| Win4Lin a win for transitioning to Linux |
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A few weeks ago I bemoaned the state of Windows compatibility for Linux. I was disappointed with Wine and CrossOver Office. I noted that VMware was a better, if more expensive, solution. Readers quickly told me I was missing something -- Netraverse's Win4Lin, which lets you run Windows from within Linux. And, after playing with Win4Lin for some time now, I see how right they were.
You can use Win4Lin with Windows 95, 98, and ME, but not 2000, NT, or XP. You need a Windows boot diskette as well as a Windows CD. Be sure your boot diskette matches the version of the CD; the first time I tried, they didn't match, and the error message I got was obscure enough to send me to Netraverse's tech support department. Also be sure you're not trying to install it on a laptop that doesn't hot-swap its removable diskette and CD drives; that's what stopped me on my second try.
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