what am i doing wrong?
 

alan_ri suggested i download the following program to install codecs and follow the instructions to install; i hate to reveal my incompetence but i need this, thanks:

[asaruhu@comcast ~]$ tar -xvf all-20061022.tar.bz2
tar: all-20061022.tar.bz2: Cannot open: No such file or directory
tar: Error is not recoverable: exiting now
[asaruhu@comcast ~]$ su
Password:
[root@comcast asaruhu]# tar -xvf all-20061022.tar.bz2
tar: all-20061022.tar.bz2: Cannot open: No such file or directory
tar: Error is not recoverable: exiting now
[root@comcast asaruhu]# cd /temp
bash: cd: /temp: No such file or directory
[root@comcast asaruhu]# cd /tmp
[root@comcast tmp]# tar -xvf all-20061022.tar.bz2
tar: all-20061022.tar.bz2: Cannot open: No such file or directory
tar: Error is not recoverable: exiting now
[root@comcast tmp]#
how do i let bash know that i want to install/extract/open the package?
stumped!

I believe .bz2 files need the j option, so... 'tar jxvf ...'

Also use auto-completion to prevent misspelling the filename (Press the TAB key after the first few characters). And yes, use the -j option for bzip2. Make sure you are in the same directory as the file you downloaded.

Also take a look at the tar manpage or "tar --help".

You will have to change to the directory with the file.

cd Desktop
tar xvf all-20061022.tar.bz2

Or the full path : tar xvf Desktop/all-20061022.tar.bz2

The ( j ) option and ( - ) was used on older Linux's
... shoudn't be needed any more.?
....

Not using a dash is actually inherited from the first version of tar. You do need it if you have more than one option that takes an argument, such as: tar -C / -czf /mnt/disk/backup.tar.gz /home /usr

Might as well always include it. I wasn't aware that the j or x were optional when unarchiving, but including it would be more portable and IMHO the proper way of doing it and teaching how to use it.

The code;
will do just fine.The only problem you asaruhu have is that you are not in the directory that you should be.You have probably saved the downloaded file on the desktop and when you open the terminal you are in the /home directory not in the /home/you/Desktop.That's way the command is not working.So you can cut the file from your desktop or wherever it might be and paste it to your home folder,then open the terminal and run the tar command.After that run;
then check if you have /usr/lib/win32 directory,if you don't create one with the following command;
After that run;
and then;
and finally;
That's it.
P.S.
Don't forget to do all this as root.

codec installation success!!!
 

i had a partial success in the installation of the codecs following alan_ri's instructions, so thank you!
although i now hear snow buzzing from the computer there is still some work for me to do in clearing the issue. this success is however very exiting as it shows me that with perseverance and the aid lent by this community i will succeed in mastering this. thank you all!!!
handel's watermusic is next!:Pengy:

I'm glad that you did it,asaruhu.