Ubuntu-like systems, the documented packages are:
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sudo apt install libxcb-cursor0 libatomic1 |
On CentOS-like systems, you may need:
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sudo dnf install xcb-util* |
These are potential prerequisites, not a guarantee that every machine needs the same packages. If OpenGL libraries are missing or incorrectly configured, use the guide to installing OpenGL drivers on Linux.
A practical pre-install checklist
- Verify that the operating system is 64-bit.
- Check that it is listed among the supported platforms above.
- Confirm OpenGL 4.1 support and update applicable NVIDIA or AMD drivers.
- If using a virtual machine, enable hardware GPU acceleration.
- On Linux, install any libraries your system is missing.
- For shared machines, test the graphics setup on the computers that will actually be used.
One less common concern is installation permissions: SAMSON installs in the user home, and admin rights are not necessary. It also checks that it is not running in admin mode.
For installation steps and further platform details, read the SAMSON requirements and platforms documentation.
Note: SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. Get SAMSON.