Why are .exe files showing up in OSX downloads?
 

HI. LimeWire works fine for me, but I am puzzled about why an application download would contain a zip file that contains a .exe file. Why would someone include that in a .dmg? Are these Windows viruses? Do these file contain anything important? That would be too bad, since Macs don't read .exe files.

That's right they are windows files. Not sure why people would do that unless they were wanting to share windows files to other windows users from a mac computer. Some macs can run windows also.

Personally I wouldn't trust those files. ;)

i'm aspiring to be a new limewire user, but i'm having an issue downloading the software...

from the limewire website, after clicking "Mac OS X" (i run Tiger), a window opens saying "You have chosen to open LimeWireOSX.dmg" so i say yes, save it. all i get is an .exe file on my desktop and no viable program that i can run. i've tried this probably a dozen times from different places, but all i get are blank files called Slaap9qt.exe or 2i8s76b6.exe...

hope someone can help me. :/

exe files are purely windows program files (might even be viruses.) So if you end up with exe files, they will definitely not run on mac. You got the wrong ones.

Generally best idea is to put mac or osx or mac osx in the search title. eg: iron - osx Those with mac or osx included will most likely be mac osx files. Also search .dmg & see what you come up with. :)

yes, i am aware that .exe doesn't run on mac. i am definitely not trying to download .exe, and i am searching for .dmg files even, as you say. the problem is, that the links i followed through Lime Wire » Official Website & Free Download, BitTorrent « to retrieve the Mac OS download end up with saving the .exe file to my computer, even despite saying that a .dmg file was being downloaded. same thing happened on Free Software Downloads and Software Reviews - Download.com, when my search was only trying to find files and programs compatible with mac. so either the sites are completely wrong in what they're linking to or my computer is protecting me from potentially dangerous software...? who knows.

guess i'm not meant to limewire.

When you go here Lime Wire » Download LimeWire click on Basic button, then on the Mac OS X (10.4 Tiger, 10.5 Leopard) link, not the Windows one above it.

Which OSX version are you running?

ok not trying to be mean, but last i checked, i'm not stupid :] i definitely clicked on the Mac link. i have Tiger as i said before, OSX 10.4, and these steps you outline are exactly what i did many times, resulting in only a windows compatible .exe file saving to my desktop. it even says, in the window that comes up when i click for the Mac download, that it is downloading a .dmg file, but it doesn't. no idea what is going on here.

just for sh!ts and giggles I used the link you posted..worked my way to the actual download...chose the Mac version...and got it....

I have no exact clue (though perhaps a few guesses) as to what your problem is, but you have one....

:butcher 2:

weird! why do you think i can't get it?

Use Safari to download it with. Check Safari's preferences for where it is downloading its files to. Go to that location & open the dmg file it downloads.

I have the same problem, I use LimeWire for about I don't know like 6 years, but lately all I get is hidden in downloads for MAC those stupid exe files for windows. I have OX10.5 run LimeWire 4.12 for MAC, if I search I always put "MAC" or dmg in it, only sh....t I get. That is a real waste of time and download capacity. Oh I miss the time they where not zipped or what so ever, just showed the dmg so you new what you are downloading. And it seems no help here either to avoid the download of exe hidden. They also put for MAC in the name of the file and still only shows exe, so I guess they are just teasing Mac users those windows users. I don't know about mistakes that can sometimes happen, but out of 10 there are now 9 if not all 10 exe. So I ask myself who keeps himself busy with that. http://www.gnutellaforums.com/../ima...c/progress.gif:bangh:

Spammers, like multiple posters, keep finding ways to flood the network (or forum) hoping to get a response.

Like I said before, I don't trust a p2p network for an OS X app, since the alternatives are so much better. Since there really are so few OS X apps out there, I'd find a Mac host to browse, filter their shares to apps, and see what they share.

I don't think I am a spammer, I came here today with the same question like some others, I found diff threats about the same subject, they say on the first page don't create the same threats. I guess if you make a threat multiple times on the same subject, you not read the forum well and they wont read the answers in the other threats. So true I put the same text on those. I guess every body does only read his own threats. It does not matter to me if some one answers, because there is no cure for this problem with the exe files. And maybe some of us are not the crack like you to know what a Mac host is, how to filter stuff, like me for instance. I only read today in this forum that LM has a filter and how to use. So that I learned at least and will try if this helps. I came here to find maybe an answer to avoid getting those exe files, yesterday I tried about 30 downloads for one file and only thing came out was exe exe exe, that is bothering me. And it seems nothing to do about it, anyway I could not find an answer after reading all the threats.

Good to hear you are not a spammer and that you found some ideas in the threads here about using the junk filter and side bar filter to help avoid the spam.

Another suggestion is to look at the file size: a .dmg for a true OS X program is already compressed, so a zipped file should be almost the same size as the .dmg. Most of the virus files will be way too small.

Another way I use to avoid spam hosts is to do a garbage search using the "any type" search, and mark all the results as junk. For example, try searching for "eye catcher .dmg" As you know, there is probably no such file, so all the results that come back are coming from spammers. After a while LW will learn which files to mark as junk.

Too, a third way to help avoid spam results is to use the "connections" pane (you can turn it on from LW's View menu). So, when one of my "garbage" searches instantly gets 400+ results, I know I'm connected to some bad hosts that show in the connections. When this happens, try to guess which hosts in connections are bad, and remove them. Try the search again. Good hosts don't instantly return garbage results.

Best wishes.

Now I learned 3 other thing, first threads is with a "d" and not "t". Sorry I am still learing to write EN. Second I thought they zip the files because they are to large and so the dmg files are smaller. I din't know they are almost the same size. If I find in a zip an exe file I mark them always as spam in the hope LM will remember. And the last part I learned too. I didn't know you can remove host. So maybe that will help already. thx