Can I use Windows apps on an Intel Core Duo iMac?

All right, I know usually I'd have to buy VirtualPC (but I won't because it doesn't support Intel Macs and too expensive), and I've tried Darwine, but that doesn't work. I have a cd here of a game (Rome: Total War). Is there a way to get Rome: Total War onto my iMac?

Nope, should have bought a PC if you wanted to run PC apps.

well i have a pc, but is there any possible way to run it?

I'm even considering writing a program myself to get the job done.

Even though there is an Intel CPU, it's still a Mac running OSX. Windows games/Apps will NOT run on any system unless it runs Windows.

Virtual PC will not run any demanding games by the way.

Like MyNameIs said, if you want to run Windows programs, use a PC with Windows. A Mac with an Intel is not a Windows machine.

nm, I forgot the question

hey found a way around it!!! finally, a break...

http://www.transgaming.com/latest_news.php
http://www.transgaming.com/products_mac.php

it's called cedega, but ya gotta pay for it.

*post edited by blinding lights

you won't find an answer to that question here.. cracking is not legal and I don't think anybody on these boards will help you with that as its against the rules, but good luck in your search.

I don't think that software is what you think, it will not let you "run" a pc game on your intel mac. The software is a developer kit made for peopel who want to port games to the mac, porting means you take the source code that was meant for one system (ie, Windows) and then rewrite parts of it so it can be compiled to run properly on another (ie, OSX). You don't have the source code for Rome:Total War (and the company won't give it you) so you can't port the game.

BlindingLights said:

hey found a way around it!!! finally, a break...

http://www.transgaming.com/latest_news.php
http://www.transgaming.com/products_mac.php

it's called cedega, but ya gotta pay for it. So i'm checking for cracks right now.

anyone know a good cracking site other than isohunt and torrentspy?

Click to expand...

First, Cadega 5.1 is a Linux app. Transgaming currently has an SDK for Mac but not a full blown compatibility layer as it does on Linux.

Second, please do not ask for cracks on this board. As a programmer who makes his living coding I find it more than mildly offensive. Try and show some respect to the fact that people worked hard to make the product and either buy it or do not use it.

At this time there is no easy way to get Win32 apps to run on an Intel based Mac. You might try Q ( http://kberg.ch/q/ ) though I have no idea on what performance would be like. Darwine will be the better choice eventually, but that is not available yet as a universal binary and even then is in its early stages.

Yeah well I tried using Darwine and that didn't work...

So wait I have the game here... how could I not find the source codes...?

BlindingLights said:

Yeah well I tried using Darwine and that didn't work...

So wait I have the game here... how could I not find the source codes...?

Click to expand...

You can't just pull the source codes off of the CD that you got it on, it doesn't work that way...Currently, the only way to run a windows application on a Mac is through some sort of emulated environment, like the ones mentioned above. There is no easy way to port a Windows program to Mac. If there was, all companies would do it.

In the future, there is a strong possibility you will be able to install both Windows and OS X on a Mac. That would solve your problem. Until then, your best bet is to just use a Windows-based PC.

It might be a good idea to contact the company that makes the game, and tell them that you think it would be nice for them to port it over to mac. Chances are, it won't do anything, but the more word that can be gotten out about there being a market for software on the Macintosh platform, the better.

It looks like that if the company that makes Cedega were to be brought to the Mac platform in the same way it has been with the other computers, it could eventually accomplish what you desire, if your game is supported by them. If you read their site carefully, you will find that Cedega does not run on Macs. On macs, they have certain software which allows the developer of the original program to take the source code, which you do not have access to, and port it over to the Mac. It is potentially possible that with Macs switching over to Intel processors, Cedega could be brought to Mac.

BlindingLights said:

So wait I have the game here... how could I not find the source codes...?

Click to expand...

You earlier wrote about writing a program yourself...and you ask such a question?!? As a programmer you should now the answer...
Since when is the source code delivered with a software that is not open source?

I'm not a programmer, but I'm so desperate to play this game, I'd be willing to write something...

Writing an emulator to emulate windows is not something that is easy. It is something that is so hard that microsoft makes one and it is not even good enough to play games on it.. They don't just have one programmer doing it either.. its a team of programmers and it would take a single person a really really long time to make such a program.

BlindingLights said:

I'm not a programmer, but I'm so desperate to play this game, I'd be willing to write something...

Click to expand...

My suggestion?... If it is that important, then the best and easiest way to play the game would be to just play it on a Windows PC.

:black:

BlindingLights said:

well i have a pc, but is there any possible way to run it?

I'm even considering writing a program myself to get the job done.

Click to expand...

If you have a PC, and you're really desperate to play said game, then I suggest you just play it on your PC?