How safe it is to run .exe in wine ?

[Treblez]

I want to get into mobile phone moding but most of the progies are exe. So what do you suggest i should do ? im trying to mode n0kia 2600
Im running ubuntu 9.10

[!XpecTz!]

I just left ubuntu 9.10 for that reason, you will be always taking a risk by running .exe but you shouldn't worry to much.

[Treblez]

so i guess I will have to trust the guy who recommended me that program but the thing that bothers me is not destructive viruses but adware and spyware.. anyway... It all comes to cash I s'pose... if i don't use things like p4yp4l I wont worry about Keyloggers and stuff..

[ktmrider530]

No, if you run a virus in WINE, nothing will happen. WINE just allows the file to run. If it is written for windows, if cannot write to linux simply because it doesn't have the same directories. If it does by some weird reason succesfully wright, it won't be able to to do it's job. WINE is 100% safe to run anything you want.

[arcofile]

If the .exe doesn't work or work the way you want it, then you can always delete your entire ".wine" (a hidden folder: go to Nautilus and CTL-H to toggle hidden files/folders or use the Menu option under View). The next time you run a wine program, the .wine folder will be rebuilt.

WARNING! If you've got other programs installed in wine, then deleting the .wine folder will delete those programs and their settings (and all wine settings you've made other than the default). You could always rename the .wine folder to something like .winebackup and then test out your program. If it works okay, you can delete your new .wine folder, rename your .winebackup folder to .wine and then reinstall that program.

It is MUCH safer testing out a Windows program on wine, as it does not interfere with your OS and, worse come to worse, you can simply delete the .wine folder and start afresh.

[Treblez]

thanks all! actually, arcofile there is a screamer.exe that i want to dispose off but some errors occur..e.g.:"Failed to change to directory '/home/*******/.wine/dosdevices/c:/windows/profiles/********/Local Settings/Application Data/Screamer Radio/plugins' (No such file or directory) cuz my win_d0ze habbits made me try to uninstall it by clicking "uninstall" lol
I might del the whole WINE folder as well. and ktmrider530 - i see that WINE creates those dirs - although being fake they are still there - this is what confused me. cheers.

[Solidus]

Wine is essentially a virtual machine. Your virtual C drive could be effected but it can be easily restored. It cannot harm your system files.

[ktmrider530]

thanks all! actually, arcofile there is a screamer.exe that i want to dispose off but some errors occur..e.g.:"Failed to change to directory '/home/*******/.wine/dosdevices/c:/windows/profiles/********/Local Settings/Application Data/Screamer Radio/plugins' (No such file or directory) cuz my win_d0ze habbits made me try to uninstall it by clicking "uninstall" lol
I might del the whole WINE folder as well. and ktmrider530 - i see that WINE creates those dirs - although being fake they are still there - this is what confused me. cheers.

Yes, they are there. But you can easily delete them. They can't bind themselves to things like they can in windows. Your safe.

[GoTTsProfeT]

Wine is essentially a virtual machine. Your virtual C drive could be effected but it can be easily restored. It cannot harm your system files.

Actually .exe files can access directories above the virtual C drive simply by using the path of the resource it wants using the linux filesystem format, of course the .exe would have to be programmed to check for and use such exploits in hopes that it would be ran on wine.


but wine does NOT guarantee you safety.

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Yes, they are there. But you can easily delete them. They can't bind themselves to things like they can in windows. Your safe.

Also yes, wine has full file access and access to the whole file system.
IT can read/write anywhere it wants.

Infection of a linux system would simply require modifications to some shell files.

[arcofile]

Actually .exe files can access directories above the virtual C drive simply by using the path of the resource it wants using the linux filesystem format, of course the .exe would have to be programmed to check for and use such exploits in hopes that it would be ran on wine.


but wine does NOT guarantee you safety.

---

Yes, they are there. But you can easily delete them. They can't bind themselves to things like they can in windows. Your safe.

Also yes, wine has full file access and access to the whole file system.
IT can read/write anywhere it wants.

Infection of a linux system would simply require modifications to some shell files.

What kind of infection are you talking about? I'd be interested to know of an example if you have one.