Before we explain how to run .bin and .run files on your Ubuntu system, let’s first define what exactly these file extensions are:
Bin file: A binary or BIN file in Ubuntu refers to installation packages, which are mostly self-extracting executable files used to install software on your system. You can install most software packages through the Ubuntu Software Manager, such as .deb packages and .tar.xz packages. However, there is software that is not available in these formats. This mainly includes newer software and newer versions of software, usually beta versions, that are not otherwise available. The bin packages are simply run from the Ubuntu command line, the terminal.
Run File: These are also executable files typically used to install Linux programs. Run Files contain program data and instructions for installation; they are often used for distributing device drivers and software applications. Run packages are easily executed from the Ubuntu command line, the terminal.
In this article, we will explain how to run/execute the files with .run and .bin extensions on Ubuntu Linux.
We have run the commands and procedures mentioned in this article on an Ubuntu 22.04 LTS system. We will use the Ubuntu command line, the terminal, to explain how to run bin and run files. You can open the terminal application either by searching in the system application launcher or by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T.
Note: Make sure that your .run and .bin files are from a reliable source, because running an unsafe file can damage your system and even compromise your system security.
Executing .bin and .run files
The process of running both the run and BIN files is pretty simple and straightforward in Ubuntu.
We are assuming that you have already downloaded your bin/run file in a known location on your Ubuntu.
Open the Terminal application and move to the location where you have saved the executable file.
For example, I would use the following command to move to my Downloads folder:
$ cd Downloads
Now use the following command to make your .bin/.run file executable:
For .bin file:
$ sudo chmod +x ./FILENAME.bin
For .run file:
$ sudo chmod +x ./FILENAME.run
Example:
In this example, I will be making a sample .run file named samplefile.run executable.
If your .run/.bin file does not exist in the current location, you can specify the exact file path/location in the above commands.
My file is now marked as executable. The system indicates it by a change in color of the filename when listed through the ls command:
Once your .bin/.run file has become executable, you can use the following command to execute/run it:
$ ./FILENAME.bin
$ ./FILENAME.run
You can specify the path of the executable file in the above command if it does not exist in the current folder you are in.
My sample file is pretty much an empty file. In the case of a proper installation package, the installation process will begin after you execute the file.
This is the power of the Ubuntu command line. You can install rare software packages available in the .run and .bin formats easily on your system.