Any Computer Savvy Folks Present?
 

Looking for some advice how to run AE on my Linux OS computer.

I bought the Auto Enginuity PC ScanTool Total Ford Bundle. On the box it says 'for Windows-based computer'.

My computer is a Linux OS. I understand that the AE won't work on Linux. I hear that all I need to do is download Windows onto my computer without removing Linux.

Is this possible?

I don't want to buy another computer if I don't have to.

Has anyone here installed Windows onto their Linux OS computer?

What do I need to do?

Thanks,

I'll forward this to a fellow mod who is pretty darn good with 'puters.

Stewart

What you're looking for is called WINE. It allows you to install a Windows virtual machine on your Linux system. The other option, which may be a little trickier depending on how your computer is currently setup is to setup a dual-boot system so that at power-on you can choose whether to boot into Windows or Linux. Either way, you'll need a copy of Windows (I think you do with WINE--never used it, just read about it when I set up a Linux box here at home).

Jason

Appreciate it, Stewart. Thank you.

Okay. Wine or a Dual-Boot set-up. A couple things I shall research. Thank you very much Jason.

Thanks, Stewart. :)

To the OP,

If you have a Windows® CD, another thing you can do is install a "virtual machine" (vm) of it, then "play" it as necessary. I do this when I need to run 'doze for resume purposes, for example.

I run CentOS/RHEL at work and Ubuntu at home, and I flip-flop between VirtualBox by Sun Microsystems (now owned by Oracle) and VMPlayer® software by VMWare®.

IMHO VirtualBox is easier as it lets you create a vm right there, whereas I think VMWare wants you to build the vm using one of their licensed products (e.g. Workstation™) which can then be played on their free player software. I haven't built a vm in a few years now and forget the details so you might verify that, first; also, I believe you can download a free, temporary-use license for their Workstation product but you'd need to look and see what their current policies are.

Oracle VM VirtualBox
VMware Player Plus: Easiest Way to Run a Virtual Machine | United States

I haven't done Wine in what seems like decades (might literally well be) - not since I discovered virtual machines. :)

Setting up a dual-boot installation is more work than is necessary IMHO especially when Linux is already installed; Microsoft doesn't play well with others and likes to think they have exclusive ownership of your hardware and it'll blow away your Linux installation if you're not careful (and, at a minimum, will replace the boot loader on your MBR). VMs are easy, they're one huge file for the VMs and a handful of supporting config files.

ctubutis,

The computer lingo in your post is way beyond my knowledge. I know just enough to operate a computer.

Looks like I have some homework to do.

I thank you for sharing in-depth info of what I can do to add Windows to my computer.

Thread Update
 

Well, given the information that you folks have shared with me in this thread, I have chosen to purchase a new computer. This is much easier for me since computers are not my niche.

It is a new Toshiba Satellite C55-B i5 8GB 750GB with windows 7.

This will be more than sufficient for my needs.

So THANK YOU to whom have chimed in and helped guide me in my direction.