How To Run A Windows Program On Linux
As you're here, I'thousand going to assume that you lot're a Linux user. And every once in a while, you lot discover yourself asking: tin I run windows applications on Linux?.
Answer to that question is yes. Yes, you lot tin can run Windows applications in Linux. Here are some of the ways for running Windows programs with Linux:
- Installing Windows on a separate HDD partition
- Installing Windows every bit a virtual car on Linux
Both of them works simply fine. Merely they are somewhat resource hungry.
If you only need to use a modest Windows application, installing Windows on a carve up HDD division or as a Virtual Automobile is not efficient. Moreover, Virtual Machine tin't utilize the full ability of your machine. So, what is the solution?
No worries, in that location is some other way to use Windows software on Linux. It'south called Wine. If y'all aren't even so familiar with it or you lot are a beginner in the globe of Linux, this commodity is for you.
In this beginner'due south guide, I'll show yous what is Wine and how to use it to run Windows software on Linux. I have used Ubuntu here as Ubuntu is one of the best Linux distros for beginners, but any other Linux distribution will have more or less aforementioned steps (except for the commands in Arch or Fedora based distros).
Using Wine to run Windows programs in Linux
Vino stands for Westine Isouthward Northwardot an Due eastmulator. And WINE is actually an acronym for that. And as previously stated, it's not even a virtual machine.
Rather it is a compatibility layer for running Windows applications on UNIX-similar or POSIX-compliant operating systems (due east.g. Linux, Mac, BSD). While a virtual automobile or emulator simulates internal Windows logic, Wine translates those Windows logic to native UNIX/POSIX-complaint logic.
In uncomplicated and non-technical words, Wine converts internal Windows commands to commands your Linux organisation can natively sympathise.
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Installing Wine
At that place are various means to install Wine on your system. As this is a beginners' guide, I'll draw the most straightforward ane here.
Almost all the Linux distros come with Vino in their package repository. Well-nigh of the time the latest stable version of Wine is bachelor via package repository. Installing Wine on Ubuntu is as piece of cake as firing upward a terminal and running these commands:
sudo apt update sudo apt install wine However, if yous are using an 64bit installation of Ubuntu, you will need to run these additional commands:
sudo dpkg --add together-compages i386 This volition add 32bit architecture back up on your distro which volition benefit you in installing specific software. If you don't know whether you lot take a 32bit installation or 64bit, check this article: 32bit or 64bit Ubuntu?
What Windows applications are Supported by Wine?
There is a large number of Windows applications that are currently fully supported by Vino. They will run without whatsoever hassle.
However, new Windows applications are being developed every twenty-four hours. Many of them wouldn't function as nosotros desire on Wine. Just the development step of Vino is also rapid, support for new applications is beingness added all the time.
And in that location is a defended database for keeping track of just that.
Wine Application Database has almost 24,000 applications rated with dissimilar status depending upon how well that applications run in Wine. If you lot want to quickly check the rating of the application you desire to use in Vino, yous can take a look there. Here are the meaning of those ratings:
- Platinum: These applications install and run flawlessly in out-of-the-box Vino.
- Gold: These applications work flawlessly with some special configuration.
- Silver: Applications with minor bug are tagged every bit Silver.
- Bronze: The Bronze ones have major problems that seriously impact usage.
- Garbage: These simply won't run on Wine.
Reviews, Installation Procedure, which Wine version it was tested against and various useful data are also bachelor for each awarding here.
Of course, Wine Application Database is more often than not user-generated data, and so you are always welcome to try running an application with a dissimilar version of Wine and share your issue with residuum of the community.
Finding an Awarding in Wine Application Database
Let's come across how we can find an application in Wine Application Database.
Become to Vino Application Database. Click Scan Apps from the left sidebar.
Write the name of the application you want to find in the Proper name field.
Click on the link to the awarding from the search result.
You'll see a description of the application. At that place volition be a list of various versions with their compatibility rating with a specific Vino version.
Let's click on the latest version link.
This is the main folio you need to check. There will exist detailed data most that specific version.
Y'all'll get an idea of what volition work and what will not. Also, the installation procedure will exist included here if whatever additional tasks are needed for installation.
Getting Started with Wine
Earlier we become on installing and running applications in Wine, we should have clear idea about a few things and about how to configure Vino for usage:
WinePrefix
Windows applications need a C: drive. Wine uses a virtual C: drive for this purpose. The directory of this virtual C: drive is called wineprefix. Kickoff of all, nosotros need to create a wineprefix. For doing that, fire up a terminal and enter this command:
winecfg This will create a wineprefix and open the configuration window for Wine. You lot can modify the configuration options if you lot want or permit it exist every bit is for time being and shut it. Now, you can locate the virtual C: drive at
$HOME/.wine/c_drive
The full general rule is to install each new application into a fresh wineprefix. We tin create and maintain multiple wineprefix manually. But that task would seem rather wearisome for the beginners. And so, we will skip that office for now. But, later I'm going to evidence the way for doing that part with ease.
Installing an Application with Wine
Installing a supported awarding in Wine is generally as easy as double-clicking on the installation file. Nonetheless, we are now going to see a step-by-footstep guide for installing seven-nothing on Wine.
Kickoff of all, check for 7-zip rating on Wine Application Database. It has Platinum rating, so we are proficient to go. Open Wine configuration ( winecfg ) and fix the Windows Version to Windows 7.
Right-click on the seven-zippo installation file and select Open With Wine Windows Program Loader.
See that destination folder path? seven-zip installation has recognized the virtual C: drive from wineprefix.
Stop the installation and go to the installation directory [ $HOME/.wine/drive_c/Program Files/7-zip/ ] from the file browser.
Right-click on 7zFM.exe and get to Properties > Open With.
Select Vino Windows Plan Loader and close the window. Double-click on 7zFM.exe.
And there yous go! For creating a shortcut on your desktop, correct click on the file.
At present move the Link to Desktop.
Now, you can run seven-zip just from your desktop. All you lot have to do is double-click on the icon.
If you desire to access your files on Linux, they are generally located in Z: Bulldoze .
You can use the 7-zilch just as you would utilise it on Windows – for extracting and creating archives and such.
Let's make things (a lot) Easier
You might take noticed that, at Wine Application Database, with every version of application review a specific Wine version is mentioned.
Information technology is because of the rapid evolution charge per unit of Wine. Though an application runs with the current version of Vino, information technology might not run with a hereafter version, because of the changes fabricated.
Besides, I've mentioned about installing each application in its own fresh wineprefix. So that, an application has no chance of interfering with another. And doing all these manually, ordinarily from the terminal, is time-consuming, irksome and at times, confusing.
PlayOnLinux is here to rescue. It provides a prissy interface for doing all these things easily. For installing PlayOnLinux on Ubuntu, only run this command:
sudo apt install playonlinux 
You can hands perform every task related to Wine with PlayOnLinux from a beautiful and intuitive graphical interface:
- Installing & Uninstalling applications.
- Creating, Updating & Removing wineprefixes.
- Maintain Wine of dissimilar compages and versions.
- Run & Create shortcut for installed applications.
- And and so on…
But still, yous will need to check Wine Application Database for reviews, installation procedures and such.
Advantages of using Vino
When information technology comes to running Windows applications on Linux organisation, Wine provides many advantages over using emulators or virtual machines.
- Functioning: Wine is allowed to the performance loss that otherwise occurs while emulating.
- Native Experience: There is no need to open Wine before running a Windows application. Exactly how Wine works will be more than articulate from this quote from official site,
Vino can be thought of as a Windows emulator in much the aforementioned way that Windows Vista can be thought of as a Windows XP emulator: both allow you to run the same applications by translating organisation calls in much the same way. Setting Vino to mimic Windows XP is not much different from setting Vista to launch an application in XP compatibility mode.
Wine Derivatives
There are quite a number of projects for running Windows applications on other platforms, based on Wine:
- CrossOver: CrossOver is a developed by the visitor named CodeWeavers. Information technology is direct based on Wine with a few tweaks and proprietary add-ons. In fact, CodeWeavers employs a big portion of Vino developers. Unlike the rapid releases of Wine, CrossOver releases are more stable. The one and major downside is that Crossover is not free.
- PlayOnLinux: PlayOnLinux is completely based on Vino. And provides easier route for installing and managing application with Wine. PlayOnLinux is costless.
Information technology is also available for Mac as PlayOnMac. - ReactOS: ReactOS is an entirely different open-source operating system for running Windows applications. It reuses a considerable amount of codes from Wine. Notwithstanding, this is a projection under evolution for more than a decade and I won't recommend it.
Additional Tips on using Wine
Winetricks
This is another important part of using Wine. Winetricks is a helper script to download and install various redistributable runtime libraries needed to run some applications in Wine. These may include replacements for components of Wine using closed source libraries. Winetricks comes with Wine installation on Ubuntu.
For starting winetricks, run this command:
winetricks 
There are many options for helping you with diverse tasks.
Installing an Awarding with Winetricks
If you Install an app from winetricks, information technology volition be installed in a split wineprefix. Let's install VLC:
It will then begin to download the VLC installation files. And and so guide you through the rest of the process. It's pretty simple.
Install Windows DLL or components and others
You can select a wineprefix from winetricks and install various libraries and components required by the awarding y'all want to run and likewise perform other operations.
Due north.B.: If using winetricks seems complicated to yous, information technology's perfectly okay. I experience the same way also. I e'er utilise PlayOnLinux for this reason. PlayOnLinux tin can practise everything y'all might need to do from winetricks.
For more data you can check Vino FAQ and Documentation.
I hope you find this complete beginner's guide to using Wine in Linux helpful. Now you lot can run Windows programs in Linux without installing a virtual machine or dual booting.
Let us know if you lot have any questions or opinion in the comment section below.
Source: https://itsfoss.com/use-windows-applications-linux/
Posted by: huckstepeareeter.blogspot.com
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