04-26-2008, 09:47 PM

Hello,

I am a completely new mac user. I have a macbook that i received as a birthday gift. I am having some troubles with it. Overall its really cool. But sometimes i download a program but when i try and run the .exe file to instal it a text file opens with the message "This program cannot be run in DOS mode" and a bunch of programing code (i assume) is under it.

I have searched on how i can get out of DOS mode but was unsuccessful in finding results.

Can someone explain to me how i can get out of DOS mode so that i can instal programs? The programs that i have downloaded where mac programs so that isn't the issue. I would appreciate any help you can lend me.
Thanks.

-spike

04-26-2008, 09:53 PM

how did u get in DOS mod in a mac? were u using Terminal? Macs cant read EXE files, there WIndows only. Run windows through emulation, boot camp, or parrallels. DO NOT USE CROSSOVER SINCE IT DOES NOT WORK!

04-26-2008, 10:01 PM

There is no "DOS" or "DOS Mode" on a Mac, unless you are running Windows through Boot Camp, Parallels, or VMWare.

If you are, then you'll have to tell us which one.

04-26-2008, 10:09 PM

Originally Posted by Spike161comcast

Hello,

I am a completely new mac user. I have a macbook that i received as a birthday gift. I am having some troubles with it. Overall its really cool. But sometimes i download a program but when i try and run the .exe file to instal it a text file opens with the message "This program cannot be run in DOS mode" and a bunch of programing code (i assume) is under it.

I have searched on how i can get out of DOS mode but was unsuccessful in finding results.

Can someone explain to me how i can get out of DOS mode so that i can instal programs? The programs that i have downloaded where mac programs so that isn't the issue. I would appreciate any help you can lend me.
Thanks.

-spike

Program files that are *.exe or *.msi are Windows executables and will not run in OS X. When you download programs make sure they are for OS X and not another operating system.

OS X does not have a "DOS" mode or an emulated DOS mode. Again, that's Windows. If you want to run Windows programs on your Mac you'll have to either install Windows XP SP2 or Vista by using Boot Camp. Or as an alternative, you can install VMWare Fusion or Parallels and then run a version of Windows in a virtual session from within OS X.

Anyway, don't worry about being in DOS mode - you were never in DOS mode to begin with....

04-26-2008, 11:50 PM

Originally Posted by chscag

Program files that are *.exe or *.msi are Windows executables and will not run in OS X. When you download programs make sure they are for OS X and not another operating system.

OS X does not have a "DOS" mode or an emulated DOS mode. Again, that's Windows. If you want to run Windows programs on your Mac you'll have to either install Windows XP SP2 or Vista by using Boot Camp. Or as an alternative, you can install VMWare Fusion or Parallels and then run a version of Windows in a virtual session from within OS X.

Anyway, don't worry about being in DOS mode - you were never in DOS mode to begin with....

Ah... alright. Well, that makes me feel better knowing that i wasn't in some kind of weird mode that mucks up my programs.

Thanks for the info.
One last question, tho.

I looked up boot camp and i know how to open it. From what i gather (and im not good with this stuff) all i have to do is get windows on my macbook and i can switch from windows to mac at will. So i wont loss anything that i have on my mac. Am i correct? If so can you tell me how i can get windows xp on my mac? Is it as simple as getting a disk or downloading it from the internet?

Thanks.

- Spike

04-27-2008, 12:49 AM

You would need to follow the bootcamp setup instructions (they're on the apple site) and have a valid XP service pack 2 install CD and license.

04-27-2008, 03:05 AM

Originally Posted by Spike161comcast

Ah... alright. Well, that makes me feel better knowing that i wasn't in some kind of weird mode that mucks up my programs.

Thanks for the info.
One last question, tho.

I looked up boot camp and i know how to open it. From what i gather (and im not good with this stuff) all i have to do is get windows on my macbook and i can switch from windows to mac at will. So i wont loss anything that i have on my mac. Am i correct? If so can you tell me how i can get windows xp on my mac? Is it as simple as getting a disk or downloading it from the internet?

Thanks.

- Spike

Well, I wouldn't recommend downloading it, but if you open BootCamp and allow it to partition your hard drive to a reasonable size (Just FYI, a partition is a section of your hard drive that is set aside, usually for another OS) it will take you through the steps to install Windows if you have a CD of it.

04-28-2008, 04:30 PM

Ah, ok. Thanks alot. My pc friend actually has the windows xp disc but he knows jack about macs so he didn't know what to do in my case. Im sure I could get the disc from him for a day or two. If not i'll get one off amazon.

Thanks again guys.

-Spike

07-14-2009, 06:57 PM

Originally Posted by Spike161comcast

Hello,

I am a completely new mac user. I have a macbook that i received as a birthday gift. I am having some troubles with it. Overall its really cool. But sometimes i download a program but when i try and run the .exe file to instal it a text file opens with the message "This program cannot be run in DOS mode" and a bunch of programing code (i assume) is under it.

I have searched on how i can get out of DOS mode but was unsuccessful in finding results.

Can someone explain to me how i can get out of DOS mode so that i can instal programs? The programs that i have downloaded where mac programs so that isn't the issue. I would appreciate any help you can lend me.
Thanks.

-spike

Hey everyone, I am having this same problem (getting the same error message), but I am not running windows on my mac. I am just trying to install a language workbook cd, which says it is compatible with both PC and Mac. When I open the folder, the setup.exe is there... but of course it won't open because it's on a Mac... so how am I supposed to install it? I'm clearly not in DOS mode, because I can't be, correct? So what the heck! Thanks ahead of time for any help..

07-14-2009, 07:02 PM

Did you read the other posts in this thread?

There is no DOS mode on Macs in OSX. EXE files are WINDOWS ONLY. Setup.exe is a Windows executable and will not run on OSX. If that CD says it will run both Windows and Mac, you need to look for the Mac installer if there is one.

How old is this CD? It maybe for older Macs with Pre OSX Mac OS.

08-11-2009, 06:32 PM

The only EXE files i know you can use are DOS files

How to Play DOS Games in Mac OS X | eHow.com

10-15-2009, 04:59 PM

I've been having the same trouble. I'm trying to switch my Adobe Photoshop from my PC to my MacBook, but it won't set up because of this DOS mode. I've already deactivated it on my PC & it keeps saying DOS mode on my Mac. Help me out?

10-15-2009, 05:30 PM

Did you read the rest of this thread? This is a Mac. OSX has nothing to do with Windows. OSX will not run any .EXE file. There is no DOS mode on a Mac.

Only way to run Windows Photoshop on a Mac is install Windows Via Bootcamp, run a virtual machine and install Windows in it, or an Emulator.

You can also get a hold of Adobe and transfer to a Mac version of Adobe.

01-30-2012, 02:38 PM

Originally Posted by dtravis7

Did you read the rest of this thread? This is a Mac. OSX has nothing to do with Windows. OSX will not run any .EXE file. There is no DOS mode on a Mac.

Only way to run Windows Photoshop on a Mac is install Windows Via Bootcamp, run a virtual machine and install Windows in it, or an Emulator.

You can also get a hold of Adobe and transfer to a Mac version of Adobe.

I was about to post the same question as so far I've not seen an answer. But to be told, "Did you read the rest of this thread?" would clearly give me the hump.
I'm highly PC literate but not Mac-literate. It feels like the response doesn't consider the basis of the question. Us Mac-newbies are clearly experiencing an issue we can't relate to in PC-terms. I've bought and downloaded two games recently; I get the same error. The files are all .exe and assuming mac doesn't do .exe I've got a compatibility problem. The nugget I and perhaps many mac-newbies will be trying to figure out is, why if the games are labeled for mac, don't they work? So, some good advice would help us identify which software is suitable for our state of the art technology. What markings are we looking for. e.g. XP, Vista, 98.. in Mac terms. Thanks.

01-30-2012, 02:41 PM

If the games were labelled as Mac compatible, you downloaded the wrong version. Which games did you get?