I've never used limewire before but managed to get a few successful downloads last night.

However - I was looking for a specific program and despite finding numerous versions when I downloaded them, they all expanded into .exe files? This was after is was a named program to work with OSX.

Are these files just viruses, or corrupt, or do I need to do something with them to get them to work?

Thanks
Chris

Ok having read around a bit it would seem that most genuine mac files will be .bin, .sit, or .dmg. I have however downloaded .dmg files which still open up as .exe files. If someone could confirm that I should just look for .sit or .dmg that would be great.

Secondly, it sounds like the downloaded files that I thought were mac programs are in fact viruses. Unfortunately I am also running Virtual PC with Windows XP on it - could these files have infected XP? It seems to run quite slowly.

Any help would be appreciated by a complete limewire novice!

Cheers

I know nothing about virtual pc other than that , as far as I can see, it is a little like Classic, and similarly slow and not a great addition to a mac... This is all totally unfounded and possibly untrue

Dmg files should be downloaded usinfg Safari, although Opera works fine as does firefox I gather.

Internet explorer will often not download them correctly and try to open them as excell documents or anything else it chooses

I imagine you can switch virtual pc off ... but exe files will, I imagine try to open it again.

Whether viruses can effect vitrual pc ... I have no idea ... but it seems possible.

I hope that my comment about dmg files will help at least.

OSX10.3.9 G3

__________________
To get Phex Click on the Fox

So to confirm - in limewire, it's best to just search for .sit and .dmg files (even if some of these open as .exe)

I'm a bit confused why you should find dmg files opening as exe files. If they are executable programmes they will only open on windows ... or of course Virtual PC.. some exe files are simply zip type wrapped files which may contain items useable on Mac see http://echoone.com/filejuicer/formats/formats.php?f=exe for details of File juicer which will take anything on a Mac and break it down into its components.

I shall check this our further .. and try to get back to you later with a bit more information

__________________
To get Phex Click on the Fox

Thanks - much appreciated.

All I know for sure is, I downloaded a number of files - the only one that worked was a .sit file. I think I downloaded a .dmg and a .zip. Both of these contained a file called toolbar.exe (or something) and a text file.

Cheers for the help.

yeah thats the problem - they alll say they're mac programs but blatantly aren't! Think I'll stick to .sit files!

Hi Chris,

Apologies - am new to this forum, so think you may have received an email from me also.

Was pleased to see that there is somebody else having exactly the same problem as myself. I have spent hours trying to get hold of specific programmes and all of them - zips, exes, rar breakdown, as you say to .exes which, well do nothing.

I would be interested to know if you have found a solution. I find it hard to believe that all mac users accept this issue without sourcing a problem. Hunting around the reams of info available the only thing I came up with (aside from dozens of software packages purporting to open anything (then don't)), I felt the bottom line is that you have to install Virtual PC 7 (I am using mac osx 10.3.9). I note that you are using this? Is there a straightforward way of getting hold of that? I spent many more hours trying to get hold of that and blocked always on the stage where name, organisation were required. Whilst I have the info, it is dulled so cannot fill in. It's all a bit dull isn't it? Any advice you have would be much appreciated. If I get any good tips, I will equally pass them on. KInd regards, James

I've emailed you...

Hello, Chriszammet, I read only now your post, and since I have had that same trouble, time over and over again, I had just posted a few words in an other part of this forum where they were talking about it (in the part for mac, it is called "os definition"), and where I got a suggestion from "Lord of the rings", so, you could do a bit investigation on this side if you like... good luck.
Jissé