Ubuntu on Wayland login session gets Mesa driver even when Nvidia installed

[goddard@…]

The following bug report has been submitted:
Platform:        Linux-6.14.0-24-generic-x86_64-with-glibc2.39
ChimeraX Version: 1.11.dev202507112120 (2025-07-11 21:20:09 UTC)
Description
ChimeraX was getting the Mesa graphics driver even though the Nvidia driver is installed and working as shown by nvidia-smi on this Ubuntu 24 machine.  Mesa rotated this 11000 atom 9i6h structure quite slowly in the default full lighting.

Updating the Nvidia driver to 575 (cuda 12.9) did not fix the problem.

Then I recalled I had tried logging into a Wayland session a while ago.  You do this at the Ubuntu login screen by pressing the gear settings icon after clicking your login name and choosing "Ubuntu on Wayland".  That was the problem.  Logging in with the setting "Ubuntu" (using Xorg) made ChimeraX get the Nvidia driver.  Apparently Wayland needs something more to get the windows system to use the Nvidia driver.  Using Ubuntu on Wayland, glxinfo also reported using the Mesa driver.


Log:
UCSF ChimeraX version: 1.11.dev202507112120 (2025-07-11)  
© 2016-2025 Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.  
How to cite UCSF ChimeraX  

> graphics driver

OpenGL version: 3.3.0 NVIDIA 575.64.03  
OpenGL renderer: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090/PCIe/SSE2  
OpenGL vendor: NVIDIA Corporation  

> open 9i6h format mmcif fromDatabase pdb

9i6h title:  
Room temperature structure of KR2 rhodopsin in pentameric form at 95% relative
humidity [more info...]  
  
Chain information for 9i6h #1  
---  
Chain | Description | UniProt  
A B C D E | Sodium pumping rhodopsin | N0DKS8_9FLAO 3-275  
  
Non-standard residues in 9i6h #1  
---  
LFA — eicosane (lipid fragment)  
NA — sodium ion  
OLC — (2R)-2,3-dihydroxypropyl (9Z)-octadec-9-enoate (1-Oleoyl-R-glycerol)  
RET — retinal  
  

> select #1

11939 atoms, 11949 bonds, 30 pseudobonds, 1631 residues, 2 models selected  




OpenGL version: 3.3.0 NVIDIA 575.64.03
OpenGL renderer: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090/PCIe/SSE2
OpenGL vendor: NVIDIA Corporation

Python: 3.11.4
Locale: en_US.UTF-8
Qt version: PyQt6 6.8.1, Qt 6.8.2
Qt runtime version: 6.8.2
Qt platform: xcb

XDG_SESSION_TYPE=x11
DESKTOP_SESSION=ubuntu
XDG_SESSION_DESKTOP=ubuntu
XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP=ubuntu:GNOME
DISPLAY=:1
Manufacturer: HP
Model: OMEN by HP 45L Gaming Desktop GT22-1xxx
OS: Ubuntu 24.04
Architecture: 64bit ELF
Virtual Machine: none
CPU: 32 13th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i9-13900K
Cache Size: 36864 KB
Memory:
	               total        used        free      shared  buff/cache   available
	Mem:            62Gi       2.7Gi        57Gi        64Mi       2.9Gi        59Gi
	Swap:          8.0Gi          0B       8.0Gi

Graphics:
	00:02.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Intel Corporation Raptor Lake-S GT1 [UHD Graphics 770] [8086:a780] (rev 04)	
	DeviceName: Onboard - Video	
	Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Raptor Lake-S GT1 [UHD Graphics 770] [103c:8a96]

Installed Packages:
    alabaster: 1.0.0
    appdirs: 1.4.4
    asttokens: 3.0.0
    auditwheel: 6.4.1
    babel: 2.17.0
    beautifulsoup4: 4.13.3
    blockdiag: 3.0.0
    blosc2: 3.5.1
    build: 1.2.2.post1
    certifi: 2025.7.9
    cftime: 1.6.4.post1
    charset-normalizer: 3.4.2
    ChimeraX-AddCharge: 1.5.19
    ChimeraX-AddH: 2.2.7
    ChimeraX-AlignmentAlgorithms: 2.0.2
    ChimeraX-AlignmentHdrs: 3.6.1
    ChimeraX-AlignmentMatrices: 2.1
    ChimeraX-Alignments: 3.0
    ChimeraX-AlphaFold: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-AltlocExplorer: 1.1.2
    ChimeraX-AmberInfo: 1.0
    ChimeraX-Aniso: 1.3.1
    ChimeraX-Arrays: 1.1
    ChimeraX-Atomic: 1.60.10
    ChimeraX-AtomicLibrary: 14.1.21
    ChimeraX-AtomSearch: 2.0.1
    ChimeraX-AxesPlanes: 2.4
    ChimeraX-BasicActions: 1.1.3
    ChimeraX-BILD: 1.0
    ChimeraX-BlastProtein: 3.0.0
    ChimeraX-Boltz: 1.1
    ChimeraX-BondRot: 2.0.4
    ChimeraX-BugReporter: 1.0.2
    ChimeraX-BuildStructure: 2.13.1
    ChimeraX-Bumps: 1.0
    ChimeraX-BundleBuilder: 1.5.1
    ChimeraX-ButtonPanel: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-CageBuilder: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-CellPack: 1.0
    ChimeraX-Centroids: 1.4
    ChimeraX-ChangeChains: 1.1
    ChimeraX-CheckWaters: 1.5
    ChimeraX-ChemGroup: 2.0.2
    ChimeraX-Clashes: 2.3
    ChimeraX-ColorActions: 1.0.5
    ChimeraX-ColorGlobe: 1.0
    ChimeraX-ColorKey: 1.5.8
    ChimeraX-CommandLine: 1.3.0
    ChimeraX-ConnectStructure: 2.0.1
    ChimeraX-Contacts: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-Core: 1.11.dev202507112120
    ChimeraX-CoreFormats: 1.2
    ChimeraX-coulombic: 1.4.5
    ChimeraX-Crosslinks: 1.0
    ChimeraX-Crystal: 1.0
    ChimeraX-CrystalContacts: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-DataFormats: 1.2.4
    ChimeraX-Dicom: 1.2.7
    ChimeraX-DistMonitor: 1.4.2
    ChimeraX-DockPrep: 1.1.4
    ChimeraX-Dssp: 2.0
    ChimeraX-EMDB-SFF: 1.0
    ChimeraX-ESMFold: 1.0
    ChimeraX-FileHistory: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-FunctionKey: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-Geometry: 1.3
    ChimeraX-gltf: 1.0
    ChimeraX-Graphics: 1.4.1
    ChimeraX-Hbonds: 2.5.2
    ChimeraX-Help: 1.3
    ChimeraX-HKCage: 1.3
    ChimeraX-IHM: 1.1
    ChimeraX-ImageFormats: 1.2
    ChimeraX-IMOD: 1.0
    ChimeraX-IO: 1.0.4
    ChimeraX-ItemsInspection: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-IUPAC: 1.0
    ChimeraX-KVFinder: 1.7
    ChimeraX-Label: 1.1.14
    ChimeraX-LinuxSupport: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-ListInfo: 1.2.2
    ChimeraX-Log: 1.2
    ChimeraX-LookingGlass: 1.1
    ChimeraX-Maestro: 1.9.1
    ChimeraX-Map: 1.3
    ChimeraX-MapData: 2.0
    ChimeraX-MapEraser: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-MapFilter: 2.0.1
    ChimeraX-MapFit: 2.0
    ChimeraX-MapSeries: 2.1.1
    ChimeraX-Markers: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-Mask: 1.0.2
    ChimeraX-MatchMaker: 2.2.2
    ChimeraX-MCopy: 1.0
    ChimeraX-MDcrds: 2.12.1
    ChimeraX-MedicalToolbar: 1.1
    ChimeraX-Meeting: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-Minimize: 1.1
    ChimeraX-MLP: 1.1.1
    ChimeraX-mmCIF: 2.16
    ChimeraX-MMTF: 2.2
    ChimeraX-ModelArchive: 1.0
    ChimeraX-Modeller: 1.5.22
    ChimeraX-ModelPanel: 1.5.1
    ChimeraX-ModelSeries: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-Mol2: 2.0.3
    ChimeraX-Mole: 1.0
    ChimeraX-Morph: 1.0.2
    ChimeraX-MouseModes: 1.2
    ChimeraX-Movie: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-MutationScores: 1.0
    ChimeraX-Neuron: 1.0
    ChimeraX-Nifti: 1.2
    ChimeraX-NMRSTAR: 1.0.2
    ChimeraX-NRRD: 1.2
    ChimeraX-Nucleotides: 2.0.3
    ChimeraX-OpenCommand: 1.15.1
    ChimeraX-OrthoPick: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-PDB: 2.7.10
    ChimeraX-PDBBio: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-PDBLibrary: 1.0.4
    ChimeraX-PDBMatrices: 1.0
    ChimeraX-PickBlobs: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-Positions: 1.0
    ChimeraX-PresetMgr: 1.1.3
    ChimeraX-ProfileGrids: 1.1.3
    ChimeraX-PubChem: 2.2
    ChimeraX-ReadPbonds: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-Registration: 1.1.2
    ChimeraX-RemoteControl: 1.0
    ChimeraX-RenderByAttr: 1.6.4
    ChimeraX-RenumberResidues: 1.1
    ChimeraX-ResidueFit: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-RestServer: 1.3.1
    ChimeraX-RNALayout: 1.0
    ChimeraX-RotamerLibMgr: 4.0
    ChimeraX-RotamerLibsDunbrack: 2.0
    ChimeraX-RotamerLibsDynameomics: 2.0
    ChimeraX-RotamerLibsRichardson: 2.0
    ChimeraX-SaveCommand: 1.5.2
    ChimeraX-SchemeMgr: 1.0
    ChimeraX-SDF: 2.0.3
    ChimeraX-Segger: 1.0
    ChimeraX-Segment: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-Segmentations: 3.5.7
    ChimeraX-SelInspector: 1.0
    ChimeraX-SeqView: 2.17.2
    ChimeraX-Shape: 1.1
    ChimeraX-Shell: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-Shortcuts: 1.2.1
    ChimeraX-ShowSequences: 1.0.3
    ChimeraX-SideView: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-SimilarStructures: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-Smiles: 2.1.2
    ChimeraX-SmoothLines: 1.0
    ChimeraX-SpaceNavigator: 1.0
    ChimeraX-StdCommands: 1.19.1
    ChimeraX-STL: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-Storm: 1.0
    ChimeraX-StructMeasure: 1.2.1
    ChimeraX-Struts: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-Surface: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-SwapAA: 2.0.1
    ChimeraX-SwapRes: 2.5.2
    ChimeraX-TapeMeasure: 1.0
    ChimeraX-TaskManager: 1.0
    ChimeraX-Test: 1.0
    ChimeraX-Toolbar: 1.2.3
    ChimeraX-ToolshedUtils: 1.2.4
    ChimeraX-Topography: 1.0
    ChimeraX-ToQuest: 1.0
    ChimeraX-Tug: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-UI: 1.46.3
    ChimeraX-Umap: 1.0
    ChimeraX-uniprot: 2.3.1
    ChimeraX-UnitCell: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-ViewDock: 1.1
    ChimeraX-VIPERdb: 1.0
    ChimeraX-Vive: 1.1
    ChimeraX-VolumeMenu: 1.0.1
    ChimeraX-vrml: 1.0
    ChimeraX-VTK: 1.0
    ChimeraX-WavefrontOBJ: 1.0
    ChimeraX-WebCam: 1.0.2
    ChimeraX-WebServices: 1.1.5
    ChimeraX-Zone: 1.0.1
    colorama: 0.4.6
    comm: 0.2.2
    contourpy: 1.3.2
    coverage: 7.9.2
    cxservices: 1.2.3
    cycler: 0.12.1
    Cython: 3.0.12
    debugpy: 1.8.14
    decorator: 5.2.1
    distro: 1.9.0
    docutils: 0.21.2
    executing: 2.2.0
    filelock: 3.18.0
    fonttools: 4.58.5
    funcparserlib: 2.0.0a0
    glfw: 2.9.0
    grako: 3.16.5
    h5py: 3.14.0
    html2text: 2024.2.26
    idna: 3.10
    ihm: 2.2
    imagecodecs: 2024.6.1
    imagesize: 1.4.1
    iniconfig: 2.1.0
    ipykernel: 6.29.5
    ipython: 8.26.0
    ipywidgets: 8.1.7
    jedi: 0.19.1
    Jinja2: 3.1.6
    jupyter_client: 8.6.3
    jupyter_core: 5.8.1
    jupyterlab_widgets: 3.0.15
    kiwisolver: 1.4.8
    line_profiler: 4.2.0
    lxml: 5.3.1
    lz4: 4.4.4
    MarkupSafe: 3.0.2
    matplotlib: 3.10.1
    matplotlib-inline: 0.1.7
    msgpack: 1.1.0
    ndindex: 1.10.0
    nest-asyncio: 1.6.0
    netCDF4: 1.6.5
    networkx: 3.3
    nibabel: 5.2.0
    nptyping: 2.5.0
    numexpr: 2.11.0
    numpy: 1.26.4
    OpenMM: 8.2.0
    openvr: 1.26.701
    packaging: 24.2
    ParmEd: 4.2.2
    parso: 0.8.4
    pep517: 0.13.1
    pexpect: 4.9.0
    pickleshare: 0.7.5
    pillow: 10.4.0
    pip: 25.0.1
    pkginfo: 1.11.1
    platformdirs: 4.3.8
    pluggy: 1.6.0
    prompt_toolkit: 3.0.51
    psutil: 7.0.0
    ptyprocess: 0.7.0
    pure_eval: 0.2.3
    py-cpuinfo: 9.0.0
    pycollada: 0.8
    pydicom: 2.4.4
    pyelftools: 0.32
    Pygments: 2.18.0
    pynmrstar: 3.3.5
    pynrrd: 1.0.0
    PyOpenGL: 3.1.9
    PyOpenGL-accelerate: 3.1.9
    pyopenxr: 1.1.4501
    pyparsing: 3.2.3
    pyproject_hooks: 1.2.0
    PyQt6: 6.8.1
    PyQt6-Qt6: 6.8.2
    PyQt6-WebEngine: 6.8.0
    PyQt6-WebEngine-Qt6: 6.8.2
    PyQt6_sip: 13.10.0
    pytest: 8.4.1
    pytest-cov: 6.2.1
    python-dateutil: 2.9.0.post0
    pytz: 2025.2
    pyzmq: 27.0.0
    qtconsole: 5.5.2
    QtPy: 2.4.3
    qtshim: 1.1
    RandomWords: 0.4.0
    requests: 2.32.3
    roman-numerals-py: 3.1.0
    scipy: 1.14.0
    setuptools: 78.1.0
    sfftk-rw: 0.8.1
    six: 1.16.0
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    sphinxcontrib-devhelp: 2.0.0
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    tcia_utils: 1.5.1
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    tzdata: 2025.2
    urllib3: 2.5.0
    wcwidth: 0.2.13
    webcolors: 24.11.1
    wheel: 0.45.1
    wheel-filename: 1.4.2
    widgetsnbextension: 4.0.14

[Greg Couch]

So this is probably a Nvidia driver installation bug, not a ChimeraX Bug. Are you sure you installed the Nvidia OpenGL driver? What does glxinfo think the OpenGL driver is?

[Tom Goddard]

The nvidia driver on minsky is installed using Ubuntu Software & Updates under Advanced drivers where you can choose different Nvidia packages. The current one is nvidia 575 meta package, proprietary, tested.

glxinfo also sees Mesa as the driver.

Online sources say the problem is most likely the window system, not the driver installation. This seems on the right track since Boltz can use the Nvidia driver and switching to Ubuntu Xorg instead of Wayland also makes ChimeraX graphics use the Nvidia driver. I guess there is some additional magic to make Wayland use the Nvidia driver. Maybe it is related to signing or security.

[Greg Couch]

If glxinfo says Mesa, then the Nvidia OpenGL driver is not installed properly. Depending on how the CUDA driver was installed, it might have messed up the OpenGL driver, or there was a bug. The next step is to remove all of the proprietary Nvidia packages and reinstall.

[Tom Goddard]

This is not a problem on minsky for me because I don't use Wayland, and the driver is working with Xorg. I made a bug report in case others are using Wayland. Because the nvidia driver was installed and is managed by Ubuntu others may encounter this on Wayland.

[Tom Goddard]

The ChimeraX OpenXR camera computes view_width() assuming a field of view of 100 degrees that is hard-coded. The camera has an actual field of view from the last rendering and should use that instead.

[Greg Couch]

This shouldn't be a Wayland vs Xorg issue. ChimeraX runs very well on Wayland using the XWayland compatibly layer.

However, I see several potentially competing Nvidia driver versions installed: nvidia-dkms for 550, 560, 565, and 575; nvidia-kernal common for 550, 560, 565, 570, and 575; nvidia-firmware for 570 and 575. I believe there should be only one version installed.

[Greg Couch]

In Ubuntu 24.04, ChimeraX does not see the Nvidia driver if using Wayland.