I'm Honestly Not Quite Sure What I Need...

[FourTwoFive]

Okay, first of all, I use Mac. I don't want to have a fight about open sources vs closed source, I just prefer OS X.

Now, I have a few, little-known, programs that I would like to be able to use. These are Windows Executables. I have tried Crossover for Mac, but it was unable to run the files. I cannot seem to get WINE on my Mac.

I have decided to consider virtualization as an option, just to run a few programs. These programs really do not require much power at all; they are very basic GUIs. However, I do not wish to pay the cost of full Microsoft Windows, because $120 is a ridiculous amount, IMO, to pay to run a few small programs.

I tried, at the suggestion of someone on a Mac forum, to install ReactOS. So I installed it on VirtualBox. The result was a disaster, it Blue Screen of Death'd every 5 minutes.

I am wondering now if there is a relatively simple way to run EXE files in Linux, that a noobie could learn easily. I am not averse to code, but I know very little. I would plan to run whatever version of Linux in VirtualBox, and use it in order to run those programs that I need, and then upload any files created by those programs to a cloud service, where I could then access them from my Mac.

Once again, I don't want to debate Linux vs. Mac or open vs. closed source, I just want a solution.

My computer is a 2010 MacBook (2.4GHz Intel Core2Duo, 2GB RAM, 250GB Harddrive).

[Irithori]

Wine is a very ambitious project, but if you want to run arbitrary windows executeables reliably then get a windows license. Full Stop.

With that you can then choose to dualboot or use virtualization.

Yes, that licence costs money.
But as an apple user you might be used to the commercial business model

Another approach would be to find native mac replacements for these programs.
Then you would also not have to deal with file synchronization issues.

[sgosnell]

The only way to run Windows executables in Linux is with wine. You can install most Linux distros, then install wine, then install the Windows executables using wine. That's the only way it can be done. Whether the programs you have will run successfully under wine is another question, and one I have no answer for. You'll just have to try it and see.

[yancek]

You're running mac on your machine, you want to run windows executables on it, you tried reactos which is "is not a Linux based system, and shares none of the unix architecture".


Your complaint should be with apple or microsoft.?
This is totally unrelated to Linux!

[FourTwoFive]

You're running mac on your machine, you want to run windows executables on it, you tried reactos which is "is not a Linux based system, and shares none of the unix architecture".


Your complaint should be with apple or microsoft.?
This is totally unrelated to Linux!

Please read.

I am wondering now if there is a relatively simple way to run EXE files in Linux, that a noobie could learn easily. I am not averse to code, but I know very little. I would plan to run whatever version of Linux in VirtualBox, and use it in order to run those programs that I need, and then upload any files created by those programs to a cloud service, where I could then access them from my Mac.

[jayd512]

Hi and Welcome.

So you are wanting to run Linux in a VM, use WINE to run a Windows program.
Okay. Install VirtualBox. Then use that to setup a Ubuntu or Mint VM.
Install WINE in there, then hope for the best on your Windows files.
If I might give a touch of advice, though. Check out the Wine Data Base to see if your executables have been made to run. This might save you a bit of work. The fact that you are saying they are "little known programs" might cause you some grief.

[yancek]

I did see your reference to Linux in the original post. My point is that it is unrealistic to expect Open source developers to write software so that two commercial operating systems can communicate with each other in some way. I seriously doubt there is any demand for that.

As indicated by several member, wine is the only way to run windows executables and checking the link posted by jayd512 would be helpful. Another thing that would be helpful would be for you to post some information on your "little known" windows applications, what they are or what they do and someone may be able to provide more info.

[sgosnell]

The simple answer to your question is "no". You cannot run Windows executables in Linux. If we knew what the executables you have do, then we might be able to suggest Linux equivalents that do the same thing. If they won't run in Crossover, there is a good chance they won't run in wine, but there are no guarantees either way. Trying to do it in wine, inside Linux, inside OS X is not likely to be successful.