Running Windows programs on Linux with Wine
Tell Me Your Name
By default, Wine stores any Windows programs that think they are installing on drive C: in a hidden subdirectory below your home directory. To display the hidden files, select View | Show Hidden Files in Konqueror or Dolphin. Change directory to .wine in your home directory. One level below this, you will see a drive_c subdirectory, and below this Program Files and Windows. The former contains the application you just installed. For WinRAR, you click on WinRAR.exe in the WinRAR folder. On openSUSE, you also must type wine.
Directory Jungle
Unlike Windows, Linux does not use drive letters, so Wine must use a workaround: Each drive letter maps to a Linux directory. Although a Windows program running on Wine thinks it is storing data on drive C:, it is writing to a subdirectory called .wine/drive_c below the home directory. The Wine control center shows which letter maps to which directory. In a quick launcher (Alt+F2) type winecfg, then visit the Drives tab (Figure 7). The list at the top shows you which drive letter maps to which Linux directory. Normally, C: maps to .wine/drive_c, and Z: lets the Windows application access the whole directory tree because it maps to the root directory. Here, you can Add mappings by defining new virtual drive letters and typing the Path the letter should point to.
Dead as a Dodo
If a Windows program fails to launch when you click it, some manual attention might make it see reason. Start by opening a terminal window. On Kubuntu, select System | Konsole in the start menu; if you have openSUSE, select the System | Terminals | Konsole item in the menu. Then type
cd directory
where directory represents the full path to your installation program. If the setup.exe file is on a DVD, you can access the DVD via the /media/ path. The command line looks like this:
cd /media/DVD_name
Replace DVD_name with the entry in your media directory, and then climb down the directory tree until you find the directory with the .exe file you need (in WinRAR's case, this is /programs/other/winrar). When you get there, type
wine file
replacing file with the name of the application you want to run, say, setup.exe. Make sure you stick to the exact spelling, remembering that upper- and lowercase letters are vital. To tell Wine to run the Windows program, press Enter again. If you experience difficulty launching the program, check the terminal window for error messages – you should not close the terminal window or you will terminate the Windows program running in it. If the Windows program crashes, you can try relaunching it.
VistaXP 98
Some Windows programs require the characteristics of a specific version of Windows. The Applications tab can help you cater to this. For each application, you can individually define the Windows version that Wine should emulate. To do so, click Add application and look for the executable for your application (in .wine/drive_c).
Now click Open, select the application in the list, and then select the required version of Windows in the Windows Version drop-down list. The configuration in Default Settings is valid for all Windows applications, unless you define an exception.
Apps Gone Bad
The Wine MIT license gives users many privileges, a fact that has helped TransGaming generate huge profits. TransGaming just grabbed the package, added DirectX capabilities, which are required for gaming, and started to sell the results as Cedega [3] (formerly WineX). The Wine developers were unhappy about this, and thus changed the licensing terms to the LGPL in March 2002. The LGPL ensures that you can continue to use Wine for commercial purposes, but that changes and additions must be given back to the project. CodeWeavers is exemplary in this respect; the company bundled Wine with its own commercial components to create the CrossOver [4] package, while actively promoting the ongoing development of Wine.
« Previous 1 2 3 4 Next »
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Linux Servers Targeted by Akira Ransomware
A group of bad actors who have already extorted $42 million have their sights set on the Linux platform.
-
TUXEDO Computers Unveils Linux Laptop Featuring AMD Ryzen CPU
This latest release is the first laptop to include the new CPU from Ryzen and Linux preinstalled.
-
XZ Gets the All-Clear
The back door xz vulnerability has been officially reverted for Fedora 40 and versions 38 and 39 were never affected.
-
Canonical Collaborates with Qualcomm on New Venture
This new joint effort is geared toward bringing Ubuntu and Ubuntu Core to Qualcomm-powered devices.
-
Kodi 21.0 Open-Source Entertainment Hub Released
After a year of development, the award-winning Kodi cross-platform, media center software is now available with many new additions and improvements.
-
Linux Usage Increases in Two Key Areas
If market share is your thing, you'll be happy to know that Linux is on the rise in two areas that, if they keep climbing, could have serious meaning for Linux's future.
-
Vulnerability Discovered in xz Libraries
An urgent alert for Fedora 40 has been posted and users should pay attention.
-
Canonical Bumps LTS Support to 12 years
If you're worried that your Ubuntu LTS release won't be supported long enough to last, Canonical has a surprise for you in the form of 12 years of security coverage.
-
Fedora 40 Beta Released Soon
With the official release of Fedora 40 coming in April, it's almost time to download the beta and see what's new.
-
New Pentesting Distribution to Compete with Kali Linux
SnoopGod is now available for your testing needs