# MATLAB hangs on opening, Pop OS 20.10 **URL:** \ **Category:** Programming Help\ **Tags:** linux\ **Created:** [June 21, 2021, 11:36pm UTC](https://psychtoolbox.discourse.group/t/matlab-hangs-on-opening-pop-os-20-10/3905 "2021-06-21T23:36:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![matthew.heard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/87869e/32.png) [@matthew.heard](https://psychtoolbox.discourse.group/u/matthew.heard)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2021, 11:36pm UTC](https://psychtoolbox.discourse.group/t/matlab-hangs-on-opening-pop-os-20-10/3905/1 "2021-06-21T23:36:40Z")
Hello all, I am not optimistic that I will find an answer since this is more of a Matlab issue than a PTB one, but I have an experiment running in about 16 hours that depends on finding an answer. Matlab appears to be freezing shortly after opening the GUI. I am running Pop OS version 20.10 with all of the latest updates to the best of my knowledge. My best theory as to why I am having issues is because some update just installed that has bricked Matlab. Description of the problem: Regardless of whether I open it using the “Show Applications” screen, using the terminal, etc., Matlab appears to freeze after loading. It brings up the standard loading screen and shows the full command window/workspace/user interface. If I look in the bottom left corner of the window, it switches from “Initializing” to “Ready”. However, MATLAB does not accept any key presses into the command window, nor can I interact with any of the on-screen buttons (e.g. “Open”, “New script”). In fact, the “New” and “Open” buttons remain grayed out. What triggered the problem: Restarting the laptop? What I have attempted since then: - Running ptb3-matlab. No change in behavior compared to standard “matlab” command - Running Matlab from the command line with the following flags (and combinations thereof): -nodesktop, -softwareopengl. No changes in behavior - Running Matlab with -logfile flag. The resulting output shows the standard “Welcome to MATLAB” text and nothing else. Thanks all ---
**Author:** ![dcnieho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@dcnieho](https://psychtoolbox.discourse.group/u/dcnieho)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2021, 6:22am UTC](https://psychtoolbox.discourse.group/t/matlab-hangs-on-opening-pop-os-20-10/3905/2 "2021-06-22T06:22:34Z")
have you tried matlab `-nodesktop` `?` `If that works at least you can run` ---
**Author:** ![Ian-Max-Andolina](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/psychtoolbox.discourse.group/ian-max-andolina/32/4_2.png) [@Ian-Max-Andolina](https://psychtoolbox.discourse.group/u/Ian-Max-Andolina)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2021, 6:32am UTC](https://psychtoolbox.discourse.group/t/matlab-hangs-on-opening-pop-os-20-10/3905/3 "2021-06-22T06:32:28Z")
Try to [re]install `matlab-support` if pop-os has it (ubuntu does so I suppose pop-os will too): ```auto sudo apt purge matlab-support sudo apt install matlab-support ``` ---
**Author:** ![mariokleiner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/13edae/32.png) [@mariokleiner](https://psychtoolbox.discourse.group/u/mariokleiner)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2021, 1:51pm UTC](https://psychtoolbox.discourse.group/t/matlab-hangs-on-opening-pop-os-20-10/3905/4 "2021-06-22T13:51:57Z")
Sounds like one of these cases where priority support might have helped if your lab had taken the clue from a previous conversation and bought any in time. My first and last tiny bit of free advice: There’s always octave as a high quality alternative, only a `sudo apt install octave-psychtoolbox-3` away if you use Neurodebian or a Debian based distribution. Or maybe upgrading or downgrading Matlab, or Mathworks support, as this clearly sounds like a Matlab bug or compatibility/configuration issue. -mario ---
**Author:** ![matthew.heard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/87869e/32.png) [@matthew.heard](https://psychtoolbox.discourse.group/u/matthew.heard)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2021, 9:40pm UTC](https://psychtoolbox.discourse.group/t/matlab-hangs-on-opening-pop-os-20-10/3905/5 "2021-08-26T21:40:27Z")
I figured an update was in order, despite the fact that I did nothing to fix the issue. Pop OS has since updated to 21.04 and the hanging issue seems to have disappeared. If I encounter the issue again I will update.