[Wine] programs will not launch

[soysos]

I should probably admit I am new to linux. well that's not entirely true but the last time I messed with it there was no gui. anyway I dicided to give ubuntu a try, crashed my system in the process. anyway the problum I am having is this. programs install just fine, and I've tried installing in several different ways. just running the .exe file, going through play on linux, wine tricks. regardless of how I install the program or what the rating is in the database I can't run the program. I have no idea what I'm doing wrong I have followed every tutorial I can find and I get the same result. the icon popes up in the launcher flashes a few times then goes away. I shoul mention I'm running ubuntu 11.10 on a HP dv6t quad edition.