Can't open .exe file...

Question

Level 1

10 points

Can't open .exe file...

I downloaded a software or whatever online and it's an .exe file and i can't open it to install!!! i just get textedit opened with all its weird text stuff...

how on earth do i get it to open and run the install on it?

Macbook Pro from Jan 08, Mac OS X (10.5.6)

Posted on Apr 10, 2009 9:06 PM

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Answer 1

TheQ805 Author

Level 1

10 points

Apr 10, 2009 11:16 PM in response to Lyssa

i needed to run it to eventually get over a .jar file to my iphone... but it doesn't look like i can get that kind of file to my iphone.

so oh well.

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Answer 2

nerowolfe

Level 6

13,090 points

Apr 10, 2009 9:12 PM in response to TheQ805

TheQ805 wrote:
I downloaded a software or whatever online and it's an .exe file and i can't open it to install!!! i just get textedit opened with all its weird text stuff...

how on earth do i get it to open and run the install on it?

You need a PC to run an exe file.
You can install XP via bootcamp or in a virtual environment or use an emulator, but you cannot run it directly in OS - X.

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Answer 3

BobHarris

Level 9

55,229 points

Apr 12, 2009 9:31 AM in response to Mabel O'Farrell

I have found that the free *StuffIt Expander* can generally handle self-extracting ZIP archives.

It has been awhile, but I think I just renamed the .exe to .zip and then dragged and dropped it onto StuffIt Expander.

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Answer 4

Niel

Level 10

733,019 points

Apr 10, 2009 9:11 PM in response to TheQ805

You need to use Boot Camp, Parallels Desktop, VMware Fusion, or CrossOver Mac to open that file. All solutions other than CrossOver Mac require purchasing Windows.

(42503)

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Answer 5

Dick M

Level 3

675 points

Apr 10, 2009 9:12 PM in response to TheQ805

You have a Windows executable (.exe) which can only be opened with a Windows OS. Macs can't open them unless you have Windows installed on another partition.

RM

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Answer 6

TheQ805 Author

Level 1

10 points

Apr 10, 2009 9:20 PM in response to Niel

so i got CrossOver Mac.... but I still can't figure out how to go about getting my file to run...

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Answer 7

Lyssa

Level 8

41,381 points

Apr 10, 2009 10:56 PM in response to TheQ805

What's the name of the file, and where did you get it? Why are you trying to install this software?

We may know of an OS X application that can do the job.

~Lyssa

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Answer 8

Apr 12, 2009 4:38 AM in response to TheQ805

It's probably a self-extracting Zip file.

<Edited by Moderator>

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Answer 9

Gadgetmo

Level 1

0 points

Apr 12, 2009 3:04 AM in response to nerowolfe

Do you have the windows installation disks? Are you running a powerpc mac or an intel mac?

Gadgetmo, macmood.blogspot.com

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