Ubuntu: installing Windows drivers - does it work?

It is actually not possible to install Windows drivers on Ubuntu. In one case it works. With the "NdisWrapper" tool you can use the Windows drivers of your WLAN card to make them run on Ubuntu. We'll also show you another trick on how to use devices with Windows drivers on a Linux system.

Install Windows WLAN driver on Ubuntu

If you can't find a Linux driver for your WLAN card, "NdisWrapper" will help you further: To be able to use the free tool, you have to install it with the package manager. You also need the Windows driver files for your WLAN adapter and access to the Internet via LAN cable.

1. First open the terminal. You should first install two packages with "apt-get": To do this, type "sudo apt-get install wireless-tools" and confirm the process with your root password. Do the same with "wpasupplicant" at the end.
2. Test whether your WLAN card may already work after a restart. If not, go to step 3.
3. Now install "ndiswrapper" and all required packages in the terminal: "sudo apt-get install ndiswrapper-utils-1.9 ndiswrapper-common ndisgtk dkms ndiswrapper-dkms". Confirm the requests for storage space and the unverified source.
4. Now download the required Windows driver from the manufacturer's website. If you only get an exe file for installation, you have to unzip it first. This is often possible with a package program, but in any case with the two tools "cabextract" and "unshield". If necessary, also install them with "sudo apt-get install [package name]". In the end you should have at least one .inf file.
5. Now you can install the Windows driver with "NdisWrapper": Make sure that you are working in the directory where your .inf file is located. The folder name should not contain any spaces! Then type the command "sudo ndiswrapper -i /Pfad_zum_Windowstreiber/Dateiname.inf" in the terminal.
6. Check the status of the driver with "ndiswrapper -l". If you see something like "driver name driver present, hardware present" everything went well.
7. Now load the module ndiswrapper with "sudo modprobe ndiswrapper", and then use "sudo ndiswrapper -ma" to ensure that it is loaded every time the system is started.
8. Your WLAN adapter should now work. If the above procedure does not work, first try a system update with "sudo apt-get update". You can also use "iwconfig" to see if your system recognizes an adapter. A WLAN adapter should look something like this: "eth1 IEEE 802.11bg". You can then repeat the steps again.

Use devices with Windows drivers in the virtual machine

If you want to run a device that has no Linux drivers at all, you can still cheat. Simply install Windows on a virtual machine in Ubuntu - provided you have a valid license. You can set up the virtual machine under Oracle's free Virtual Box or play the Windows image with the VMware Player.

1. Install VM software and follow and install Windows in the virtual machine.
2. Set up your new Windows guest system and install the required drivers. Under Virtual Box it is worth installing the so-called "guest additions".
3. Now you can also share connected USB devices with your guest operating system via the virtual machine. Windows should now recognize the devices in your Ubuntu.

On Ubuntu you don't have to do without classic Windows programs either: In the following practical tip we will show you how to install Skype on Ubuntu.