how to download and install programs?
 

Can anyone tell me how to install and run the programs I have downloaded? I have downloaded several program files but when I burn them to CD or try to open them direct I cannot get them to do anything.
Should I be selecting a certain type of file, rar, bin, zip etc. I am not sure what some of these file types are or what I need to do with them once I download them. Do I need a program to run them?
Is there a manual out there for downloading, coping, packaging, unpackaging, burning etc?

I have been trying on both Win98 and XP Professional programs.

Thanks for the help

RonVF

exe files are the actual executional programs. zip files are compressed files. To uncompress them you'll need winzip or similar (Aladdin offers a free expander for windows.) bin files are (to my knowledge) cd files/images that need to be burnt (there's more than one type of bin file!) rar is another compressed file. Installer apps are often (not always) called setup.exe

If the file is zip/rar you'll 1st need to uncompress it. Then find the setup program (may have same name as main program) & double-click. Follow its instructions.

Depending how old your apps are, I suspect they might not run on win 98 or else would need a win 98 service pack update 1st!

I can't be too much more specific b/c I'm a mac user! hehehe

Usually there is a READ ME which explains exatly what to do.

Morgwen

still lost
 

I know what Exe and zip file are. I have an ISO and a rar file I can't seem to open or install. I have tried burning to disk with know luck it just replicates the same thing as if I try to open it from the share folder.
As for the text files I cant tell what would go with what file. The downloads that I have done are just one file that doesn't do anything.
Don't get me wrong I have actually had some success downloading and installing a few program program. Oh but that was from KaazaLite a while back.
I am new to Gnutella and not having much success.

There's a possibility the file(s) you dwnlded were corrupted from the source. There's plenty out there & there's even some sources that seem to share a large no. of corrupted files. Try dwnlding from a different source. Besides, I'd suggest any app that's missing files is not worth bothering with. That means they've been tampered with (perhaps to its peril.) Either or both the files were corrupted or you're treating them inappropriately such as using the correct utility to deal with them. And yes there should be some kind of instructions with it (Morgwen: a READ ME which explains exactly what to do.)