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You cannot play an executable (wierd Mac proof of concept trojans aside), but you can run them. The answer is yes: using Virtual PC and a copy of MS Windows.
 
neffedo said:
I was just wondering if there was a way to be able to play .exe files on mac?
If the .exe file is an autoextracting archive, then you may be able to use Stuffit Expander to expand it. OTOH, if it is just an application executable, then you need to take robbieduncan's advice and install it under Virtual PC or one of the open source alternative emulators. You can only run Win/DOS executables under emulation on a Mac.
 
neffedo said:
I was just wondering if there was a way to be able to play .exe files on mac?
Period, not a question mark.

Some applications can read .exe files, but only as long as it's not an executable application. Some people save Realplayer stream file executables (you know, the 2KB aliases to streamed content on the internet that you can access at a later date), and Realplayer can open those. Also, if you save a large file in Mozilla, you'll notice that the file will appear in the directory of your download location as some scribble of letters and numbers (random example: e14g5ht7a.exe). Before the file download finishes, that .exe will stay.

Now here's a bonus: Control-click on any .jpg image and go to "Open With," and you'll see about two dozen items ending in .exe.
 
King Cobra said:
Now here's a bonus: Control-click on any .jpg image and go to "Open With," and you'll see about two dozen items ending in .exe.

Eh? Perhaps I'm misreading your post, but I don't see that.
 

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jsw said:
Eh? Perhaps I'm misreading your post, but I don't see that.

They will only be there if you installed Photoshop CS, since that is what install all the .exe files. The .exe files are droplets that let you quickly access commonly used actions in Photoshop.
 

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Elan0204 said:
They will only be there if you installed Photoshop CS, since that is what install all the .exe files. The .exe files are droplets that let you quickly access commonly used actions in Photoshop.

Holy crap on a cracker, that's on mine too, but I have Photoshop 7.

Why on earth would I want to "open with" a .jpg in The Sims?
 
A .exe may be programed for multiple systems.

FahCore_78.exe, is desiged to be run on a UNIX based system (Mac OS X, and by a long stretch, Linux), and WinGoesIsCrap (Say it without pausing).

For those who don't know what FahCore_78.exe is, search for Folding@Home in google.

Edit: About me going nuts. I will calm down, but I really hate to see a machine go to waste.
 
I have the same problem, I want to play Grand Theft Auto, but you need Dirext X and the download is an .exe file, I am horrible with computers, so I can't really follow the solutions you guys are giving here. How do I do this?
 
I have the same problem, I want to play Grand Theft Auto, but you need Dirext X and the download is an .exe file, I am horrible with computers, so I can't really follow the solutions you guys are giving here. How do I do this?

Direct-X is a Microsoft technology/API and can only be installed on Windows.
 
I have the same problem, I want to play Grand Theft Auto, but you need Dirext X and the download is an .exe file, I am horrible with computers, so I can't really follow the solutions you guys are giving here. How do I do this?

You can install Windows with Bootcamp to do it. Possibly Parallels will work too...
 
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