cant open files after download.
 

I selected open in the download, but have a file list that does not respond in the windows context. cheap machine for first experience (asus pentium ). cant find help in opening the list which windows cannot read -- feel stupid and over my head. any help?

Your post doesn't make a lot of sense. You need to explain what it is you are trying to do, what application is not working as you expect. You need to provide some background information, such as what distro and desktop you are having difficulty with, then we may be able to help. You mention windows, are you using windows? or are you using a linux distro?

BTW, welcome to the forum.

What distro are you using?

Usually the download is save is /home/<user>/Downloads.

It depends on on the file type, what action is needed to "open" the file.

Archives: decompression utility
Executable file: run then
Documents: open your office suite like libreoffice

a question
Are you using Microsoft's internet explorer on Windows 7 ?????

Hi. Thanks for your patience and kindness, and thanks cliff for your welcome.

I am trying to download linux mint onto a windows 7 os, hopefully replacing it. My computer has not built in cd, but i have a tetrabyte drive in a usb. the files for the mint were downloaded unopened onto the tetra drive and opened onto the main drive. There I can see an icon, but clicking it merely shows the file listing of the download. in all cases, reasonably but discouragingly, windows recognizes no file types to open.

Do I now need to copy the open files to the tetra and than try to boot from there.

This computer system is strange and opaque. I havent found the dos in it or been able to interrupt the start up to get at the boot. but that is my next try.

still moving. had been stuck.

again thanks you all for your generosity.

cant open files after download.
 

To install and use a Linux distribution you'll have to boot with an install image.

I bet you will have to look for how to make a bootable usb stick for the distro you aim to install.

You can't just download a Linux iso file and open it inside Windows to run Linux. Linux is an entire operating system, it runs independent of Windows. Just like Windows has an installation disk that you use to install it onto a hard drive, so must you create a Linux installation disk using that iso file you downloaded, and then use that installation disk to install Linux to a hard drive.

There are many guides online for creating a bootable Linux CD/DVD/USB from a downloaded iso file. Use one of those to create a bootable medium, reboot your machine, change your boot device to use this new medium, and it will load the Linux image you downloaded. If this was a so-called "Live" image then it should boot straight into a working Linux desktop that you can experiment with, otherwise it will take you to the installer to install Linux onto your hard drive.

It would help us if we knew exactly what you downloaded, and want to install. Could you provide a link? or tell us what you downloaded.

Member response
 

Hi,

Welcome to LQ!

If you have downloaded a Linux ISO image then you need to create that image on a media. If you wish to burn to a DVD then you can burn the image to DVD media the image that was downloaded.

If you wish to use a 'USB' then you can use; EDIT: You would then use the media to do the install.
Hope this helps.
Have fun & enjoy!
:hattip: