Exe files on Android?

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2Noob4U

Senior Member
Sep 3, 2009
184
14
Pueblo, CO
This might be in another thread. I searched pretty extensively for an answer and can't find one. Is there an app or way to install exe files and run them on my Magic 32B? My phone is rooted and running Cyanogen's 4.2.5 I figured my phone does everything else, why shouldn't it be able to run exe files? :)
 

2Noob4U

Senior Member
Sep 3, 2009
184
14
Pueblo, CO
Sorry for the bump. I can access the exe file on my memory card with Linda File manager, but I don't know what the open the file with??? Linda File Manager gives me the option to > Open With... Any ideas?
 

tvall

Senior Member
Oct 10, 2010
2,230
792
29
Springfield
Android is not windows..
In theory you could port qemu or something and run it in that. But that would be so slow a turtle would think of itself as fast if it saw it

Sent from my Gingerbread on Sapphire using XDA Premium App
 

DonJuan692006

Senior Member
Jul 22, 2010
1,624
176
Suffolk, VA
Android is not windows..
In theory you could port qemu or something and run it in that. But that would be so slow a turtle would think of itself as fast if it saw it

Sent from my Gingerbread on Sapphire using XDA Premium App

Agreed. I want to say someone got Wine to install in Android but could never get it to work right.

Sent from my LG-P500 using Tapatalk
 
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mumilover

Senior Member
Mar 18, 2010
1,348
616
Copenhagen
The idea is sweet and innocent but is much more complex...
The "exe" files are binaries. The .exe extension is something windows has as a standard for postfix, and is not necessary for running binaries (linux does not use any postfix and therefor also Android).
So what is a binary?
It's a list of machine instructions which the intended cpu understands. Every cpu has it's own instruction set ( a language). You need to make sure that the list of instructions you are running can be understood by the cpu. Inside this list you will find special instructions which is called "system calls". They are not intended for the cpu but for the operation system which you are running on.
So to sum up;
1) to run windows binaries on Android you need to change to instruction set of the binary because the cpu you have is not the same as those running on the Android device. E.g. x86 cpu on computer vs. ARM cpu on mobile devices vs. PIC micro-controllers. So the binary does not speak the same language as the cpu.
2) You need to change the system calls because Windows and Android does not have the same system calls.

So as a final sum up, it's not easy to make those binaries to run on Android, specially those which has a instructions list bigger than 20-30 instructions... They are just to complex and sometimes not even possible!

The WINE project is shot of doing the exact problem. It will run the binaries and translate them on the fly for the operating system. It succeed most times and fail others. But it's a HUGE project and need a normal computer power for it to run. The devices we have right now, does not have the horse power to run such projects.

I hope the info shades some lights on the problem :0)

NB: i know some of the info is not 100% but it's REALLY simplified to give the general idea and complexity of the problem :0)
 

K3n H1mur4

Senior Member
The idea is sweet and innocent but is much more complex...
The "exe" files are binaries. The .exe extension is something windows has as a standard for postfix, and is not necessary for running binaries (linux does not use any postfix and therefor also Android).
So what is a binary?
It's a list of machine instructions which the intended cpu understands. Every cpu has it's own instruction set ( a language). You need to make sure that the list of instructions you are running can be understood by the cpu. Inside this list you will find special instructions which is called "system calls". They are not intended for the cpu but for the operation system which you are running on.
So to sum up;
1) to run windows binaries on Android you need to change to instruction set of the binary because the cpu you have is not the same as those running on the Android device. E.g. x86 cpu on computer vs. ARM cpu on mobile devices vs. PIC micro-controllers. So the binary does not speak the same language as the cpu.
2) You need to change the system calls because Windows and Android does not have the same system calls.

So as a final sum up, it's not easy to make those binaries to run on Android, specially those which has a instructions list bigger than 20-30 instructions... They are just to complex and sometimes not even possible!

The WINE project is shot of doing the exact problem. It will run the binaries and translate them on the fly for the operating system. It succeed most times and fail others. But it's a HUGE project and need a normal computer power for it to run. The devices we have right now, does not have the horse power to run such projects.

I hope the info shades some lights on the problem :0)

NB: i know some of the info is not 100% but it's REALLY simplified to give the general idea and complexity of the problem :0)

Just in addition, most programs aren't just based on the .exe file. DLLs and other files are needed for the program to run, attempting to port all this stuff to Android would most probably result in failing.
 

Wing Nut

Senior Member
May 22, 2009
210
3
Adelaide
Just in addition, most programs aren't just based on the .exe file. DLLs and other files are needed for the program to run, attempting to port all this stuff to Android would most probably result in failing.
I just hope Android is so popular that, like turning Windows into Linux using Wine (excuse the metaphor or whatever that was), someone might persist with this no doubt huge endeavour. I'm sure I'm not alone in wanting to never run a Windows app in Windows ever again, nor kowtow to Apple's interface demands even though I'd like something as responsive, integrated and occasionally useful as an iSomething.

Android was my future salvation till my employer handed over a handy Win App recently that I can't really avoid using - well I could, but I'd have to work that much harder - fat chance! So I'm stuck with a Samsung XP netbook and WM6.5 on my HTC Touch HD until someone somewhere, or lots of someones everywhere, do a Wine for Android :cool:
 

cellsafemode

Senior Member
Apr 6, 2011
619
871
Seriously, you want to pretend in some reality somewhere that someone will first create an x86 emulator for an arm chip that barely likes to play xvid files then on top of that use wine to run a mobile windows app rather than just use something similar or pay someone to write you something similar that runs natively on android?

Which do you think is the non-insane option?
 
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davidadalby

New member
Feb 14, 2012
1
0
work for now

For now install your exe app on a windows PC if you have one. And run something like team viewer. Won't look the best but you'll get basic function out of it.
 

Wing Nut

Senior Member
May 22, 2009
210
3
Adelaide
Thanks for the suggestions (cellsafemode excepted! :p) ;)

I ended up buying a couple of iPads and have installed VMWare View, ICAB HD and Slashtop/CamCam giving remote access to my Windows PC at home. Gets the job done - bit slower, but the small Windows-only app I need to run infrequently isn't a huge load on the hardware or the network. Saves carting a netbook around for just one small but important task, and I guess it's accomplishing much the same as the Android suggestions above. When my iPad enthusiasm wears off, I'll have an Android option :D
 

nikhiljha

Member
Apr 13, 2012
15
0
Found a Way

Ok, I got a way! You need root, and itll be very slow on a phone but faster on a tablet!!
http s : / / play . google. com / store / a pps / de tail s? id = com . galoula.LinuxInstall&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwyL DEsImNvbS5nYWx vdWxhLkxpbnV4S W5zdG FsbCJd

1)Download Above Link remove spaces
2)On your new Ubuntu or whatever you chose get wine from winehq
3)Get your exe and presto!!
--DISCLAIMER--
I havent tried it so if it breaks your phone/tablet its not my fault... USE AT OWN RISK
 

tvall

Senior Member
Oct 10, 2010
2,230
792
29
Springfield
Ok, I got a way! You need root, and itll be very slow on a phone but faster on a tablet!!
http s : / / play . google. com / store / a pps / de tail s? id = com . galoula.LinuxInstall&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwyL DEsImNvbS5nYWx vdWxhLkxpbnV4S W5zdG FsbCJd

1)Download Above Link remove spaces
2)On your new Ubuntu or whatever you chose get wine from winehq
3)Get your exe and presto!!
--DISCLAIMER--
I havent tried it so if it breaks your phone/tablet its not my fault... USE AT OWN RISK

Good luck finding wine compiled for arm and some windows programs built for the (currently nonexistent) arm version of windows
 

Raj8984

New member
Mar 15, 2014
1
0
This might be in another thread. I searched pretty extensively for an answer and can't find one. Is there an app or way to install exe files and run them on my Magic 32B? My phone is rooted and running Cyanogen's 4.2.5 I figured my phone does everything else, why shouldn't it be able to run exe files? :)

if your mobile does everything else then can you do multitasking just like people do in Nokia N9??
 

mydevilace

New member
May 26, 2014
2
0
yes its possible ..

ohhh yaaa its possible to install .exe file on any android device ..
just follow these simple steps and you are done :
Step 1
Install a DOSBox app on your Android device. AnDOSBox, aDosBox and DosBox Turbo are three different DOSBox apps available from the Google Play store.

Step 2
Open the DOSBox app.

Step 3
Type "cd \foldername" into the command line, where "foldername" denotes the folder in which your EXE is contained. For example, if your EXE is in the Download folder, type "cd \download."

Step 4
Click Enter on your Android keyboard.

Step 5
Enter the name of the EXE file. You do not need to enter the .exe extension.

Step 6
Tap "Enter" on your Android keyboard.

Tip

The command-line interface is not case-sensitive.
 

jaymzway

Senior Member
Mar 12, 2013
84
20
So this confirms exe files r able to run on Android its just slow . Only thing left to do is find a way to lighten it up some by reduced graphics n bmp files ?
 

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  • 3
    The idea is sweet and innocent but is much more complex...
    The "exe" files are binaries. The .exe extension is something windows has as a standard for postfix, and is not necessary for running binaries (linux does not use any postfix and therefor also Android).
    So what is a binary?
    It's a list of machine instructions which the intended cpu understands. Every cpu has it's own instruction set ( a language). You need to make sure that the list of instructions you are running can be understood by the cpu. Inside this list you will find special instructions which is called "system calls". They are not intended for the cpu but for the operation system which you are running on.
    So to sum up;
    1) to run windows binaries on Android you need to change to instruction set of the binary because the cpu you have is not the same as those running on the Android device. E.g. x86 cpu on computer vs. ARM cpu on mobile devices vs. PIC micro-controllers. So the binary does not speak the same language as the cpu.
    2) You need to change the system calls because Windows and Android does not have the same system calls.

    So as a final sum up, it's not easy to make those binaries to run on Android, specially those which has a instructions list bigger than 20-30 instructions... They are just to complex and sometimes not even possible!

    The WINE project is shot of doing the exact problem. It will run the binaries and translate them on the fly for the operating system. It succeed most times and fail others. But it's a HUGE project and need a normal computer power for it to run. The devices we have right now, does not have the horse power to run such projects.

    I hope the info shades some lights on the problem :0)

    NB: i know some of the info is not 100% but it's REALLY simplified to give the general idea and complexity of the problem :0)
    2
    This might be in another thread. I searched pretty extensively for an answer and can't find one. Is there an app or way to install exe files and run them on my Magic 32B? My phone is rooted and running Cyanogen's 4.2.5 I figured my phone does everything else, why shouldn't it be able to run exe files? :)
    2
    WEAK!

    One thing I have learned from xda is that if theres a will theres a way! Comon guys there has gotta be a way!
    1
    Android is not windows..
    In theory you could port qemu or something and run it in that. But that would be so slow a turtle would think of itself as fast if it saw it

    Sent from my Gingerbread on Sapphire using XDA Premium App

    Agreed. I want to say someone got Wine to install in Android but could never get it to work right.

    Sent from my LG-P500 using Tapatalk
    1
    Seriously, you want to pretend in some reality somewhere that someone will first create an x86 emulator for an arm chip that barely likes to play xvid files then on top of that use wine to run a mobile windows app rather than just use something similar or pay someone to write you something similar that runs natively on android?

    Which do you think is the non-insane option?