### Author:  [@Velchivz](https://discourse.vtk.org/u/Velchivz)
#### Post date: [May 9, 2020, 6:23pm UTC](https://discourse.vtk.org/t/running-vtk-on-a-system-with-opengl-version-1-1-or-less/3260/1 "2020-05-09T18:23:25Z")
Hello, I first posted about this issue in Stack Overflow:
>
I am working on a project that uses QT and VTK. It works in several machines without any problems (including Mac OS). I tried to run it on a Surface Pro X and have been having issues with the OpenGL context. VTK throws the following error:
> vtkGenericOpenGLRenderWindow (0CAD3408): GLEW could not be initialized: Missing GL version
The Microsoft website states that “Games and apps won’t work if they use a version of OpenGL greater than 1.1” for the Surface Pro X. Has anyone encountered this issue before elsewhere? Thanks in advanced.
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### Author:  [@lassoan](https://discourse.vtk.org/u/lassoan)
#### Post date: [May 10, 2020, 3:48am UTC](https://discourse.vtk.org/t/running-vtk-on-a-system-with-opengl-version-1-1-or-less/3260/2 "2020-05-10T03:48:09Z")
Maybe you can try building VTK with a software renderer, such as Mesa. It may make VTK too slow, though. Also, the x86 emulation layer on the X only supports 32-bit applications. So, you cannot do much on this computer anyway. I would recommend to get a regular Surface Pro instead.
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### Author:  [@mwestphal](https://discourse.vtk.org/u/mwestphal)
#### Post date: [May 11, 2020, 2:26am UTC](https://discourse.vtk.org/t/running-vtk-on-a-system-with-opengl-version-1-1-or-less/3260/3 "2020-05-11T02:26:07Z")
Indeed, mesa is the only way here.
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### Author:  [@codeling](https://discourse.vtk.org/u/codeling)
#### Post date: [May 12, 2020, 6:08pm UTC](https://discourse.vtk.org/t/running-vtk-on-a-system-with-opengl-version-1-1-or-less/3260/4 "2020-05-12T18:08:08Z")
If you’re willing to downgrade to an older VTK version, up until version 8.1.2 VTK supported the “OpenGL” backend (option VTK\_RENDER\_BACKEND) which only required OpenGL version 1.1. Surface Pro X has an ARM processor, right? Never tried this on that architecture, though, so no guarantees it will work!
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### Author:  [@Velchivz](https://discourse.vtk.org/u/Velchivz)
#### Post date: [May 12, 2020, 6:15pm UTC](https://discourse.vtk.org/t/running-vtk-on-a-system-with-opengl-version-1-1-or-less/3260/5 "2020-05-12T18:15:38Z")
Thank you all for the responses. Since I just got the Surface X, I went and returned it. For what I need, I better use the Surface 7 instead.
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### Author:  [@silverthorn](https://discourse.vtk.org/u/silverthorn)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2020, 4:23pm UTC](https://discourse.vtk.org/t/running-vtk-on-a-system-with-opengl-version-1-1-or-less/3260/6 "2020-11-06T16:23:40Z")
Hi I am having what I think is a similar issue. I have tried many things - too many to list. I have given up on Anaconda and gone for e fresh install running Python from the command prompt. So far I have found that :
VTK v9 wheel will not install under Python 3.9 so have installed Python 3.8
Running a simple example I get :
2020-11-06 17:14:33.758 ( 0.313s) []vtkWin32OpenGLRenderWin:635 ERR| vtkWin32OpenGLRenderWindow (0000020DA5C81D40): failed to get wglChoosePixelFormatARB
2020-11-06 17:14:33.790 ( 0.345s) []vtkWin32OpenGLRenderWin:713 ERR| vtkWin32OpenGLRenderWindow (0000020DA5C81D40): failed to get valid pixel format.
2020-11-06 17:14:33.802 ( 0.357s) []vtkOpenGLRenderWindow.c:569 ERR| vtkWin32OpenGLRenderWindow (0000020DA5C81D40): GLEW could not be initialized: Missing GL version
This message is now very familiar to me !! but what does it mean ?
Following this link I installed PyOpenGL 3.1.5 and PyOpenGL-accelerate 3.1.5.
Same issue ! Do I conclude that my graphics card is incompatible ? How can I check and what can I do to fix that ??
What can I do to move on ? What other information do I need to supply ?
Thank in anticipation - Jerry
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### Author:  [@mwestphal](https://discourse.vtk.org/u/mwestphal)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2020, 4:51pm UTC](https://discourse.vtk.org/t/running-vtk-on-a-system-with-opengl-version-1-1-or-less/3260/7 "2020-11-06T16:51:21Z")
Are you using OpenGL 1.1 ? if not your problem is different. Please open your own thread.
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### Author:  [@mwestphal](https://discourse.vtk.org/u/mwestphal)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2020, 4:51pm UTC](https://discourse.vtk.org/t/running-vtk-on-a-system-with-opengl-version-1-1-or-less/3260/8 "2020-11-06T16:51:25Z")