I have been hearing good things about a linux distibution called "Ubuntu". My computer needed a frexh start so Itook the plunge and had a "dual-boot" configuration installed wiht XP on one side and Ubuntu on the other. I had this done at my local computer shop here in Kuwait City. It seems to be important in linux to setup a Name and Password imediately for security reasons. The distro will also use your chosen Name to create a folder of the same name in the Home folder. After initial difficulties with a partition which was too small, (this was fixed by a small app called "Gparted") I started customising the installation to my own likeing. In Ubuntu you simply download the applications you would like to add from linux "repositories" which are fundamentally on-line libraries of the available app's. Updating the installation is as simple as going to "System - Adminsitration - update Manager" and this will download any updated files and replace the ones on your installation with the newer, udated versions. I wanted to run Band in a Box 2008 on the Ubuntu side but did not know if this was possible. It is! Two additional app's need to be downloaded. The Wine emulator, (this "windows" emulator works on the linux side by creating a file-tree within the Wine folder "this is in the "Home" folder. Within this "Wine" folder there is a "dosdevices" folder and a "drive C" folder within which are the folders "Program Files" and "windows". It is into this Program Files folder that you have to install the applications you wish to run under wine and this of course, includes Band in a Box. The other app you need to download is "Timidity" which will come up as a midi driver within the Band in a Box Opt, driver menu. The install files for Band in a Box are on my "D Drive". In Ubuntu this is called sdb1. On locating the install file which in my particular case is called bb08propak.exe right click it and choose from the menu Open with Other Application and choose "Wine Windows Emulator". Point it in the direction of your wine folder, (remember this is in the Home folder and install it in the "Program Files Folder". The exact address in my intallation is /home/bear/.wine/drive_c/Program Files/bb now let the install complete. Trying to run the program from this point was where some of the problems started to occur for me. Two dll files has to be copied over from the XP windows directory wrnasf.dll and wmvcore.dll into the /home/bear/.wine/drive_c/windows/system32 DIR. In Ubuntu some things have to be done from a "command line". It's a bit like the old DOS commands. We get to this through:. Applications, Accessories, Terminal. A problem came up immediately:- Using the terminal to start Band in a Box 2008 I got the following:- bear@bear-desktop:~$ wine bbw.exe preloader: Warning: failed to reserve range 00000000-60000000 preloader: Warning: failed to reserve range 00000000-60000000 err:dosmem:setup_dos_mem Cannot use first megabyte for DOS address space, please report preloader: Warning: failed to reserve range 00000000-60000000 err:dosmem:setup_dos_mem Cannot use first megabyte for DOS address space, please report wine: could not load L"c:\\windows\\system32\\bbw.exe": Module not found bear@bear-desktop:~$ preloader: Warning: failed to reserve range 00000000-60000000 err:dosmem:setup_dos_mem Cannot use first megabyte for DOS address space, please report fixme:spoolsv:serv_main (0 (nil) The fix for this was found in the Wine FAQ To avoid having to give that same command every time you reboot, also edit the file /etc/sysctl.conf, e.g. with the command $ sudo gedit /etc/sysctl.conf and change the line that reads: vm.mmap_min_addr = 65536 to: vm.mmap_min_addr = 0 That will apply the workaround for you when the system starts. "I did this and rebooted with no problems! At this point I was still starting up BB from the teminal with the following commands:- cd /home/bear/.wine/drive_c/Program\ Files/bb (This take you to the BB directory within Wine) Then type:- wine bbw.exe (press enter) (to start program) Band in a box will then come up within the Wine emulator window. Adjustment of the midi driver should give you sound. The notation window works just fine on my intall. It is now also possible to start Band in a Box "normally" from the Applications, Wine, Programs, Band in a Box, Band in a Box menu which is great. The problem I am presently having (doubtless there will be more!) is the actual "Wine window" Band in a box appears in. It is too small! I am not getting the option to "Maximize" the window (it is greyed out) and the resize button seems to create countless copies of the window. I downloaded a "restricted driver"fr my Nvidia Graphics card but this has not helped. Any suggestions would be appreciated!
