How to Open Exe Files on Mac. In this Article: Article Summary Using WINE Using Boot Camp Community Q&A References. This wikiHow teaches you how to run Windows' executable (EXE) files on a Mac. To do so, you can either install WINE, which is free software, or install Windows 8 or 10 using your Mac's Boot Camp feature.
Wine has its own directX implementation. Installing MS DirectX is not a good idea ad can actually break things or make things run worse. It can help with some games, but you shouldn't do it unless the game will not work without it. That doesn't mean the game says it wants directx that you should install it. You should only install it if, and only if the directX in Wine is not working right. Installing d3dx9 is just using a few dll files from DX9, not installing all of directX. Do it if you game errors related to those specific dlls.
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Most games will run better without MS DirectX 9 installed than with it.
Advertisement There are thousands and thousands of applications available for Linux, and even more being developed as you read this. As much as I love Linux and Open Source, sometimes you happen to love a Windows application so much that you wonder if only this was available on Linux I would completely switch. It has happened to me in the past when I would switch over into Windows to play Counter Strike and Half Life and some people also wanted Photoshop on Linux because the GIMP requires some adjusting to on the interface. Games are an important mention here because although the Linux games are catching up and going 3D and stuff, one would have to admit that there are a larger number of games for Windows that keep us going back to the Windows World. Well if you wish for the same, your wish has been granted. There is a solution for all these situations and it has been around for sometime now.
Chances are that if you are into Linux you might have heard of it. WINE is another of those recursive acronyms which stands for WINE Is Not an Emulator (Amazing how they come up with recursive names, GNU and PHP are other examples) What Is WINE?
Do I Drink It? Nah, you won’t like to drink anything with such a name! Formally stated “WINE is an open source implementation of the Windows API on top of X, OpenGL, and Unix. Think of Wine as a compatibility layer for running Windows programs.” In English this means that you can run Windows applications i.e. Exe’s on Linux, FreeBSD, Solaris and yes Mac OS X too!
In fact the most popular use of WINE is to run Windows games on Linux! Note that it doesn’t require Windows at all. WINE is a completely free alternative of the Windows API and has “no Microsoft code” whatsoever. How Do I Run My Windows Programs? This is the fun part! First and foremost you need to have WINE on your system. Or else if you are using Ubuntu (or apt based distro) like me then fire up the terminal and type the following: sudo apt-get install wine This will set up WINE on your system.
That’s pretty much it, as from now on, you just have to follow the steps you will take to install the application/game in Windows. Yes, it’s that simple.
No hassles, nothing. On Mac, it’s even easier because you can. I had an old version of Photoshop so let me show you some screens, so you believe me. Step 1: Install Step 2: Run Step 3: Work on a Handsome Guy’s Pic!! Can I Run All Windows Applications?
Well not really, there are thousand of applications (10,349 to be precise) whose status and compatibility to run with WINE can be viewed at the. It categorizes applications into Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Garbage ratings, with the applications rated as Platinum being the most compatible and problem-free and applications rated Garbage being. (in regards to WINE compatibility of course). However, there is no reason to be disheartened because many popular applications are featured in the Platinum, Gold and Silver lists. You may not want to go below this rating. If on the other hand an application you are looking for is not in the database then you can of course try it on your own, and let the world know how it went!
Here are some of the more popular applications that run smoothly with WINE:. Photoshop CS2, other versions too but not CS3 – Platinum and Gold. Half Life 2 – Platinum Counter Strike. ACDSee – Platinum. Command and Conquer – Gold. Microsoft Office 2003 – Silver. Call of Duty – Gold.
Many many more What About Performance? WINE doesn’t slow down your computer, the application performance will be same as with Windows (no more, no less). In fact it’s actually better than using virtualization which has two operating systems running side by side and thus more resource hungry. Refer to for more on these and similar questions. All in all if you cannot give up running a Windows app or you want to play Windows games inside Linux then definately give WINE a try. It’s worth it.
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