Do not expect an official “portable” Linux version.
QuestaSim is commercial, license-managed, and installed via standard EDA installers. “Portable” versions you find on torrents, GitHub, or forums are cracked, outdated (e.g., 2020.1–2021.3), and risky. They can work in a limited sense but are not recommended for serious work.
Assuming you have legal access to QuestaSim Linux installer, here is how you can turn it into a portable installation.
QuestaSim is a hybrid application; even on a 64-bit Linux OS, many underlying components rely on 32-bit libraries. If you skip this, the installation will fail with a "No such file or directory" error on the executable.
Open your terminal and install the required architecture support. download questasim for linux portable
For Ubuntu/Debian:
sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install build-essential
sudo apt-get install gcc-multilib g++-multilib
sudo apt-get install libxft2:i386 libxext6:i386 libncurses5:i386
For RedHat/CentOS/Fedora:
sudo yum install glibc.i686
sudo yum install libXft.i686 libXext.i686 ncurses-libs.i686
A quick Google search for "download questasim for linux portable" might lead to: Do not expect an official “portable” Linux version
Do not use these. Reasons:
Stick to official channels or open-source alternatives.
Some communities package QuestaSim as an AppImage or Singularity container for zero‑install use. Search for questasim-linux-appimage (use at your own risk – respect licensing terms). Assuming you have legal access to QuestaSim Linux
| License Type | Portable? | How it works |
|--------------|-----------|---------------|
| Node-locked (USB dongle) | ✅ Yes | Siemens sells USB hardware keys. Plug into any machine, set LM_LICENSE_FILE to the key. |
| Floating license server | ❌ No, unless VPN | Your machine must reach the license server via network. Use VPN or SSH forwarding. |
| Free Starter Edition | ✅ Yes | License is tied to the installation folder. Can be moved. |
| Evaluation license (30 days) | ✅ Yes | Temporary, but can be pre-installed on USB. |
Best for portability: Request a node-locked USB dongle from Siemens (costly, ~$2k+ annually).
Best for students: Use Intel Starter Edition – no license server needed.