This guide last updated: Dec. 23, 2025 by Eri

It assumes you're running a Linux distro and are playing Halo via Wine.
The packages listed below are available in Debian-based distros (MX Linux specifically in my case).

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- Install Needed Packages -
---------------------------

1) Install the following packages:
	wine
	libwine
	libwine:i386
	dxvk
	dxvk-wine32
	winetricks

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- DLLs for Halo's Install -
---------------------------

2) Run "winetricks mfc42" to install and register some DLLs that'll prevent Halo's install from failing partway through ("Cannot load pidgen.dll" error)

The DLLs needed are "mfc42.dll" and "mfc42u.dll" and they live here (you can put them here manually if you want, makes no difference):
~/.wine/drive_c/windows/syswow64/

-------------------------
- Wine's Vulkan Support -
-------------------------

3) Run "dxvk-setup -i" to put the right DLLs in place (and to configure them in Wine as library overrides) for Vulkan to handle DirectX 9 calls in place of OpenGL.

This places links to the following DLLs:
	d3d9.dll
	d3d10core.dll
	d3d11.dll
	dxgi.dll

here:
~/.wine/drive_c/windows/syswow64/

and here:
~/.wine/drive_c/windows/system32/

...which live here:
/usr/lib/dxvk/wine32

The frame rate suffers otherwise no matter what you do.

The library overrides (viewable via "winecfg") look like this:

"Existing overrides:"
	"d3d10 (native)"
	"d3d10_1 (native)"
	"d3d10core (native)"
	"d3d11 (native)"
	"d3d9 (native)"
	"dxgi (native)"

----------------
- Install Halo -
----------------

4) Install Halo - Custom Edition v1.0: "wine halocesetup_en_1.00.exe"
You'll need to have a CD key of PC Halo's retail release to complete the install, which definitely can't be found for free online, so don't go looking.

--------------
- Patch Halo -
--------------

5) Patch Halo - Custom Edition to v1.0.10: "wine haloce-patch-1.0.10.exe"

-------------------
- Install Chimera -
-------------------

6) Go to Halo's install directory and rename "strings.dll" to "strings.dll - ORIGINAL BACKUP", then...

Place Chimera's files into the install directory:
	fonts (directory)
	chimera.ini
	strings.dll

-----------------
- Install DSOAL -
-----------------

7) Place DSOAL's files into Halo's install directory:
	 alsoft.ini
	 dsoal-aldrv.dll
	 dsound.dll

-------------------
- Configure DSOAL -
-------------------

8) Run "winecfg", then go to "Libraries". Click the "New override for library" button, select "dsound", and click "Add".

"dsound (native, builtin)" should show up under "Existing overrides" now, in addition to a bunch of DirectX ones from step 3).
This will allow for EAX audio to work, which is enabled via Halo's "Audio Setup" menu (see "Hardware Acceleration" and "Environmental Sound" settings)

------------------------
- Restore Xbox Shaders -
------------------------

9) Go to Halo's install directory and into the "shaders" directory, then rename "EffectCollection_ps_2_0.enc" to "EffectCollection_ps_2_0.enc - ORIGINAL BACKUP"

Place the CEnshine shader files in the same directory:
	 "EffectCollection_ps_2_0.enc"
	 "EffectCollection_ps_3_0.enc"

-----------------------
- Restore Xbox Levels -
-----------------------

10) Go to Halo's install directory and into the "maps" directory. Make a directory called "ORIGINAL BACKUP" and move every file in "maps" into it. Then...

Place all of the "Refined" maps into the "maps" directory.

------------
- Run Halo -
------------

11) From Halo's install directory: "wine haloce.exe"