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#1 2005-03-14 02:16:26

soloport
Member
Registered: 2005-03-01
Posts: 442

[Done] Win4Lin Pro

Ok, so, I'm about to embark on what I presume will be a rather lengthy and painful process of installing Win4Lin Pro on my wife's PC (currently running Fedora Core 2 with Win4Lin 5.0).  To replace the severed head... er... software, I will perform the following surgical procedure:
* Purchace and download Win4Lin (Done -- too late to turn back now)
* Backup /home, /etc, /var/spool/mail, etc. to two locations on the LAN (Done)
* Wipe the hard drive with Arch Linux BASE ("Hold on to your buts." --  Samuel L. Jackson, Jurassic Park)
* Do the usual install thing (download packages, config the config files, etc.)
* Get her and the kid's desktops configured just the way they like them (the most painful part?)
* Install Win4Lin

The last step will involve:
* Convert the Win4Lin Pro package to an Arch equivalent (they only support RPM and Deb -- and I downloaded the RPM)
* Create whatever other package management and config files are needed
* Install -- uh, make an attempt to install
* Rince, repeat until it works!

Oh, boy... I can hardly wait...  See you in a week!

So, does anyone care about the outcome?  Will anyone else be purchasing Win4Lin Pro?  Will no one join me in my hour of pain?!!!

If anyone's interested, I'll post my miserable plight right here, for all to wince at.  Let me know.  Also, if anyone's already blazed this trail (specifically Win4Lin Pro), please post your tips and tricks!

Thanks,

Jon

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#2 2005-03-14 02:24:29

cactus
Taco Eater
From: t͈̫̹ͨa͖͕͎̱͈ͨ͆ć̥̖̝o̫̫̼s͈̭̱̞͍̃!̰
Registered: 2004-05-25
Posts: 4,622
Website

Re: [Done] Win4Lin Pro

I use vmware, so I have no idea how arduous the path ahead of you lay.
Best of luck!


"Be conservative in what you send; be liberal in what you accept." -- Postel's Law
"tacos" -- Cactus' Law
"t̥͍͎̪̪͗a̴̻̩͈͚ͨc̠o̩̙͈ͫͅs͙͎̙͊ ͔͇̫̜t͎̳̀a̜̞̗ͩc̗͍͚o̲̯̿s̖̣̤̙͌ ̖̜̈ț̰̫͓ạ̪͖̳c̲͎͕̰̯̃̈o͉ͅs̪ͪ ̜̻̖̜͕" -- -̖͚̫̙̓-̺̠͇ͤ̃ ̜̪̜ͯZ͔̗̭̞ͪA̝͈̙͖̩L͉̠̺͓G̙̞̦͖O̳̗͍

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#3 2005-03-14 05:03:28

Dusty
Schwag Merchant
From: Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada
Registered: 2004-01-18
Posts: 5,986
Website

Re: [Done] Win4Lin Pro

You might want to add 'dual boot' to the list of poll options.

Me personally, I haven't run any tainted software on this system in over a year.

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#4 2005-03-14 05:33:28

iphitus
Forum Fellow
From: Melbourne, Australia
Registered: 2004-10-09
Posts: 4,927

Re: [Done] Win4Lin Pro

You may as well just install them windows if you have to go to so much trouble. Sometimes simplicity is the best option.

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#5 2005-03-14 08:28:07

Pajaro
Member
Registered: 2004-04-21
Posts: 884

Re: [Done] Win4Lin Pro

you forget qemu in the options

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#6 2005-03-14 18:53:48

IceRAM
Member
From: Bucharest, Romania
Registered: 2004-03-04
Posts: 772
Website

Re: [Done] Win4Lin Pro

soloport wrote:

Ok, so, I'm about to embark on what I presume will be a rather lengthy and painful process of installing Win4Lin Pro on my wife's PC (currently running Fedora Core 2 with Win4Lin 5.0).  To replace the severed head... er... software, I will perform the following surgical procedure:
[...]

Lengthy? Painful?

Welcome to ArchLinux, the ultimate Linux solutions provider big_smile :
http://wiki2.archlinux.org/index.php/Win4Lin%20setup

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#7 2005-03-21 15:07:28

soloport
Member
Registered: 2005-03-01
Posts: 442

Re: [Done] Win4Lin Pro

Well, the Win4Lin Pro installation was one of the least painful things I've done in Linux.  (No need to taint the kernel, etc.)

As I installed, I kept "notes" in the form of a shell script.  Here it is:

#!/bin/bash
if [ ! -f Win4LinPro-6.0.1-01.i386.rpm ]; then
    echo "Please execute this script where the Win4LinPro RPM file can be found."
    exit
fi
rpmunpack Win4LinPro-6.0.1-01.i386.rpm
gunzip < Win4LinPro-6.0.1-01.cpio.gz | cpio -ivd
mv opt/win4linpro /opt/
chown -R root.root /opt/win4linpro
chmod 755 /opt/win4linpro/*
chmod 755 /opt/win4linpro/etc/keymaps
chmod 755 /opt/win4linpro/lib/codepages
chmod 755 /etc/rc.d/init.d/Win4LinPro
cat > /etc/profile.d/win4lin.sh <<EOF
export W4LDIR=/opt/win4linpro
export PATH=$PATH:$W4LDIR/bin
EOF
chmod 755 /etc/profile.d/win4lin.sh

Someone with more time on their hands could convert it to a PKGBUILD file.  (Or you could wait 'til I have more time.  I'll probably make one, some day -- I enjoy, what I'll call, "elegant closure".)

Of special note: The hardware requirements are not to be taken lightly.  In the latest release of Win4Lin Pro, at least, it is a real DOG on my old Duron 1.3GHz.  (Am upgrading today!)  Another disappointment was the screen size.  If you tell Windows to go 1024x768, the KDE window is larger than the screen -- so you're stuck with 800x600 (if your native screen is 1024x768).  In the Windows 98 version of Win4Lin (version 5), the screen could be set to any resolution and maximized -- and it just worked.

Asside from current speed issues, I've successfully installed and run Quicken 2005 Deluxe and QuickBooks 2003 Basic.

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#8 2005-03-21 15:15:22

arooaroo
Member
From: London, UK
Registered: 2005-01-13
Posts: 1,268
Website

Re: [Done] Win4Lin Pro

Dusty wrote:

You might want to add 'dual boot' to the list of poll options.

I concur. (Because that's what I do!)

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#9 2005-03-21 15:17:29

soloport
Member
Registered: 2005-03-01
Posts: 442

Re: [Done] Win4Lin Pro

Um, there's a way to edit the poll?  :shock:

How?

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#10 2005-03-21 15:22:17

arooaroo
Member
From: London, UK
Registered: 2005-01-13
Posts: 1,268
Website

Re: [Done] Win4Lin Pro

Also, WineX was rebranded a while back to Cedega. Does that allow you to run standard windows apps other than games?

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#11 2005-03-21 16:26:55

soloport
Member
Registered: 2005-03-01
Posts: 442

Re: [Done] Win4Lin Pro

Sooooooo... Tell us how one changes a poll.

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#12 2005-03-21 16:36:06

arooaroo
Member
From: London, UK
Registered: 2005-01-13
Posts: 1,268
Website

Re: [Done] Win4Lin Pro

soloport wrote:

Sooooooo... Tell us how one changes a poll.

I don't know, I'm afraid. I've never set one up! I'm sure one the the learned regulars will tell you.

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#13 2005-03-21 16:40:43

Dusty
Schwag Merchant
From: Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada
Registered: 2004-01-18
Posts: 5,986
Website

Re: [Done] Win4Lin Pro

edited poll for two new options. Results skewed because options were missing...

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#14 2005-03-21 19:39:46

soloport
Member
Registered: 2005-03-01
Posts: 442

Re: [Done] Win4Lin Pro

Everybody's a critic  roll  lol

[edit]: Thanks for fixing the poll!

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#15 2005-03-22 03:25:44

soloport
Member
Registered: 2005-03-01
Posts: 442

Re: [Done] Win4Lin Pro

So, I got an e-mail from Win4Lin, in response to my inquiry about their speed issue.  Their answer was very interesting.  They claim that their product runs fine under Intel but slow under AMD.

So I have two questions for y'all:
1) Does that answer make any sense?

2) If I've built Arch using an AMD mobo (Duron) and switch the HDD to run on an Intel mobo (P4), will it just work?

Thanks...

soloport wrote:

The only negative is the speed. Ouch! I read the system requirements, before purchasing, and thought I'd give your product a try, even though the hardware I'm using is just shy of not meeting your requirements. (AMD Duron 1.3GHz; 1GB DDR RAM; 1.25GB swap; 160GB HDD).

Win4Lin Support wrote:

Performance will continue to improve. Currently, Win4Lin Pro performs best on Pentium 4's, Pentium M's, and Xeons. The Celeron and Athalon XP do not perform as good, but as I said we will continue to improve.

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#16 2005-04-05 00:01:46

dionydonny
Member
From: China
Registered: 2005-02-25
Posts: 15
Website

Re: [Done] Win4Lin Pro

soloport wrote:

Well, the Win4Lin Pro installation was one of the least painful things I've done in Linux.  (No need to taint the kernel, etc.)

As I installed, I kept "notes" in the form of a shell script.  Here it is:

#!/bin/bash
if [ ! -f Win4LinPro-6.0.1-01.i386.rpm ]; then
    echo "Please execute this script where the Win4LinPro RPM file can be found."
    exit
fi
rpmunpack Win4LinPro-6.0.1-01.i386.rpm
gunzip < Win4LinPro-6.0.1-01.cpio.gz | cpio -ivd
mv opt/win4linpro /opt/
chown -R root.root /opt/win4linpro
chmod 755 /opt/win4linpro/*
chmod 755 /opt/win4linpro/etc/keymaps
chmod 755 /opt/win4linpro/lib/codepages
chmod 755 /etc/rc.d/init.d/Win4LinPro
cat > /etc/profile.d/win4lin.sh <<EOF
export W4LDIR=/opt/win4linpro
export PATH=$PATH:$W4LDIR/bin
EOF
chmod 755 /etc/profile.d/win4lin.sh

Someone with more time on their hands could convert it to a PKGBUILD file.  (Or you could wait 'til I have more time.  I'll probably make one, some day -- I enjoy, what I'll call, "elegant closure".)

Of special note: The hardware requirements are not to be taken lightly.  In the latest release of Win4Lin Pro, at least, it is a real DOG on my old Duron 1.3GHz.  (Am upgrading today!)  Another disappointment was the screen size.  If you tell Windows to go 1024x768, the KDE window is larger than the screen -- so you're stuck with 800x600 (if your native screen is 1024x768).  In the Windows 98 version of Win4Lin (version 5), the screen could be set to any resolution and maximized -- and it just worked.

Asside from current speed issues, I've successfully installed and run Quicken 2005 Deluxe and QuickBooks 2003 Basic.

I'v download the rpm and run that sh script.
but "/etc/rc.d/init.d/Win4LinPro" does not exist.anything else i should do?


english&linux n00b

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#17 2005-04-11 13:33:43

soloport
Member
Registered: 2005-03-01
Posts: 442

Re: [Done] Win4Lin Pro

dionydonny wrote:

I'v download the rpm and run that sh script.
but "/etc/rc.d/init.d/Win4LinPro" does not exist.anything else i should do?

Sorry for the slow response.  Have been away from these forums for a while.

I think the thing that's missing in the script is to run:
/opt/win4linpro/postinstall_rpm.sh

(can put it at the very end)

As I mentioned, the bash script was just "notes" -- in case I ever had to install again.  It's not been tested.

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#18 2005-05-06 15:03:36

nahoj
Member
Registered: 2004-11-05
Posts: 30

Re: [Done] Win4Lin Pro

Hi soloport
Thanks for the script - I was totally stuck trying to install win4linpro.

Now I used your alfa-version of script and it works fin until the last step:
chmod: cannot access `/etc/rc.d/init.d/Win4LinPro': No such file or directory

I checked the directories and the only postinstall-script I found was in /opt/win4lin/bin/postinstall.sh

Now I think it will work.

btw: My reason for installing win4lin is that I need windows to be able to use my economic system (SPCS administration). All my attempts using wine, cedega, qemu, crossover office etc have been in vane. And for each try I gave more and more up about trying to have at least one computer work in windows. It takes too much time cleaning end reinstalling things after virus and spam-attacks... So now I hope this try will work...


Computers never saves time - but they help you produce more in the same timespan...

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#19 2005-05-07 12:05:54

nahoj
Member
Registered: 2004-11-05
Posts: 30

Re: [Done] Win4Lin Pro

Well, I realize that the painful process isn't finished yet.

I could install win4lin pro all right

I had the license-code entered all right. (btw - if I should give an advice it would be to try install it first and use the evaluation period of 14 days. If you like it - buy the license-code. I blow it by buying it before installing it... I was fooled by the mandatory registration but you can register and get the files without a license. The registration is done on the web-page and you get a license-text to save on your computer in a file called license.lic in the /var/Win4Linpro/install directory.)

The last steps means you have to make a guest-installation and you have to start a guest session. None of these works for me and I don't know why. I wait for answer from the support. This happens:

> installwinpro

Selected winxppro to install by default

installwinpro: installation details:
        Target directory: /home/johan/winpro
        Windows version:  winxppro
        Guest image size: 4G

hostname: Unknown host
>

On the uppdate-pages at win4lin they talk about a earlier problem with "unrecognized host" but if this is that problem or another one I don't know.


Computers never saves time - but they help you produce more in the same timespan...

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#20 2005-05-09 16:32:09

nahoj
Member
Registered: 2004-11-05
Posts: 30

Re: [Done] Win4Lin Pro

The answer from nettraverse is that I should install the brand new version that has full xp support. Win4Lin Pro 1.1 Rev 6.1.1-01

I will do that, but in order to do it one needs to remove the old installation.

That means a lot of manual work I guess. I will try it when I get the time...


Computers never saves time - but they help you produce more in the same timespan...

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#21 2005-05-11 14:59:07

nahoj
Member
Registered: 2004-11-05
Posts: 30

Re: [Done] Win4Lin Pro

I started to install the guest-session of win4lin 18 hours ago. Since then it have slowly, slowly made progress. 9 hours ago it said: 32 min left. Now it is reduced to "9 min left". And still it is only a process of moving data from one part of the hard drive to another.

I will not use it for gaming or anything that needs fast processing but my hope is that it will be possible to install the booking software in it so that I can stop dual booting. But I start to doubt...  sad


Computers never saves time - but they help you produce more in the same timespan...

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#22 2005-05-11 16:51:34

soloport
Member
Registered: 2005-03-01
Posts: 442

Re: [Done] Win4Lin Pro

Catching up, again....

nahoj wrote:

Now I used your alfa-version of script and it works fin until the last step:
chmod: cannot access `/etc/rc.d/init.d/Win4LinPro': No such file or directory

I checked the directories and the only postinstall-script I found was in /opt/win4lin/bin/postinstall.sh

Me thinks the file names, their locations and permissions may have changed from version to version -- since I wrote that script.

Sorry the install has been so slow.  My attempt -- if I recall -- went relatively fast.  It was when I actually ran Win2k that things ran SLOW.  Hopefully your experience will at least be oposite mine (i.e. may have a slow install but will execute fast).

Curious: What version of Windows are you installing over win4lin pro?

When things are working for you, could you repost the script with your updates? Thanks!

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#23 2005-05-11 17:35:28

nahoj1976
Member
From: Åsele, Lappland, Sweden
Registered: 2005-03-13
Posts: 29

Re: [Done] Win4Lin Pro

Well, this is the changed script I use (maybe you should have put in your name in it...). It works I think.

# script wrote by soloport - slightly modified
#!/bin/bash
if [ ! -f Win4LinPro-6.1.1-01.i386.rpm ]; then
     echo "Please execute this script where the Win4LinPro RPM file can be found."
     exit
fi
rpmunpack Win4LinPro-6.1.1-01.i386.rpm
gunzip < Win4LinPro-6.1.1-01.cpio.gz | cpio -ivd
mv opt/win4linpro /opt/
chown -R root.root /opt/win4linpro
chmod 755 /opt/win4linpro/*
chmod 755 /opt/win4linpro/etc/keymaps
chmod 755 /opt/win4linpro/lib/codepages
chmod 755 /etc/rc.d/init.d/Win4LinPro
cat > /etc/profile.d/win4lin.sh <<EOF
export W4LDIR=/opt/win4linpro
export PATH=$PATH:$W4LDIR/bin
EOF
chmod 755 /etc/profile.d/win4lin.sh
/opt/win4linpro/bin/postinstall.sh
# eof

The slow part is offcause when installing windows. I have XP and that might be the reason for the slowness. In qemu they say that w2k works all right but xp is very slow. It might be the same in win4lin. But very much depends of the computer. Meanwhile I have installed it on a laptop and that did 'only' take 6 hours. (BTW - I have come down to 5 min left now - 2 hours ago it was 8 min left. I suppose it is american minutes - everything is bigger in america isn't it?  tongue  )

On the laptop the only problem is that my cdrom is called /dev/cdroms and that means win4lin can't recognize it. I will look through configuration files and see if it can be changed in win4lin somehow. The only thing I so far have tested was spiderharp - and that went VERY slow, so I am not very hopeful about this...

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#24 2005-05-11 17:44:00

nahoj1976
Member
From: Åsele, Lappland, Sweden
Registered: 2005-03-13
Posts: 29

Re: [Done] Win4Lin Pro

win4lin is very clear that one needs to make a rpm -u, ie an reverted installation. The rpm-manager in arch does not have any uninstall options so I thought it would be hard.

But the only thing I did was to delete the archive /opt/win4linpro and change name of the file /etc/rc.d/init.d/Win4LinPro to Win4LinPro.bak and then I took away chmod so that it isn't executable. (I don't know if this last part is needed but I thought it would be safest to - at least I could check if the file is reinstalled as a sign that the installation have worked this far)

After that I used the script again and everything went smoothly - until I started with the microsoft stuff and the long waiting started.

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#25 2005-05-11 18:05:00

soloport
Member
Registered: 2005-03-01
Posts: 442

Re: [Done] Win4Lin Pro

nahoj1976 wrote:

I suppose it is american minutes - everything is bigger in america isn't it?  tongue

I'm affraid, at times, only our egos are bigger  roll 

Sometimes our mistakes are bigger, too, perhaps  lol

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