GTA: San Andreas on Linux

How can I play Grant Theft Auto: San n on Linux?

Some people have reported that the installer works just fine under Linux without any additional packages, however I suggest using PlayOnLinux to install this game. PlayOnLinux (PoL) can typically be installed via. the Package Manager.

Use PoL to install the game.
In PoL, press the “Install” button, and search for “Grand Theft Auto”… click “Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas”, and press Apply. Follow the on-screen instructions to proceed in installing the game. You will be prompted for the amount of video memory that your computer has, you should know this number before installing the game.
Don’t bother installing a patch.

An error message will be displayed at the end of the installation explaining that the game has copy protection which, sadly, prevents it from working under Linux. You now need to replace the original game file with a patched one so that the game will start up successfully.

No-CD Patch for the game:
Click here to visit GameCopyWorld’s page *containing a download of a fixed version of the game’s executable file.
*PLEASE NOTE: GameCopyWorld contains racy ads with scantily clad women. If the boss is behind you, please be advised to wait.
On that page, locate the entry titled: “GTA: San Andreas v1.0 [ENGLISH] No-CD/Fixed EXE”, and click the floppy disk icon next to it. This entry should be the last one on the page.

A note about CD Patches: These sorts of patches are not really “illegal”, there isn’t really anything to technically make them illegal. You purchased the game, right? You aren’t redistributing it, are you? And certainly, you aren’t hurting someone by doing this, are you? Concerns about viruses with these sorts of patches are valid. The patch above has been checked for viruses and is clean.

Extract the archive that you just downloaded, put the contents on the desktop or in some sort of downloads folder for now. In a separate window, navigate to your home folder, press CTRL+H to un-hide all system items, and type:   .play   (this should highlight .playonlinux, if it does not, search for .playonlinux manually).

Navigate to the WinePrefix folder > GTASA > drive_c > Program Files > Rockstar Games > GTA San Andreas.
Inside this folder, you will see a file called gta_sa.exe. Back up this file somehow, in case the one you downloaded earlier does not work. You need to move the file to a different folder or rename it, it can not stay.

Now, go back to the archive you extracted and copy that file to the GTA San Andreas folder where the old gta_sa.exe used to be.

The NoCD Patch has been installed.

Other problems in the game:
Video Issues

This issue will occur on almost every system, no matter the graphics available. enter PlayOnLinux, click “Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas” and press “Configure This Application”. Select “Forward”, and then “Configure WINE” and press “forward” again. The WINE Configuration window should now open, go to the Graphics tab. Uncheck “Allow Pixel Shaders” and set”Vertex Shader Support” to “None”

Sound Issues

If the sound is glitchy and stops working, enter PlayOnLinux, click “Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas” and press “Configure This Application”. Select “Forward”, and then “Configure WINE” and press “forward” again. The WINE Configuration window should now open, press the Audio tab and uncheck “ALSA Driver” and instead, check “OSS Driver”.

Disclaimer: I am not necessarily an expert on this sort of topic (though, I might be and I could be lieing about it). I am not responsible for your own actions which could potentially destroy your own data, nor am I responsible for causing you to [somehow] break the law by advice I provide, or breaking terms of service to a third-party company. Base line: Don’t blame me.