A molecular modeling session can get off to a frustrating start when the installer runs but the application cannot use the graphics features it needs. Before troubleshooting a blank window or a failed launch, check the workstation’s operating system, graphics support, and—on Linux—required libraries. A few minutes of preparation can help distinguish a machine that is unsupported from one that simply needs a driver or package.
Start with the graphics requirement
SAMSON requires a 64-bit operating system and a graphics card that supports OpenGL 4.1. For NVIDIA or AMD GPUs, the documentation recommends using the latest drivers. The important check is not just whether the computer has a graphics card: the graphics hardware and its driver must make the required OpenGL capabilities available to SAMSON.
If you are preparing a workstation for a lab, class, or shared modeling environment, verify this on the actual machines users will run. A computer that works for everyday desktop tasks is not necessarily ready for an application that depends on a specific graphics API.
Check the operating system
- Windows: Windows 10 and Windows 11.
- Linux: Ubuntu 22.04 and newer, Fedora 42 and newer, CentOS, and other similar Linux distributions.
- macOS: Tahoe (26), Sequoia (15), Sonoma (14), Ventura (13), and Monterey (12), on Intel and Apple Silicon.
Older platforms may work, but they are outside the currently tested support matrix. If you are diagnosing an issue on an older system, keep that distinction in mind: it may be a platform compatibility question rather than a problem with your molecular model.
If SAMSON runs in a virtual machine
Virtual machines need a specific graphics check. Enable hardware GPU acceleration. Without it, the virtual machine may not expose the OpenGL features SAMSON requires. This is especially easy to overlook when the virtual desktop appears responsive: a working desktop does not by itself confirm that the needed graphics acceleration is available.
For a shared virtual environment, check the graphics configuration from inside the environment where SAMSON will run, not only on the host computer. If the required OpenGL support is unavailable, review the virtual machine’s GPU acceleration settings before moving on to application-level troubleshooting.
Linux: check for missing libraries
Some Linux installations may need additional packages before SAMSON runs correctly. On Ubuntu-like systems, the documentation lists these as possible dependencies:
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sudo apt install libxcb-cursor0 libatomic1 |
On CentOS-like systems, it lists:
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sudo dnf install xcb-util* |
These are possible prerequisites, not a guarantee that every Linux machine needs them. If OpenGL libraries are missing or incorrectly configured, use the Linux OpenGL driver troubleshooting instructions for the next step.
A quick pre-install checklist
- Confirm that the operating system is in the supported list and is 64-bit.
- Check that the graphics card supports OpenGL 4.1.
- Update NVIDIA or AMD drivers when applicable.
- If using a virtual machine, enable hardware GPU acceleration.
- On Linux, install any needed packages and investigate OpenGL configuration if the graphics libraries are unavailable.
SAMSON installs in the user’s home directory, and admin rights are not necessary. This can simplify setup on personal workstations and shared systems where users do not have administrator privileges.
Once the machine passes these checks, continue with the SAMSON installation guide. For the complete platform and dependency details, see the requirements and platforms documentation.
Note: SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. Get SAMSON.