Linux From ScratchThis Forum is for the discussion of LFS.
LFS is a project that provides you with the steps necessary to build your own custom Linux system.
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To support a .exe executable extension binary, yes, you would need to severely hack the kernel to support that extension format. Now also you would need to use a method of path read as well, you'd have to also support .dll libraries to support the binaries, as well as other issues.
Plus take into the fact you now would have to run binaries in kernel-mode rather than user-mode would present a problem with security and open the kernel to attacks.
Windows itself no longer runs applications in kernel-mode Ring-0. It runs them in user-mode Ring-3 with an API layer to mimic kernel functions we call the win32api. This API layer does work with the kernel however but in a secure mode.
In short it's not worth the effort to support applications that use .exe in UNIX when you can simply re-source and rebuild for UNIX.
No, you'd still need a proper API layer to use the resources of the system for the application, as well have a program that can execute the .exe binary with proper userland permissions. The API layer would require support of the kernel to gain Ring 0 support also.
The only existing API layer for Linux that supports .exe is Wine and it is user space only. Wine would have to be redeveloped to use kernel level support even through the misc file supports. You'd also need support through other vectors like video, audio, input, and networking with hardware acceleration through the drivers as well.
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