Hangover 9.0 introduces RISC-V support, expanding its reach to new platforms. Explore the new features.
In an exciting development for developers, the Hangover project has just released its latest version, Hangover 9.0, opening new possibilities for running Windows applications seamlessly on ARM64 systems. This innovative project has garnered attention for its ability to run x86_32 Windows applications on aarch64 Wine, making it a game-changer in the realm of emulation.
Hangover takes a unique approach, utilizing various emulators as DLLs to emulate specific applications rather than an entire Wine installation. This methodology ensures that when an application executes a Windows/Wine system call, like NtUserCreateWindowEx, it operates outside the emulator, resulting in non-emulated, fast, and native performance. Notably, Hangover doesn’t emulate anything Unix-related, contributing to a smoother user experience.
The Hangover 9.0 release introduces a new branch that facilitates the execution of 32-bit Windows applications built for x86 (i386) and ARM32 architectures on ARM64 (Aarch64) environments. Currently, the project is also working on implementing a Hangover variant for the RISC-V architecture, expanding its compatibility platforms.
Key Features and Updates in Hangover 9.0:
- QEMU Compatibility with WoW64 Layer: Users can now leverage QEMU alongside the WoW64 layer available in Wine, enabling the execution of 32-bit Windows applications on 64-bit Unix systems. This update ensures support for x86_32 and ARM32 architectures.
- FEX Emulator Support: This release also adds support for using the FEX emulator in PE format and in Unix builds. Future plans involve phasing out Unix FEX assemblies in favour of PE format assemblies.
- Box64 Emulator Integration: The release achieves full integration with the Box64 emulator, enhancing the overall emulation experience.
- Debian Package Availability: Ready-made deb packages for Debian 11 and Debian 12 are now available. The project also has plans to release packages for Ubuntu and Alpine Linux in the near future.
- RISC-V Architecture Support: Development is underway to ensure the launch of Windows applications in environments based on the RISC-V architecture, showcasing the project’s commitment to expanding compatibility.
- x86_64 Architecture Emulation: Efforts are being made to reintroduce support for x86_64 architecture emulation, allowing users to run 64-bit Windows applications, a feature absent in the 0.8 branch.
Additionally, Hangover 9.0 aligns with the Wine Staging 9.0 project, providing extended builds of Wine with 505 additional patches. This release synchronizes with the Wine 9.0 codebase and updates the vkd3d-latest patch, making it an appealing option for those looking for advanced builds with experimental features.
Hangover 9.0, distributed under the LGPL-2.1 license, signifies a significant leap forward in the emulation landscape, promising enhanced compatibility and performance for running Windows applications on ARM64 systems.
You can download the current Debian builds & sources from the below pages.
- hangover__debian11_bullseye_arm64.tar160 MB
- hangover__debian12_bookworm_arm64.tar160 MB
- Source code(zip)
- Source code(tar.gz)
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