[ILUG] Installing MS apps under linux without Windows

[Andy Ferguson]

On Wed, 5 Jan 2000, Conor Lennon wrote:

> Hi,
> 
> Is it possible to install MS apps under Linux if Windows is not
> installed on the machine?

Just for clarity...

MS apps cannot be installed if there is no version of Windows.

If you use wine, then it expects Windows to be already installed
somewhere. It does not have to have a bootable partition or anything
but it does need many Windows files - Win3.1 to Win98 any version.
In effect it needs a DOS partition (see dosemu below).

If you use Wabi (development stopped on this a while back I think, so
it only supports Win3.1+) then it will install a version of Windows
during its own install; a DOS filesystem is not used.

If you use dosemu, you can configure it to use a linux filesystem
and install a version of Windows somewhere. Letting Windows see the
video may be a bit tricky but as long as you get it installed, wine
should run under X OK regardless. I haven't tried this one! 

You can make a DOSv7 bootable image OK which flashes the usual Win
startup logo so basic VGA should be OK even for Win95. Don't use the
FreeDOS images currently released with dosemu (on SuSE 6.1 anyway), it
is seriously incomplete at the moment. MS DOS or DR-DOS can be used
fine though memory managers can choke the emulator which may pose a
problem for Win95 and later; check dosemu docs on this one.

Avoid configuring networking in Windows 3 if you intend to use wine;
it causes problems for some Win apps when SHARE is not loaded. This
may also be true for Win95+ apps.

BTW Sun have released "StarOffice 5.1 for Windows" as a freebie. Sun
have voice numbers in uk and ie to call for the CD or its on current
"PC Magazine".



Andy Ferguson
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sysop MOIL BBS +44-1247-273357