WINE or How to run your Windows game on Linux
 

With RockinRobbins Thread on installing Linux...

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=228072


I thought I would Just go over the basics of the program that makes running Windows games -such as SH3 and SH4- on Linux, possible.

Don't worry, I'm not going to get very technical in this. I've posted much of this in other threads, as relevant to questions asked in that topic.
This is just to get all of the info together in one place.

First where to get all the Official info:
https://www.winehq.org/

Best place to get serious info, I'm just going over the basics right now.

What WINE does:

It "redirects" Windows program "calls" to the Linux equivalents.
I.E. You want to go to a restaurant, but you're in a different city, so you ask someone nearby "is there a {name of restaurant here} nearby?" and they then proceed to give you an address and/or directions. (or you just google it...:doh:)
Wine is that helpful person!

Installing:

WINE can be installed using your Linux Distro's installer of choice.
For my Fedora, for example, there is the Graphical Installer/Updater,
and there is the command line update manager called "DNF".
For Ubuntu the Command line update manager is called "apt-get".
The name of the Graphical installer/updater varies based on which desktop you use. (KDE, Gnome, MATE, Unity). This is a whole other thread...
The graphical update program is easier to understand, the command line is much faster and has fewer screens to deal with.

-OR- You could try compiling from source. I did this once, I'm still trying to figure it out. I would suggest new Linux users avoid this.


The Basics:

Once WINE is installed it makes a hidden directory in your "home" folder.
This "WINE" directory is known as a "Prefix", a Wine prefix is a directory that "mimics" (or "fakes") a Windows drive, with a registry, a "Windows", "Program Files" and other needed directories and files (all redirecting to linux files).
You can have multiple "Prefixes", each tailored to a specific game if you need them...

There is a "start" menu (aka "Application Launcher") shortcut for the configuration program "winecfg". There you can set which version(s) of windows you would like wine to mimic while running your programs. (I have mine set to Win7 as the default.)
As well as set specific windows versions for specific programs.

Some games, such as old 16bit games that originally ran on WIn95/98 will need a 32bit prefix. You can make a new "prefix" and name it whatever you like, the usual suggestion is "wine32"...

This "wine32" directory is completely separate from the default wine directory.
It has its own registry, windows, and program files directories.
Installing a program, such as "Silent 3ditor" into one prefix, will not make it available in another prefix. Just as installing a game on one Windows PC, doesn't make it available on another Windows PC.
This prefix also has its own configuration settings.

However, to do this, you must use the command line, and you must use the command line to access the winecfg for that prefix as well.



WINE Version Numbers:

This part can be a bit confusing ---INITIALLY---.

The official word on the matter:
https://wiki.winehq.org/Wine_User%27...ne_from_WineHQ
1.3 Versions of wine


The short version:
WINE versions: X.Y.Z
"X" is the major version number.
If "Y" is an ODD number, it is a "development" version. "We're adding new stuff".
If "Y" is an EVEN number, it is a "stable" or bugfix only version. Or: "We're fixing what we broke".
"Z" is the release number, it is simply which "minor" version you have, higher number is newer.

So, 1.7 and 1.8 are basically the same. 1.7.55 became 1.8.0.
While 1.8 was being "debugged" (1.8.1, 1.8.2, etc.), 1.9 was being developed (adding DX10 and DX11 stuff).


Final thoughts:

I was going to add a bit more to this, but I'll have to cut this short since my schedule is working against me.
I'll try to add a few more things in the 2nd post here.



Barracuda

Bookmarked, thanks! :up:

I was going to edit my first post, but the edit button is gone... so I'll put it here.

Before I go in to the next bit concerning WINE, I thought I would post up some info I just read in the WINE 2.0 release notes. This makes the last section now "old news".

From WINEHQ...
https://www.winehq.org/announce/2.0

Just thought I would update the first post before moving on to things such as getting S3D working in WINE.

I had planned to update this sooner, but I've been really busy with work lately.

Barracuda

Since it has been several months since I started this, (getting sidetracked really messes with your plans...)

Typing this all out takes a bit of time, and I seem to be getting short(er) on time lately.

I was going to cover Getting S3D installed and working (as SH3/SH4 is a rather large part of this forum).

Should I continue?


Barracuda

Honestly said I think the interest is - well, see the many replies. :)

Beyond that, Wine is corrupting one of Linux signature features, that is security. You can catch Windows malware while
running Wine, that is why it is often recommended to not use Wine. Even if it does not attack your Linux, it infests your
saved data, texts, photos, these then are "sleepers" - and if you ever put them on a stick or send them via mail and the
receiver is a Windows user, then he got it - all inclusive, and the sleeping stuff awakens. Meanwhile, while sleeping, it
nevertheless may spread from your Linux system. Windows malware can also infest apps under Linux, waiting for an
opportunity that the carrier system is connecting to a Windows system in any way - and then infests the target Windows
machine via this app becomign active on Linux.

At least do not run Wine on Linux without a Virus scanner that is capable for both Linux and especially Windows.

Last time I read about such scanners, many failed and especially all the free ones - that often get recommended in
forums - are useless if not dangerous.

https://www.av-test.org/fileadmin/_p...c7e781fa3d.png

^ Valid in autumn 2015 !

For gamers, two system or dual boot solutions are the way to go. Windows or consoles exclusively for gaming, Linux for everything else. Save yourself
the hassle.

https://www.av-test.org/en/news/news...t-to-the-test/

The invulnerability of Linux to Malware, is a myth. It gets less
often attacked - and that is all.

P.S. Many users do not know, it seems, that Linux Mint comes with an inbuild firewall. It is - stupidly - switched off by
default and must be manually switched on.

P.S. I use the default firewall on Mint, and Eset Nod32 Antivirus under Linux. I may occasionally switch between my two
platforms and transfer data via usb stick. So for me it indeed makes double sense to use a scanner that is capable both
under Windows and Linux.

I would like to note: nothing is COMPLETELY secure...

However,
I looked at the link and noticed this particular point:
https://www.av-test.org/en/news/news...t-to-the-test/

I'm not saying don't run a anti-virus software. If you are, keep doing so...
But it seems the biggest threat is still to the Windows system.

----------

Seems to me, if you are worried about viruses, which can't infect the -actual- system.
Then run 2 accounts. One for your gaming, one for everything else.

2 Users "A" and "B" would each have their own "home" folder.

/-
. |
. -home-
. . . . . . . |
. . . . . . . -A-
. . . . . . . | . |
. . . . . . . | . -.wine
. . . . . . . | . -documents (and so on)
. . . . . . . |
. . . . . . . -B-
. . . . . . . . . |
. . . . . . . . . -documents (and so on)

(I had to add all the '.' because the forum was ignoring the spaces. :nope: )

"A" can NOT access "B" because "A" is a user, and does NOT have read, or write permissions to "B". "A" only has read/write/execute permissions in "A".
Not even in /home, only in /home/A (i.e.: ~ ).

The same goes for "B". Only in /home/B does "B" have read/write/execute permissions.
(Please note: if logged into "B", /home/B would also be "~".)

This would "compartmentalize" your system even further. So if you ever did get a virus, just delete the user account.
-------


I will try to get the 3rd planned post up soon.
I'm trying to make it less "walk through", more "quick reference".

Barracuda

First, there is malware targetting Linux. It is growing both in quality and quantity.

Second, the currently bigger concern indeed is Windows. But like it is considered to be polite to not sneeze your infleuntia virus into other people's faces, but turn away, it is nice if you do not help to spread malware damaging other people even you yourself stay unharmed.

Mind you, probably most severs feeding stuff to Windows, are running under Linux. Also mind you, that the bigger a network, the greater the chance that single Linux units may contact and link up to Windows units, it can also happen in company networks.

And in my personal case, i occasionally use USB sticks to transfer something from my Windows to my Linux machine, a scan for example. I am well-advised to scan for malware on BOTH machines. My main concern is - for statistical reasons - not Linux malware, but Windows malware. And that I can catch up with Linux as well.

As I said, total security is an illusion. But you can push chances in your favour. Technical preparation s one important thing - behaviour is the other important thing.

And once again: Linux malware is growing both in raffinesse and quantity. To say that Linux is not being hunted, is a false statement. It just happens not as often as under Mac or Windows. We can be thankful that Linux is not much used in the private user sphere, so this will continue to grow slowly into a major problem only, not fast. But growing it will. After all, Linux is just code - and like every code it can be attacked.

Some years they said that Tor is "safe". There is reason to assume that the NSA has successfully comprimised it, they say since two years or so. Once Android was said to be safe. When it became much unsafer due to growing popularity and being atacked more often, they said the Google repository is safe. Now even the Google appstore is compromised.

Every code and software can be attacked. We do not think in absoluta when saying "comouter security". We should think in probabilities only. So my advise: shift the chances in your favour a bit.

Regarding Wine, that one is a risk, that simple. In all books I looked into and stumbled over a chapter on Wine in the bookshop, the authors recommended to not use it. It shares the same vulnerabilities with Windows. And if you use Windows in a virtual machine, be careful with any datafiles you may extract fromt hat session on a USB stick, photos aor working project files. The virtual machine may collapse after you shut down the computer, the system may be unharmed. But the data on your stick may be compromised.