Installing .exe files
 

Can someone explain just how to install executable files(.exe) or any other files for that matter in Linux??

Linux doen't use .exe files (you can run some of them by wine, but that's another story), ELF format is used instead. Usually, executable don't have an extension. Possible extensions used: .bin, .sh (for scripts), .run. When you can run an executable it has 'execute' attribute set.

How to install a program depends on your distro. Mamy programs come in packages. There're many packages format, for example .rpm (used in RedHat, Mandrake and many others), .tgz (in Slackware), .deb (in Debian). If you're installing a program you have packages for, choose the right one for your distro and version. After downloading, you install the program. If you use an RPM-based system, it's something like
rpm -i packagename.rpm
There are also GUI frontends for RPM, for example in Konqueror, if you click on an RPM, you're usually asked if you'd like to install it.

Some programs (like Mozilla, OpenOffice.org) come in binary form, with their own installer. What you need to do is to unpack the archive they come in (usually .tar.gz, using the command 'tar zxvf filename.tar.gz' or a frontend), then find an executable among created files and run it.

Third method is used when the program comes in source form (usually .tar.gz file). You need a compiler (gcc package). After downloading, unpack the archive. Inside, there should be README, INSTALL or a similar file with details. The standard way is to run './configure', then 'make' and then 'make install' (the tird command must be done as root).

..thanx but the program i want to install has nothing to do with Linux..i installed Linux properly and its working fine..the (exe) file i want to run sort of authenticates my system to get online in a Lan environment and i downloaded it using Windows and stored it on a diskette. i can copy it onh to the system(in linux) and need to install it...which is a nightmare...to get on line i have to constantreboot to get in Windows(which i really don like)))

Any file with a .exe on the end of it is intended for use in a DOS or Windows environment, and won't work in Linux without using a compatibility layer like Wine or VMWare.

If your question is about how to get online in Linux, give us some information about your hardware and network setup, and what you are having problems with, and perhaps we can help. Linux is perfectly capable of talking to a LAN without the help of Windows .exe files :)

So your ISP's using a custom authentication system. It's not a good idea. The best solution would be to find a 'Linux-native' way to handle it.. Before trying more, call them/ask someone if there's another way to authenticate.

If not, you need to try to run the program using Wine. Note that this method may fail... Wine packages are probably on your installation cds. Install them. You can always get the latest version from http://www.winehq.org/, but it's a good idea to try the easiest way first (packages coming with your distro). When you have the package installed, open a terminal, cd to teh directory you have the file in, for example
cd /home/yourlogin/Documents/
And then run (in the same terminal)
wine programname.exe

Yea (my ISP has that system) ..so which packages do i need to install?Which one in particular?

'Wine' package. It's hard to tell you the full name without knowing your distro and its version :)

ok how do i put this so you can understand..I do not knw wht kernel i am running but i have purchased Linux Redhat 9..i don knw if that makes any sense but that is all i knw so far..When i insert the cd and get to the upgrade point and select "customize packages so many packages come up and i don knw wht to choose

You ca downlading it from this page: http://sourceforge.net/project/showf...group_id=6241. I think you need this one http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/w...6.rpm?download

I went into my Linux OS and opened Add/remove packages so that i can install Wine as you said but i cant locate it it..i get the screen with all the installed packages in this grouped form
DESKTOPS...APPLICATIONS...SERVERS ETC i opne each one subsection where there are like 5/9 installed and i cant fine find wine..is there another name to it like gcc or something?My kernel version is 2.4.20-8

I can't find RPM for RedHat, coming on cds (probably there isn't such one). Download the package and then (from terminal):
cd /path
(where /path is the place the package is saved)
rpm -i filename.rpm

maybe there's already a linux tool to do standard authentications?

if not standard you can always reverse engineeer the protocol used and the program ; )

I dont know why he doesn't just get the dns info, phone number, username, and password and such and just manually connect to his isp. Many of these companies offer users "their connect program" but most of the time you can still connect manually, their program is just to make it easier for people.

Thanks guys i cant reverse program coz i don knw zip bout that..i finally got my ISP to bypass my IP and now i could if i knew how to..connect..So i went back to my Linux but still cant connect..
I have two NIC installed on my machine..one connects me to the ISP and the other connects my second computer.The computerr connected to the internet acts as the DHCP to the other(second computer which runs on XP).
During installation i entered the IP as follows:
203.196.174.231-My Ip
255.255.255.224-Submask
205.196.174.225-Gateway(same as DNS too)

On the other card i put the IP as :
192.168.0.1
255.255.255.0(Submask)
With the same DNS as above but no Gateway.....these settings worked well in Xp
Since i was not too sure which card was which on installation i left them the way they were( without putting the host anywhere)
I then reboot and on the login screen it displayed local host...so to test if the correct address was on the right card i interchanged the addresses and reboot..On the login screen it said"Hotwire login" my ISP so i assumed now the cards are well installed...but it says thtat it cant log on and i am to edit the /etc/hosts file
i added the same ip on it(not the gateway) Is that a prob or i am missing something...
The /etc/hosts appears as
127.0.0.1
203.196.174.231
HELP

Duri

You probably need to configure ppp/pppoe, with username and password. Do you have a password for the connection to your ISP? Don't pot it, just say if you have one.