ntsync Archives

Winsage

April 2, 2026

Wine has been translating Windows games to Linux since 1993, but Proton is what made it effortless

Wine is a compatibility layer, not an emulator, that translates Windows API calls into POSIX equivalents, allowing Windows applications to run on Linux. Proton, developed by Valve, builds on Wine and includes additional components like DXVK and VKD3D-Proton to enhance performance for Windows games on Linux through Steam. For Steam users, Proton is recommended for a streamlined gaming experience, while Lutris is suggested for those outside the Steam ecosystem. Wine has been in development since 1993, focusing on recreating the Windows API, but faced challenges with gaming compatibility. Cedega was an early attempt to improve gaming support over Wine but ultimately declined. Valve's development of Proton was motivated by the need for better compatibility for Windows games on Linux, especially highlighted by the launch of the Steam Deck. Wine struggled with synchronization issues and handling direct kernel access by Windows applications, which Proton addressed with seccomp-bpf filters and syscall user dispatch. Both Wine and Proton are crucial to the current state of Linux gaming.

Winsage

March 29, 2026

Fedora 44 will automatically make your Windows games run faster, no tweaks required

Gaming on Linux has seen advancements, particularly with the introduction of NTSYNC, which replicates the Windows NT synchronization system in the Linux kernel. This integration aims to improve synchronization for games ported from Windows, reducing CPU burden and enhancing performance. Fedora 44, set to release around April 14th, will automatically implement NTSYNC, benefiting users of Wine and Proton without the need for manual activation. This development is expected to improve frame rates and compatibility for Linux gamers.

Winsage

March 26, 2026

Wine 11 might be the tipping point that finally pushes gamers from Windows to Linux

The latest release of Wine, version 11, introduces a feature called NTSYNC, a kernel driver that enhances performance for Windows games running on Linux, achieving performance gains of up to 678%. This is accomplished through a new device, /dev/ntsync, which allows the Linux kernel to handle thread synchronization natively, replacing the previous Remote Procedure Call method. Wine 11 also completes the WoW64 implementation, enabling seamless running of both 32- and 64-bit games without multilib libraries. Other enhancements include improvements to the Wayland driver, EGL as the default backend for OpenGL rendering, initial support for hardware-accelerated H.264 decoding, improved force feedback support, a new Bluetooth driver, support for Zip64 compression, Unicode 17.0.0 support, TWAIN 2.0 scanning for 64-bit apps, and IPv6 ping functionality. Wine 11 is available in most Linux distributions' default repositories, except for Ubuntu 24.04, which lacks the necessary kernel support.

Winsage

January 19, 2026

How to run Windows apps on Linux with Wine

With the end of support for Windows 10, Zorin OS saw over 100,000 downloads within two days. Many users are looking to run Windows applications on Linux, which can be done using Wine, a compatibility layer for running Windows applications on Linux. Wine's latest version, Wine 11, includes features such as NTSYNC support, a unified 64-bit binary, enhanced Wayland/X11 integration, improved graphics via Vulkan/D3D12, better gamepad support, and smoother performance through WoW64. To install a Windows application like Notepad++ on Linux using Wine, users need to download the installer, navigate to the Downloads directory in the terminal, and run the installer with the command PLACEHOLDER62382e95b0b64d01. If 32-bit support is missing, it can be added with the command PLACEHOLDER069a94c8ac48a981. Additionally, users can install Windows applications through Winetricks, which simplifies the process by automatically downloading and running the necessary installers. Some applications may require further configuration, particularly games, which can be adjusted using Winetricks.

Winsage

January 15, 2026

Wine 11 runs Windows apps in Linux and macOS better than ever

Wine 11.0 has been released, allowing users to run 16-bit, 32-bit, and 64-bit Windows x86 binaries on Unix-like operating systems without distinguishing between 32-bit and 64-bit commands. It introduces support for the Linux kernel's NT synchronization primitive, enhancing performance for Windows binaries. Wine 11 is compatible with older kernels, though with reduced performance. It supports x86-to-Arm translation on Arm64 Linux systems through FEX-Emu and works on Apple Silicon Macs via Rosetta 2. The version simplifies command usage to a single wine command and eliminates 32-bit support libraries. Enhancements include improved clipboard handling over Wayland, full-screen mode functionality, Direct3D support, native Vulkan video decoding for H.264, and better handling of SCSI devices and game controllers. Wine 11 downloads are available for Linux and macOS, with a FreeBSD port expected. Testing on Ubuntu 25.10 under GNOME using Wayland showed positive results for both 32-bit and 64-bit applications.

AppWizard

January 11, 2026

Valve’s new Steam Deck update doesn’t promise much, but classic Call of Duty games could see some real performance gains

The January 8 SteamOS beta update introduces a feature called ntsync, which provides kernel-level support for a driver that enhances Windows game performance on Linux systems, particularly for the Steam Deck. This update may improve performance for older titles in the Call of Duty franchise and other classic games. Testing on Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare showed minor frame rate improvements when using the ntsync-enabled Proton-GE fork, stabilizing frame rates around 135-144 FPS compared to 130-140 FPS on the fsync build. Users have reported that issues like framerate drops and graphical glitches in Call of Duty Black Ops have been resolved with the new Proton-GE/ntsync combination. To utilize these improvements, users can opt into the SteamOS 3.7.20 beta branch and install the latest Proton-GE version via the Proton Up-Qt app.