Thank you James, This seems to have solved my problem. I hadn't realize that a ~/.wine directory isn't created until I install at least one program! My other two questions where: 1) why do my icons in the explorer.exe app, in the windows folder of drive_c, look strange? (I could send you a screenshot to your email because I'm not sure how to add a jpg to my reply) 2)I have read that Wine HQ doesn't recommend installing Internet Explorer because of all the dll's but is there some web browser that you would recommend installing like perhaps Opera?