Setting Up a Mock Windows 7 32-bit Environment Using Wine

Setting up a mock Windows 7 32-bit environment using Wine is a common way to run older Windows applications on Linux/macOS. Here's a step-by-step guide.

Install Wine (if not already installed)

On Debian/Ubuntu:

sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386
sudo apt update
sudo apt install wine32 wine64 winetricks

On Fedora:

sudo dnf install wine

On macOS:

brew install --cask wine-stable

Create a Fresh 32-bit Wine Prefix

A Wine prefix is like a virtual C: drive. By default, Wine uses ~/.wine, but you can create as many custom prefixes as you want.

export WINEPREFIX=~/wine-win7-32
WINEARCH=win32 winecfg

• WINEARCH=win32 ensures a 32-bit prefix.
• WINEPREFIX sets the location (can be any folder name).
• On first run, winecfg initializes the prefix and brings up the configuration window.

Set Windows Version to Windows 7

In the winecfg window that appears:

• Go to the "Applications" tab.
• Set the "Windows Version" dropdown to Windows 7.
• Click Apply and OK.

Use Winetricks for Dependencies

Often, apps need extra libraries or fonts. Use winetricks:

export WINEPREFIX=~/wine-win7-32
winetricks

From the GUI you can install components (like .NET, Visual C++, etc).

Use the Environment

To run an installer within this environment:

export WINEPREFIX=~/wine-win7-32
wine setup.exe

• Replace setup.exe with your installer.
• Always export WINEPREFIX before running anything for this prefix.

To launch cmd.exe:

export WINEPREFIX=~/wine-win7-32
wine cmd

or, explicitly:

export WINEPREFIX=~/wine-win7-32
wine 'C:\windows\system32\cmd.exe'

To launch Word 2007 (after installation):

export WINEPREFIX=~/wine-win7-32
wine 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\WINWORD.EXE'