Run Windows programs on Mac without installing Windows. Installing Windows programs on a Mac How to run Windows programs on a Mac

You probably would like to install Windows programs on a Mac, but did it work out? In this article we will look at one of the ways to do this.

Most software is developed for the Microsoft environment and is compatible with this operating system.

Of course, there are analogues, but not for all applications, especially specialized ones. To install Windows programs on a Mac, special utilities have been developed that allow you to run them with almost no loss of power. In this article we will look at one of the most popular free utilities for launching software for Microsoft - Wine . She has the following

Main advantages:
- widespread
- free
- ability to work with incompatible software in OS X

- performance comparable to installing a separate Windows via Boot camp.

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The disadvantages include:
- ability to run a small amount of software
- glitches and errors

- not a very friendly interface compared to its paid counterpart. Principle of operation

- approximately like a translator from a foreign language, i.e. commands from another operating system are translated into a language understandable for Mac. Of course, as with regular text translation, inaccuracies arise, because Different languages ​​have different meanings for words, and some words have no translation at all. Similarly, when installing Windows applications on a Mac, errors may occur due to the impossibility of translating some commands. That is why, with the help of Wine and similar utilities, you can only run a small number of applications without glitches and errors.

How to launch: In this article we will use the most popular free utility WineBottler

, developed based on Wine to run on OS X.
What you will need:
- WineBottler
- XQuartz (X11)

- OS X Lion

What to do:

Then you need to download and install X11(X Windows System) on your mac, because... it is not included in OS X Lion. X11 is part of the XQuartz software developed by Apple to support the X Windows System. So, type XQuartz in the search, and download or from here xquartz.macosforge.org.

Everything is almost ready. Go to the application with the .exe extension, right-click and select “Open in Wine”.

When launched, a window will appear showing the path to unpack the software, in our case, this is the folder "/Users/Alexandr/Wine Files/". This directory contains the "drive_c" folder - an analogue of the c: drive in Windows. Click "Go".

We get the standard procedure for installing software on Windows; we also don’t forget that drive C: is located in the folder “/Users/Alexandr/Wine Files/”, in our case, this is where the files are copied during installation with standard parameters and they need to be launched from there further.

In software stores, the number of applications compatible with macOS is growing daily. However, there are also such necessary products that only work on Windows. Users have found several ways to run this kind of software on Mac. The most commonplace, but, by the way, not so simple, method involves installing a full-fledged Windows, which in turn requires creating a new partition on the installation disk.

But you must admit that this is a waste of effort and time if you only need one or two Windows programs, there is no point in installing a full-fledged operating system on your computer. We suggest getting out of this situation using one of two applications, which we will discuss below.

WineBottle

This application does not support all existing Windows applications, but its database contains more than 23,000 titles. There is a high probability that you will find the one you need among those that it can provide you with. In addition, the obvious advantage of WineBottler is that it is freely available.

WineBottler does not run Windows when it runs, but packages applications so that they can open in OS X. All this happens using a special element. To find out if the application you need is in the list of supported ones, we recommend going through .

You can download WineBottler for Mac from the developers' website. The latest version of WineBottler is compatible with OS X El Capitan and macOS Sierra.

CrossOver

The software emulator is considered the best for running Windows programs on macOS. It is very important that the program supports the Russian language. Therefore, you should not have any problems using it.

CrossOver is developed by CodeWeavers. They built it based on codes from a similar program that is freely available. Despite this, CrossOver itself is a commercial product. Its developers add their own improvements, as well as graphical configuration utilities. It's true that they return some of their own additions to the free project.

What's the difference between CrossOver and WineBottler?

CrossOver, unlike WineBottler, is more narrowly targeted: it supports the most popular office, graphics and other applications among users. At the same time, compatibility with this software is thoroughly tested and regulated, so the operation of the application is stable.

The price of CrossOver is in the range of 40-60 dollars. There is also a version of CrossOver Games designed to run popular Windows games on the Mac.

In most cases, OS X users are quite satisfied with the existing set of software for this system. What to do when the required application is developed exclusively for the more popular Windows system? There are several ways to run a Windows program on a Mac computer in OS X.

There are three such ways:

BootCamp

Boot Camp is a program included with Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard that allows you to install and use a compatible version of Microsoft Windows on an Intel-based Mac. (Apple)

Apple introduced BootCamp in 2006, after Macs switched to Intel processors. For the sake of historical justice, we note that it was possible to run Windows applications on the Macintosh before: for this, an expensive expansion card was installed on the Macintosh. For obvious reasons, this solution was not popular.

Before you create an additional partition on your Mac's hard drive, back up your computer using Time Machine, then launch BootCamp Assistant (located in Programs - Utilities) and follow the instructions.

The solution is not ideal, but the main thing is that the Mac turns into a Windows computer. This means that the Microsoft system will work at maximum speed.

Disadvantages of BootCamp:

1. A complete reboot of the Mac is required to start Windows. To select an operating system (OS X or Windows) during boot, press and hold the Option (Alt) key.
2. Partitions (logical drives) created in Windows are not visible in OS X and vice versa. Why? Windows does not understand the HFS+ file system that OS X works with, and the latter does not work with NTFS by default. Using additional utilities like Tuxera NTFS, you can add NTFS compatibility (read and write) to OS X.
3. BootCamp only installs certain versions of Windows. So, only Windows 8 with all its inconveniences.

BootCamp is suitable when there is no need to load two operating systems at the same time and you need maximum performance. For example, it may be useful for gamers: after working in OS X, they restarted the computer and launched their favorite game in Windows.

Windows Emulator

This method is only good for running one or two Windows programs in OS X. It provides fairly high performance and there is no need to install an additional system.

Using Wineskin and CrossOver, you can try to run software that is not compatible with OS X. Just give it a try, since this trick doesn’t always work: even if successful, problems with stability may arise.

Beginner users may encounter problems, since working with the emulator requires certain knowledge. Nothing complicated, information is easy to find on the Internet, but given the fact that there are other methods, this method cannot be called elegant.

Virtual machine

Virtual machine(VM, from English. virtual machine) is a software and/or hardware system that emulates the hardware of a certain platform (in our case, OS X) and executes programs for the target platform (Windows). (Wikipedia)

The best solution when you need two systems at the same time, or need to switch between them frequently. For example, for developers. When running Windows in a virtual machine, there is no need to restart the Mac, and files from different partitions can simply be dragged and dropped from one window to another. In addition to Windows, you can install any modern operating system in a virtual machine, with the exception of outright exotic ones.

To deploy an operating system (one or more) that is not supported by a Mac, you must install a virtual machine (program) in OS X. There are quite a few similar programs: Parallels Desktop, Vmware Fusion and Virtual Box. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages, but in any case there is plenty to choose from.

Separately, I would like to mention Virtual Box from Oracle. This program has one important advantage - it is free, while competitors cost a lot of money: Parallels Desktop - from $79; Vmware Fusion - from $150. A free virtual machine has performance problems and even frequent lags are inevitable. Virtual Box is an excellent solution if you only need Windows for a couple of undemanding utilities.

After creating a virtual machine (installing the program and configuring the machine), you can begin installing the system. It is important that this can be done directly from a bootable flash drive connected in a virtual machine via a virtual USB port. Also, Windows can be installed from an ISO image.

Disadvantages of virtual machines:

1. Limited performance - Virtual machines suck up a share of the Mac's hardware power.
2. When you connect an external device to a Mac, it is not available in the virtual machine (it is connected in a separate menu).

What to choose?

The answer to this question depends on your needs. If you only need a single application, using BootCamp is not advisable because you need to restart your computer. In this case, it is easier to run Windows in an emulator. A virtual machine allows you to install different operating systems and easily switch between them - ideal for developers creating cross-platform applications.

Well, if you need high performance (for gamers), then BootCamp will be ideal.

P.S.: Some virtual machines are capable of running Windows installed using BootCamp.

The idea of ​​combining incompatible things seems crazy only until you need some specific application that is not on the Mac, or until you want to get into the latest gaming hit.

Even the most ardent OS X fans sometimes need to take advantage of the “enemy” Windows. There are different situations: from the need to use banking clients and corporate software to launching games. There are many ways to run applications written for Windows, using both third-party tools and proprietary Apple solutions.

Conventionally, they can be divided into three categories: a full installation of Windows, the use of virtual machines and emulators of the Windows software environment. Each option has its own advantages and disadvantages, so we will look at them all so that you can choose the one that is most convenient for you.

Installing Windows using Boot Camp

Especially for those unfortunates who are unable to break all ties with Windows, Apple created the “Boot Camp Assistant” utility, with which you can prepare your Mac for installing Windows and, in fact, install it. In this case, a separate partition is created on the disk, allowing both operating systems to work independently of each other.

You will need 50 GB of free space and a Windows boot disk. The installation process itself is very simple, you just need to follow the wizard's prompts and wait for completion. After the reboot, you will have a full-fledged version of Windows at your disposal, just like on a regular PC. All you have to do is install the necessary applications or games - and you can use it. You can find out more about the requirements and supported versions.

Benefits of Boot Camp

• Performance. Since all the resources of the Mac are used by only one OS, we get maximum performance.
• Compatibility. Thanks to full-fledged Windows, full compatibility with any applications and games is ensured.

Disadvantages of Boot Camp

• Need to reboot. To start Windows, you will have to restart your Mac every time.
• Lack of integration. Windows does not support the HFS+ file system, which means you won’t be able to access OS X files from it, and vice versa.

Using virtual machines

This method has much in common with the previous one, but is slightly different in implementation. With it we also get a full-fledged OS, but it is installed not on real hardware, but on virtual one. Special software (virtual machine) emulates the hardware platform for running Windows, taking away some of the Mac's resources, and it turns out that one OS runs inside another.

Parallels Desktop

parallels.com

Perhaps the most popular virtual machine among Mac users. Parallels is regularly updated, always works with the latest versions of OS X and Windows, and has additional features such as hybrid mode, when the OS X and Windows interfaces are simultaneously displayed on the screen, and applications run regardless of their ownership. In addition, the program can launch Windows from Boot Camp partitions, which is convenient if you need to access any applications or data without rebooting.

The disadvantage of the program is that Parallels is not free. The junior version will cost you $79.99.

VMware Fusion

vmware.com

Another commercial solution for OS virtualization. The key feature of VMware Fusion is the sharing wizard, which allows you to transfer the entire environment from your Windows PC to a virtual machine and continue using applications on your Mac. Installed Windows shares a clipboard with OS X, as well as access to files and network resources. Its applications are fully integrated with OS X features (Spotlight, Mission Control, Exposé). In addition, it supports running Windows from the Boot Camp partition.

VMware Fusion costs 6,300 rubles, but before purchasing you can explore its capabilities in a free trial version.

If your plans do not include additional expenses for running Windows applications, then your choice is Oracle. Compared to paid analogues, it has much fewer capabilities, but is quite suitable for simple tasks. You shouldn't count on integration with OS X system functions, but basic things like a shared clipboard and access to network resources are available here. The free nature of VirtualBox fully justifies all of its limitations.

Benefits of virtual machines

• Simultaneous operation of two operating systems. You don't need to restart your Mac to run Windows apps.
• File sharing. Since Windows runs inside OS X, file system support is not an issue.

Disadvantages of Virtual Machines

• Poor performance. Because Mac resources are shared between the two operating systems, application performance is significantly slower, especially on older computers.
• Compatibility issues. Some applications (most often games) that require direct access to hardware may not work correctly or not work at all.

Using emulators

With emulators, everything is completely different than with virtual machines and Boot Camp. More precisely, they have something in common with virtual machines, only they do not emulate Windows as a whole, but only those of its software components that are necessary for the operation of the desired application. We will not have a full-fledged OS and access to its functions: we get a certain compatibility layer that allows us to run a Windows application directly in the OS X environment.

All emulators work on the same principle. The installation of the application is initialized via setup.exe, and then during its process the necessary launch parameters are configured and the necessary libraries are automatically loaded. After this, an application icon appears on Launchpad, which will work in the same way as all native OS X programs.

WineBottler

winebottler.kronenberg.org

This emulator can turn an .EXE file into an OS X compatible application. WineBottler also allows you to automatically load some already configured Windows applications. It is completely free and compatible with OS X El Capitan.

Wineskin

Another emulator, which, like the previous one, uses the Wine libraries to create ports. Compared to the previous solution, Wineskin has more settings and allows you to fine-tune the settings. We talked in detail about its setup and use in.

CrossOver

A commercial emulator whose development team has already adapted and configured many popular Windows applications and games for you. CrossOver has a friendly interface and eliminates the need to delve into settings and deal with possible errors. The only negative is that it is paid. The license costs $20.95, but there is a 14-day trial period.

Advantages of emulators

• No Windows license required. Emulators run applications through a compatibility layer, so a licensed copy of the OS is not needed.
• Performance. Again, due to the savings in resources that are spent on running full-fledged Windows in virtual machines, we get higher performance compared to them.

Disadvantages of emulators

• Difficulty setting up. To use Windows applications, you first need to configure them, and this is not always easy, especially with games.
• Compatibility issues. In some cases, applications (usually resource-intensive) may not work correctly or not work at all.

What to choose

What to choose in the end from such a variety? There is no clear answer to this question. In each specific case you need to build on your needs, but in general the recommendations are as follows.

• Boot Camp Suitable primarily for gamers, as well as those users who need maximum performance and software compatibility. We reboot the Mac - and we get a full-fledged computer with Windows.
• Virtual machines will help out in cases where you need both OSs at the same time. We sacrifice performance, but avoid reboots and get good integration.
• Emulators Can only be recommended for simple tasks and infrequent use. For example, when you need to use a bank client a couple of times a month or occasionally feel nostalgic in your favorite game.

Choose the most suitable option for yourself, and in the comments tell us for what needs you use Windows applications on your Mac and how you launch them.

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 portion of RAM. 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 works correctly on most versions of Mac OS X.

Installing a virtual machine and guest OS

1. The installation process for VirtualBox is 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". In it we select the size of the virtual disk. It can change dynamically or be fixed.

In the first case, we will immediately be prompted to specify 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. Just as in the case of virtual machines, we will install 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, Windows partitions will not have access to the Mac OS file system.

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 that is used to partition disks and install drivers. Before you start installing a new OS using it, it is recommended to perform a backup, since theoretically there is a threat of losing some data due to changes in the hard drive partition table.

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, using "Windows Explorer" we 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".

Once the drivers are installed, the new system is completely ready for use.

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 of their 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 Wine users should forget about the recently released sequel to the cult action game Grand Theft Auto V - the program is at the top of the Garbage list (garbage).

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. Using MacPorts install Wine. To do this, enter the following command

After this, the console will look something like this: