How to open an exe file on mac os. Installing Windows programs on a Mac via Wine

Users of computers running Mac OS often encounter the problem of incompatibility of Windows-based software with their operating system. This is especially true for games and highly specialized applications.

However, there are a number of ways that allow Mac users to run programs from other environments on a computer running the Mac OS operating system. In this article we will talk in detail about the most effective of them.

Virtual machines

Virtual machines are an image inside a PC that has all the functions of a stand-alone computer. A guest operating system is installed on it, in our case it will be Windows.

This method is suitable for those who do not need resource-intensive programs, since virtual machines themselves consume a significant proportion random access memory. We also note that on weak PCs, both the native OS and the one installed in the VM can slow down.

Among virtual machines, a product called VirtualBox stands out. The program is completely free, and also works correctly on most Mac versions OS X

Installing a virtual machine and guest OS

1. Process VirtualBox installations no different from installing any other software. Just select the directory and press the button "Install".

2. Upon completion of the installation, launch the virtual machine; to do this, click on the shortcut that appears on the desktop. In the window that opens, click the "NEW" button - another screen appears in which you need to specify the name of the new virtual machine and the guest operating system.

3. The next step is to allocate the required amount of RAM to the new OS. Remember that the more RAM you allocate, the better the programs installed in the VM will work. At the same time, you should not reduce the memory of the native system too much, otherwise everything will work slowly. For example, 512 MB is enough for Windows.

4. Leave the next few screens unchanged, just click "Continue" until the title window opens "Hard Disk Storage Type". Here we choose the size virtual disk. It can change dynamically or be fixed.

In the first case, we will immediately be prompted to indicate the maximum file size for the virtual machine.

5. All that remains is to press the confirmation button a few times, and the virtual machine is ready to work.

6. Now you need to install a new operating system on the virtual machine. To do this, we need a Windows disk or its image.

Press the button "Start" and start the virtual machine. A welcome window will open:

If the installation files are on external media (CD or DVD), then we leave the selection line unchanged. In the case of an image, you must specify the path to it.

9. Click "Continue" and then the button "Done".

The OS guest installation process has started. All you have to do is wait for it to complete, after which your Mac will be able to use Windows-compatible programs.

Boot Camp

The following method is in many ways similar to the one proposed above. Also, as in the case with virtual machines, we will be installing an additional operating system on our PC. The only difference is that installing Windows using the Boot Camp utility deprives the user of the ability to run both operating systems simultaneously. In addition, in Windows partitions there will be no access to file system Mac OS.

On the other hand, the guest operating system will work no worse than the native one and will allow you to install any programs, regardless of their resource intensity.

Boot Camp is a standard utility for Apple computers, which is used to partition disks and install drivers. Before you start installing a new OS using it, it is recommended to run backup, since theoretically there is a threat of losing part of the data due to table changes hard sections disk.

Installing a new OS using Boot Camp

1. You can launch the program either from the Mac OS search or from the folder "Utilities".

In the window that opens, create a partition for the new OS and determine how much hard disk space it will require. To do this, drag the border to the desired position or choose between one of two buttons: "Divide Equally" And "Use 32 GB". The first will divide the disk in half, the second will provide the new operating system with 32 GB of memory.

Press the button "Partition" and wait for the disk partitioning process to complete.

2. Now let's install Windows. We will need a disk with installation files. We insert it into the CD/DVD drive and in the Boot Camp window press the button "Start Installation".

3. After our PC has acquired a second operating system, it will be necessary to install device drivers on it. Insert the Mac OS disc into the drive. If the program does not start automatically, use " Windows Explorer" find the file in the "Boot Camp" folder "setup.exe" and double click on it. Then follow the instructions that appear on the screen.

Don’t be alarmed if during the installation process a message pops up about driver incompatibility with Windows - just click "Continue anyway".

After the drivers are installed, new system completely ready for work.

Wine

This method is the most complex, but the only one of the three that does not require installing a second OS. Its essence comes down to using a utility that can translate the program code of the desired Windows application into a language understandable to the Mac OS platform. This utility is called "Wine" and allows you to run programs directly in the Mac OS environment.

It’s worth noting right away that not all applications will work correctly with Wine. It all depends on the degree of complexity program code. The special Wine database contains a list of applications and games that, depending on the quality of their work, are assigned one or another status. For example, Warcraft III, released a decade and a half ago, has the highest status of Platinum, and the poker app PokerStars has Gold (high, with some minor flaws). However, both games have long been adapted for Mac OS. But about the recently released continuation of the cult action game Grand Theft Auto V Wine users should forget for now - the program is at the top of the Garbage list.

Installing and using Wine

IN this method we will need two auxiliary utilities: MACPORTS and XCODE. The first is used for installing Unix software on Mac OS, and the second is a software development environment for systems of the OS X family.

1. Install both utilities on our PC.

2. Install Wine using MacPorts. To do this, enter the following command

After this, the console will look something like this:

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Although many Mac OS X users are devoted fans of the Apple platform, there are often situations when you need to open an application that exists exclusively in the Windows version.

Some Mac drivers use virtual machines from Parallels, Vmware or, in rare cases, CrossOver for these purposes. Recently to the Mac Online Store App Store A new application has been released that promises seamless integration of Windows software with the OS X operating system. WinOnX does not require the purchase of a Windows license for a virtual machine, allowing you to run classic .exe files on Mac computers.

The cost of WinOnX is $4.99 – quite reasonable money for the opportunity to work with “enemy” software.

How to run Windows programs on Mac OS X with WinOnX

Step 1: Download WinOnX from the Mac App Store to operating system OS X 10.6 and higher.

Step 2: Find your desired Windows application.

Step 3: Open this program in WinOnX and double click to install.

Now, whenever you come across a Windows utility that needs to be opened on your Mac, launch WinOnX and install it through the interface of this program.

In fact, the most The best way for working with the operating room Windows system– this is the purchase of a separate PC or using Mac in Boot Camp mode.

Even though WinOnX works as promised, it has a number of limitations. In this regard, if you have a Mac version of the programs, the WinOnX developers strongly recommend using only them. WinOnX has seriously limited support for full-screen applications, especially games. In future updates, the authors will add this mode for Snow Leopard and Lion.

Mak is beautiful from all sides. Usually people fall in love with him at first sight. However, it is worth recognizing that programs on Windows have undeniable advantages: widespread and generally accepted. It is for this reason that Mac users periodically (increasingly less often, fortunately) are forced to get creative and come up with ways to run programs that only run on Windows.

Some services (bank clients and other sites working with digital signature) only support (!sic) Internet Explorer, they may send you a file in some prehistoric format that can only be opened by a Windows program that does not have a Mac version. Be that as it may, such situations arise. And further in the article we will consider all the ways to resolve such situations and summarize in a way that suits almost everyone and always.

1. Virtual machines

Virtual machines allow you to run an entire operating system inside another operating system. On MacOS there are three large virtual machines: Parallels, VMWare Fusion and VirtualBox. The latter has already been discussed in a recent article about.

We can say for sure that if you are willing to fork out the cash, then Parallels is the best virtual machine of these three. Especially for beginners. You don't need to configure anything during installation (and you don't even need to download Windows) - the program will do everything itself. Parallels supports the so-called Coherence mode, which launches Windows in a Mac window. Moreover, regular Win applications can be docked. And run win files directly from Finder. In this case, files and applications are highlighted with the Parallels logo.

I must say that I personally use Parallels. I won’t talk about VMware for the reason that when choosing a virtual machine for myself, I realized that “Parallels” this moment are head and shoulders ahead of VMware and, in general, there is no special choice among virtual machines.

The only negative is, of course, the price. The program has only paid versions and the cheapest (home) will cost you (at the time of writing) 3,990 ₽

At the same time, VirtualBox is free. But installing it will require a little effort. In addition, the result in VB will not look as beautiful as in “Parallels”, because the latter was made specifically for Mac, and VB is a cross-platform program. If you are ready to get confused and save money, then about installing Windows 8 in VirtualBox.

If you have doubts (and you don’t have much time), then install the 14-day trial version of “Parallels” and during this time decide whether it is worth the money. If you definitely don’t have money for paid programs, then VirtualBox is the best choice. On VirtualBox, at the same time, look at articles about and, in fact, . Let us remind you that Win10 can now be simply downloaded and installed without activation (with a small uncritical functionality limitation).

2.Boot Camp

While virtual machines allow you to run Win inside a running MacOS, Boot Camp allows you to install Windows directly on the Mac itself. Also known as “dual boot,” Boot Camp allows you to have a Mac and Windows on the same hard drive.

For MacOS you need Boot Camp Assistant and this wizard will guide you through the entire installation process. What the installation itself consists of: an additional (bootable) partition will be created on the hard drive, where Windows will be located and you can then boot the computer from it.

How to install Windows 10 via Boot Camp Assistant

You will need:

  • Flash drive or external HDD 8GB or more (the information on them will disappear, so do not use a flash drive with your dissertation)
  • The Mac must be plugged into an outlet. It won't be very cool if it turns off in the middle of the process
  • Requires a license for Windows 10
  • Connected Internet

1. Download Windows ISO

Microsoft offers Windows ISO files for free download on its official website.

Be sure to read the list of minimum hardware requirements. If your Mac doesn't match them, then don't even try. After familiarizing yourself with minimum requirements, select version ( Windows 10) press the button “ Confirm“.

Next, select the product language (for example, Russian), press the “ button again Confirm“. After this, your system will be checked for compatibility and if successful, you will see download links on the screen.

Select the version with your processor bit (in my case x64) and download the ISO file with Windows.

2. Insert the flash drive

Disconnect all USB devices from your computer during installation. Insert the prepared flash drive or external hard disk.

3. Launch Boot Camp Assistant

MacOS X has a built-in BCA (Boot Camp Assistant) and it will do everything itself, so you don't need any third-party utilities. To launch BCA, open Spotlight (there is a magnifying glass icon in the upper right corner of the screen, click on it), and there enter Boot Camp Assistant. Select program Boot Camp Assistant.

4. Select installation type

Select the first item “ Create a Windows 7 or later installation disc“. Second checkbox ( Download latest software Windows support from Apple) in theory will be checked by default and cannot be turned off. But the third item can be turned on or off by default. Turn off third point ( Install Windows 7 or later). Next press “ Continue“.

5. Write Windows to a USB flash drive

Select the Windows ISO file you downloaded in the first step.
Make sure that the prepared flash drive is selected as the installation disk.

Please note that the flash drive will be formatted during the process and all data on it will be lost.

Click “ Continue“. Another window will appear asking if you are sure you want to continue, because... The flash drive will be formatted and the data will disappear. If you are sure, press “ again” Continue“.

If you are performing an operation on a MacBook, do not close the lid of the laptop. This will send the Mac to sleep and interrupt the recording process.

After everything is finished, you will see the message “Windows has been saved.” Click “ Exit“, unmount and disconnect the flash drive.

Congratulations, you have a windows flash drive for mac.

Running the installer from a flash drive

In order to boot from a USB drive, you need to hold down the Mac boot button. ALT(a boot menu will appear, where you need to select a flash drive). Or, when booting your Mac, hold down C, then the computer will immediately boot from the flash drive.

After you boot from the flash drive, .

So, this was a small lyrical digression on the topic of installing Windows 10 as a second system on a computer. Now let's get back to where we started: is it worth doing and who will it suit.

The main downside to this whole dual boot thing is that you won't be able to run Windows and Mac programs in parallel. Each time you switch between systems, you need to reboot and select your OS. There are benefits to this, of course, and they include greater system performance because Windows can use all of your Mac's resources.

3. Wine

Both solutions above (virtual machines and boot camp) include the installation of a full-fledged Windows with all the attendant nuances. Wine is something else. This is a “pad” that allows you to run Win programs on MacOS and Linux. In this regard, Wine is a much easier solution than installing Windows, especially if you need to use 1-2 popular programs. But as often happens, compromise options have a whole set of limitations and pitfalls.

That's the problem: Wine does not work with all programs. Some will launch and work great, others may throw an error while running, and others won't start at all. To get started, you can check the Wine program compatibility database and search there for the applications you need.

And one more problem The problem is that this is not exactly a “box solution” and finishing it can cause confusion among new users.

The second problem can be simplified slightly. The WineBottler program was created for this, and we’ll talk about it.

Choose stable version, download the DMG file.

After opening the DMG file, drag Wine and WineBottler into Applications (the same as when installing any other software not from the App Store).

After installation, launch WineBottler and you will see a list of programs that you can install right away, such as Internet Explorer.

To run other Windows programs through Wine, download the executable files of these programs (.EXE) and run them as follows: right-click and Open -> Wine. Yes, I repeat once again that not all programs will work through Wine.

Below is a video about WineBottler in broken English, in principle, everything in it is clear and without translation

Wine is good when you need to work with 1-2 guaranteed compatible programs. If the list of programs is wide and changes regularly, then you should choose a different method for working with them.

CrossOver

CrossOver is a paid solution that is also based on Wine.

The application offers a high-quality interface that allows you to simply enter the name of the required Windows program and it will be found and launched. Since this is commercial software, you can count on support help if something goes wrong or you need support for some program that is not on the list.

But compared to the options presented above, CrossOver is a complete compromise and will not suit most users. Again, if you need to run various programs, then it is much easier to do this using a virtual machine. If performance is important to you (for example, in games), then it is better to use Boot Camp. In general, with a price tag of $40, we can recommend this option for highly specialized applications.

Remote access

If none of the options suggested above suits you, then why not try to deal with the problem in a different way? If you have another computer that has Windows installed, then you can use remote access to work on it from your Mac.

TeamViewer is free and powerful tool for remote access. By the way, there was a topic about remote access.

All you need to do is choose a communication method, install it on both computers (Win and Mac), log in to your account on both machines, check the “easy login” box on Win. And after that, you can connect to your Windows computer at any time.

Depending on , you may experience some delays and slowdowns in your work. Yes, and also, the lack of cross-support for hotkeys is a little annoying. You try to switch the language on a Mac in the usual way, but instead of changing the language, all sorts of windows pop up. But on the other hand, if you need relatively fast (and free) access to Windows, then this option may be suitable for you!

AdvantagesFlaws
  • You need to have a Windows computer that is always on. Or it will have to be turned on every time.
  • Sluggish Internet can lead to slowdown of the entire interface and, accordingly, infuriate.
  • ).
    But which of these options to choose?..

    The least-evil option for most people is to install Windows in a virtual machine (option #1). The exception is for users who need Windows for gaming.

    Using a virtual machine allows you to open Windows programs at the same time as opening Mac applications, all without restarting the computer. And it works much more reliably than Wine.

    Whether you use Parallels or VirtualBox is up to you. If you don't mind paying for a boxed solution, don't computer specialist and want to get the best results - choose Parallels. If you are “on a short leg” with a PC, have the time and desire to get confused + want to save money – choose VirtualBox.

    Results:

    In fact, if virtual machines are the best choice for the average user, then in general, this does not mean that they are the best choice for you and your tasks. Therefore, let’s go through all the options again:

    • Virtual machines. The best option if you need to work with an unlimited list of Windows programs and run them in parallel with Mac programs. Without rebooting the computer. Not very good for gamers.
    • Boot Camp. Suitable for those who need to use the full potential of hardware, and not just what
      which is limited by virtualization. Ideal for gamers. It is inconvenient to restart your computer every time to switch between operating systems.
    • Wine. Suitable only for those who need popular Windows programs. If you plan to go beyond the limited list of programs, choose virtual machines.
    • CrossOver. Most likely not worth paying for. Based on Wine.
    • Remote access. It's worth considering this option if you have a free Windows computer. If not, then buying a separate computer will still be much more expensive than buying the same Parallels. Among the disadvantages of this option: possible slowdowns if the Internet is not ice.

    What do you use? Write in the comments.