Install iTunes 10 On Linux Mint 9 With Wine

Wine is a compatibility layer that lets you install Windows programs on Unix-like systems, including Linux Mint 9. Using Wine, it’s possible to install Apple’s iTunes jukebox software on a Linux Mint system. The implementation isn’t quite perfect, but it will let you play music and video files. (However, the iTunes store itself will not work.) Granted, you’re probably better off using Rhythmbox or Banshee, but if you insist upon iTunes, Wine will let you install it. Here’s how to do it.

(Note that depending upon your video hardware and system configuration, these directions may not work.)

First, you’ll need to install Wine itself. For directions on how to install Wine, and a brief introduction to it, see this post here.

After Wine is installed, download the iTunes installer from Apple. Once the download is complete, go to your Downloads folder, right click on the iTunesSetup.exe file, and click “Open With Wine Windows Program Loader”.

(If you receive an error message claiming that the file isn’t executable, go into the Terminal window and change the permissions on the iTunes install with this command: chmod 755 ~/Downloads/iTunesSetup.exe)

After a few moments you should see the installer program for iTunes appear. Follow the default prompts to install iTunes.

Depending upon your video hardware, your screen might go black during the installation. You can usually get it back by clicking the mouse and moving the pointer around.

After the installer has completed (which should take several minutes), let iTunes run for the first time, and follow the default settings. (If iTunes should freeze up during the first run, reboot your computer, and it should resume normally the next time you launch iTunes).

iTunes will then gather data about any music files in your Music folder, and add them to your iTunes library. From that point on, iTunes should be functioning, though depending upon your video hardware and configuration, you might continue to see graphical artifacts on the screen. And note also, once again, that the iTunes store will probably not work.

After you close iTunes, you can launch it again by going to the Applications menu, to the Wine category, to Programs, to iTunes, and clicking on the iTunes icon.

-JM