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COMSOL 4.0a on Ubuntu

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Does anyone have any experience with successfully installing (and running) COMSOL 4.0a on Ubuntu? I'm thinking of adding a second partition to my workstation (currently running 64 bit version of Windows 7) adding a install of Ubuntu and then installing COMSOL. I have made an anecdotal observation that UNIX provides better memory utilization and run times on large problems as opposed to Windows 7. I also have an installation of COMSOL on a newer Macbook Pro and have seen noticeably faster run times than on my Dell T7400 Workstation with 40 GB of RAM! I'm kind of assuming that the UNIX underpinning of the Mac operating system is responsible.

Any comments?

5 Replies Last Post May 20, 2011, 3:39 a.m. EDT

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Posted: 1 decade ago Sep 22, 2010, 1:55 a.m. EDT
should work fiine with ubuntu
I was runninG 3.5A without a problem [ I am on fedora now but for other reasons]

a few comments:

-make sure you have opengl driver available for your graphic card if you do graphic intensive work
a few threads on this forum talk about this and information exist in the doc and on the comsol website as well.

-not sure about the spped difference. matlab for example, is notoriously slower on mac compared to other platform, but I am NOT aware of benchmark that will compare comsol performance based solely on OS using the very same hardware otherwise
should work fiine with ubuntu I was runninG 3.5A without a problem [ I am on fedora now but for other reasons] a few comments: -make sure you have opengl driver available for your graphic card if you do graphic intensive work a few threads on this forum talk about this and information exist in the doc and on the comsol website as well. -not sure about the spped difference. matlab for example, is notoriously slower on mac compared to other platform, but I am NOT aware of benchmark that will compare comsol performance based solely on OS using the very same hardware otherwise

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Posted: 1 decade ago Sep 22, 2010, 4:04 a.m. EDT

Does anyone have any experience with successfully installing (and running) COMSOL 4.0a on Ubuntu? I'm thinking of adding a second partition to my workstation (currently running 64 bit version of Windows 7) adding a install of Ubuntu and then installing COMSOL. I have made an anecdotal observation that UNIX provides better memory utilization and run times on large problems as opposed to Windows 7. I also have an installation of COMSOL on a newer Macbook Pro and have seen noticeably faster run times than on my Dell T7400 Workstation with 40 GB of RAM! I'm kind of assuming that the UNIX underpinning of the Mac operating system is responsible.

Any comments?


I'm running it on ubuntu server through many linux builds and all worked so far quite good. When I work with models running on 32GB ram, once Comsol is closed all the memory runs back to the initial startup (which is great). Also, if occasionally your models pushes ram into virtual RAM, then you will notice considerable speed difference of Windows vs. Linux. Of course, these are feelings rather than numbers, but I will stick with ubuntu.

Ps. Yes, OpenGL drivers can be one of the difficulties running on ubuntu. Though you can manage it.
[QUOTE] Does anyone have any experience with successfully installing (and running) COMSOL 4.0a on Ubuntu? I'm thinking of adding a second partition to my workstation (currently running 64 bit version of Windows 7) adding a install of Ubuntu and then installing COMSOL. I have made an anecdotal observation that UNIX provides better memory utilization and run times on large problems as opposed to Windows 7. I also have an installation of COMSOL on a newer Macbook Pro and have seen noticeably faster run times than on my Dell T7400 Workstation with 40 GB of RAM! I'm kind of assuming that the UNIX underpinning of the Mac operating system is responsible. Any comments? [/QUOTE] I'm running it on ubuntu server through many linux builds and all worked so far quite good. When I work with models running on 32GB ram, once Comsol is closed all the memory runs back to the initial startup (which is great). Also, if occasionally your models pushes ram into virtual RAM, then you will notice considerable speed difference of Windows vs. Linux. Of course, these are feelings rather than numbers, but I will stick with ubuntu. Ps. Yes, OpenGL drivers can be one of the difficulties running on ubuntu. Though you can manage it.

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Posted: 1 decade ago Sep 22, 2010, 2:24 p.m. EDT
I have had good luck so far running COMSOL on Ubuntu 10.04. If you're using MATLAB with COMSOL that was a little tricky for me to install, but the ubuntu forums have good instructions: help.ubuntu.com/community/MATLAB

You could also try openSUSE as that is one of the "officially" supported Linux distributions: www.comsol.com/products/requirements/linux/

If you try it out, could you post your experience comparing the two?



I have had good luck so far running COMSOL on Ubuntu 10.04. If you're using MATLAB with COMSOL that was a little tricky for me to install, but the ubuntu forums have good instructions: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/MATLAB You could also try openSUSE as that is one of the "officially" supported Linux distributions: http://www.comsol.com/products/requirements/linux/ If you try it out, could you post your experience comparing the two?

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Posted: 1 decade ago Sep 23, 2010, 3:34 p.m. EDT
I had a problem starting 4.0a on Ubuntu 9.10 (X window server error), but changing a setting which controls the graphic window manager solved the problem. See www.comsol.eu/community/forums/general/thread/7444/ for more infromation.
I had a problem starting 4.0a on Ubuntu 9.10 (X window server error), but changing a setting which controls the graphic window manager solved the problem. See http://www.comsol.eu/community/forums/general/thread/7444/ for more infromation.

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Posted: 1 decade ago May 20, 2011, 3:39 a.m. EDT
Recently, I did it. I have 2 partition on my HDD with Win7 and Ubuntu11.04 .
I have PC (CPU) based License so I can run Comsol on both systems.
My experience so far is so:
Ubuntu --> no pull down menu :( (File / Edit / Options / Help ) are missing.

On my workstation somehow performance of Ubuntu is not so good.
I did a stationary and time dependent analysis (CFD+thermal)
stationary: Ubuntu solution time 72s Win7 solution time 57s
time dependent: Ubuntu solution time 425s Win7 solution time 349s

Actually I was expecting a better performance with Ubuntu :(
Recently, I did it. I have 2 partition on my HDD with Win7 and Ubuntu11.04 . I have PC (CPU) based License so I can run Comsol on both systems. My experience so far is so: Ubuntu --> no pull down menu :( (File / Edit / Options / Help ) are missing. On my workstation somehow performance of Ubuntu is not so good. I did a stationary and time dependent analysis (CFD+thermal) stationary: Ubuntu solution time 72s Win7 solution time 57s time dependent: Ubuntu solution time 425s Win7 solution time 349s Actually I was expecting a better performance with Ubuntu :(

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