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

Reply

Answer 1

Niel

Level 10

726,905 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)

Reply

Answer 2

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

Reply

Answer 3

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.

Reply

Answer 4

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...

Reply

Answer 5

Lyssa

Level 8

41,327 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

Reply

Answer 6

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.

Reply

Answer 7

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

It's probably a self-extracting Zip file.

<Edited by Moderator>

Reply

Answer 8

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

Reply

Answer 9

BobHarris

Level 9

53,117 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.

Reply