I’ve tried Wine, Crossover, Bottles – all have problems. The solution is using VirtualBox. Just pull the free Windows 10 ISO from here (completely legal):
www dot microsoft dot com slash en-us slash software-download slash windows10ISO
You don’t need to register it. The unregistered software works fine – you can’t change your screensaver – I’ll live with that. By tweaking VirtualBox you’ll be able to copy and paste from the main Linux OS and also have a shared folder. It works. It’s relatively easy, especially compared to the gymnastics of endlessly trying to get Wine working. I run it in a Linux workspace and jump back and forth from VBox into Linux as needed.
itsthemedication, Great points about how to get this going (regardless of whether your Windows copy is registered). The solution is great.
CAVEAT: I recommend getting a valid license key to stay legitimate. I’d need some evidence FROM MICROSOFT before I’d be convinced that an unregistered copy of Win10 (or any Windows version) is legal. Yes, doing so is common and easy, but that does not imply that it’s legal.
Regardless, I like the solution presented, and with a bit of expense, a legal copy of Windows is downloadable. (Also, Windows 10 Home is not as expensive as Pro).
Just tried a clean install of latest Scrivener on a clean (new) machine with the latest Wine (7.0) … and it works like a champ.
Thomas
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For me and most (maybe all) others in my jurisdiction, installing then using Windows without a license and activation is not legitimate.
I went to––https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/useterms/––and selected the appropriate info in the dropdowns for a download version of Windows 10.
Excerpts from the resulting document:
[…]This agreement describes your rights and the conditions upon which you may use the Windows software. You should review the entire agreement,[…]
5. Authorized Software and Activation. You are authorized to use this software only if you are properly licensed and the software has been properly activated with a genuine product key or by other authorized method. […]
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Over the years I have bought many a computer, always with Windows installed - whether I wanted it or not (some call this the Microsoft tax). In the early days you could sometimes transfer the Windows off to a newer machine, but those days are long gone. Now even if you upgrade your machine with some more memory, a higher end processor, and a graphics card it’s considered a “new machine,” and Windows will no longer register. I have paid plenty in monopolistic taxes to the Bill Gates/Epstein fund. If you are bothered by an unregistered copy of an OS that tried to destroy Linux (where did the money behind SCO Unix come from?), and is now setting up for a yearly subscription fee, then by all means, clear your conscious and give Microsoft some more money. It’s wonderful that you care about a corporate behemoth that cares nothing about you in terms of pricing or support.
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I won’t get into the political overtones here. But I will only clarify a few things for readers of this forum (I’ve been supporting Windows machines for a long time, though I still learn a ton most weeks):
- Microsoft has many versions of Windows which clouds the issue. However, two broad classes of their OS include 1. OEM licenses (which cannot be transferred to any new machine and are notably cheaper) and 2. full versions which are usually bought outright and not WITH the machine (and those CAN be transferred but are more expensive). If you want to transfer, buy it outright and BE SURE you don’t get caught with an OEM version. (If you’re paying less than around 200, it’s almost sure to be an OEM version… be SURE of a reliable source or just don’t buy it.)
- Usually, upgrading the motherboard (with new BIOS) is what makes your machine “a new machine.” That is what invalidates an OEM version. I’ve updated a CPU, RAM and graphics card many times, and it does NOT stop my OEM version of windows from working. HAVING SAID THAT, it’s incredibly frustrating to be locked into the same motherboard (coming from a person who usually builds his own machines). So I relate to the frustration, but want to be precise in what causes the OEM version to cease working.
- Windows is registered according to the ID of the motherboard/chip set so it’s not that it won’t register, but it won’t register with ANOTHER motherboard/chip set.
- The OS market is closer to a monopoly than I wish, but it’s not a monopoly. There’s Apple and various flavors of Linux that are also options (and Chrome OS too).
- For me, Windows runs the software I want (Dragon, Scrivener, and a few others). So I pay the price for the environment.
- If you’re not happy with it, by all means, go Apple. It is a wonderful environment (and more costly). But if you are avoiding behemoths, Linux variants are your only option.
- I have no love of Microsoft who’s been a bully in the industry (stomping out Netscape, and much, much more), HOWEVER, stealing from a bully is still stealing, so I support the posters who are clarifying what is and is not legitimate uses. Just because MS doesn’t force Windows 10 users to register, doesn’t mean it’s legit’ to use it without paying. It’s not. I hate it, but it’s not. (For Windows Server 2019, it will enforce the registration, by simply ceasing to operate. It did it to me when I had trouble with their ridiculously complex registration process. I got it straightened out, but MAN am I angry at MS for that huge problem when we WERE legit’… just didn’t LOOK legit because of their complex junk. Don’t get me started on their horrifically complex licensing for RDP… UGH). But steal from them… I won’t.
Great day to all.
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Trying to justify an activity which is contrary to jurisdiction via some quasi morals, and then encouraging others to follow suit is astounding.
Is like saying “I’ve always paid for my groceries, but the supermarket is forcing me to use their new store, so I’m going to shoplift from now on. Hey everyone, you can do the same!”
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Ever heard of AppImages or Snaps? Linux is no longer a jungle for coders. If Scrivener would simply support Linux we would not be having this conversation; but the ghost of Ballmer lives on in every coder’s head – it’s not profitable to support those communist open source types. Thus we have a self fulfilling prophecy created by a monopoly (and yes, 74% of the desktop market is a monopoly).
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There are many definitions of what makes up a monopoly. But that focus (from either of us) is missing the the real issue. One must decide for themselves whether the seller being a monopolist justifies stealing.
With Apple being a great option, we do have a choice. While coders may be a bit influenced by Ballmer, the marketshare of Linux (~2%) vs Apple (maybe ~15%) and Windows (~75%) likely has a LOT to do with it.
(I LOVE Linux and made my living in Unix for a LONG time, but I buy for the apps.)
WRITE ON ALL!
Please note that the official policy of Literature and Latte is that developers (and writers!) deserve to be paid for their work.
In the context of this discussion, you should assume that an installation that is not supported by the OS vendor is also not supported for use with Scrivener.
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@kewms Of course. Sorry that you understood my words ANY other way. My prior comment included “HOWEVER, stealing from a bully is still stealing.” I have never left that position.
Deciding for one’s self does NOT IN ANY WAY imply that stealing is right. It’s CLEARLY wrong. The only decision is whether or not you will steal.
My comment was directed at the forum more than to you personally. Sorry for the confusion.
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All right, I have semi-successfully installed Scrivener under WINE in the past. I’m in the process of building out a new computer with better specs which will be running the latest version of Ubuntu Studio. However, I also have a completely legit, reinstallable, Full Retail Box version of Windows 7 Home Premium purchased many moons ago. Is there likely to be any difficulty installing this in a VM under Linux, and is Scrivener going to support running under (the no-longer-supported) Win7 for the foreseeable future?
The current version of Scrivener requires Windows 8 or newer.
I too have a ton of Win7 CDs with license; oh well, that era is over. However, I also have an 8.1 cd with license. I fired it up under vbox, loaded Scrivener and got this:
The program can’t start because api-ms-win-crt-runtime-l1-1-0.dll is missing from your computer.
Tried all the stuff on the internet about troubleshooting the problem and nothing works, so maybe you should change your requirements to win10 or newer.
Do people also see this error when Windows 8 is running natively on standard PC hardware?