How to install IMVU Classic on a Chromebook - Updated Tutorial

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In this guide, we'll walk you through the process of installing IMVU Classic on your Chromebook. IMVU is a popular 3D avatar-based social network and chat client, and with the power of Linux apps on Chrome OS, you can now enjoy this Windows application on your Chromebook.

Prerequisites

Before we begin, it's important to note that this tutorial is specifically for Chromebooks with an Intel or AMD CPU that support Linux Apps. Unfortunately, this method won't work on Chromebooks with an ARM64 architecture CPU.

If you're unsure whether your Chromebook supports Linux Apps, you can check our list of all Chromebooks with Linux Apps (Crostini) support.

Video Tutorial

For a visual guide, please follow along with the video tutorial above. The video provides a step-by-step demonstration of the process, which complements the written instructions below.

Installation Process

We'll be using Wine, a compatibility layer capable of running Windows applications on Linux, to install IMVU Classic. Here's a breakdown of the steps we'll follow:

  1. Enable Linux Apps on your Chromebook
  2. Set up Wine on your Chromebook
  3. Download and install IMVU Classic
  4. Launch IMVU Classic

Step 1: Enable Linux Apps

If you haven't already enabled Linux Apps on your Chromebook, follow these steps:

  1. Go to your Chromebook's Settings
  2. Click on the "Advanced" section
  3. Select "Developers"
  4. Turn on the "Linux development environment" option

Step 2: Set up Wine

Now that Linux Apps are enabled, we'll set up Wine. Open a terminal from your app menu and run the following commands one by one:

sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386
wget -nc https://dl.winehq.org/wine-builds/winehq.key && sudo apt-key add winehq.key
echo "deb https://dl.winehq.org/wine-builds/debian/ bookworm main" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/wine_chrome_os_made_simple.list
sudo apt update
sudo apt install --install-recommends winehq-stable winbind
winecfg
ln -s /home/$USER/.wine/drive_c /home/$USER/wine

These commands will add 32-bit architecture support, add the Wine repository, update your system, install Wine and its dependencies, and set up the Wine configuration.

Step 3: Download and Install IMVU Classic

With Wine set up, we can now download and install IMVU Classic. Run these commands in your terminal:

wget https://static-akm.imvu.com/imvufiles/installers/InstallIMVU_548.0.exe
wine InstallIMVU_548.0.exe

Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation process.

Step 4: Launch IMVU Classic

To launch IMVU Classic, use this command in the terminal:

cd .wine/drive_c/users/$USER/Desktop && wine IMVU.lnk

You'll need to use this command each time you want to launch IMVU Classic.

Alternative: Play Store Version

If you prefer a simpler installation process, you can also install the Android version of IMVU from the Google Play Store:

IMVU on Google Play Store

Keep in mind that the Android version may have different features compared to the Classic version we installed using Wine.

Troubleshooting and Support

If you encounter any issues during the installation process or while using IMVU Classic, don't hesitate to reach out for help. You can leave a comment on our YouTube video, and we'll do our best to assist you.

Additional Resources

For more information about the tools and applications used in this tutorial, check out these resources:

We hope this guide helps you get IMVU Classic up and running on your Chromebook. Enjoy your new virtual social experience!

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