Linux Mint Forums

jb14813 wrote:i have downloaded a file that is a .tar.gz and i was wondering how to install it plz help

What did you download and why didn't you use e.g. Synaptic and download/install things the proper way?

*.tar.gz Files are archives. TAR = Unix Tape Archive. GZ = GNU Zip format.

*.tar files are not compressed -- that's not its task, it's just supposed to hold the files together. So people usually add compression by gzip-ing, bzip2-ing a *.tar file which usually results in file endings such as *.tar.gz (gzip) or *.tar.bz2 (bzip2). Other file endings such as *.tar.Z and many others more are also possible, depending on what the creator of that *.tar file used to compress it.

As for installation ... as I said above: *.tar.gz Files are archives. So first step probably would be to unpack the file and take a look at what files you get. One of those probably is an installer script that will copy all the files to the right location. But many software packages also come in "self-contained" tar.gz packages which means: You unpack your archive wherever you want (e.g. into /opt? e.g. /opt/softwarepackage ...) and then it's already ready to go (e.g. by invoking /opt/softwarepackage/bin/nameofmainprogram ... ). The only task left to you would be to create yourself a launcher on the desktop or panel so you wouldn't have to type in this stuff into the terminal everytime you want to start that software.

BTW, again: What did you download? What are you trying to install? Usually there should be a 'README' either on the web site where you downloaded this from or then there usually is one inside the tar.gz file. I suggest you read that.

Also: Whatever you install via *.tar.gz files and compile yourself: It totally lives outside of the package manager (e.g. Synaptic, apt, etc.) so you can't get rid of it anymore via those automated mechanisms. You have to take notes about which file went where and then hunt them down manually. Such stuff is exactly the reason why people should use 'Synaptic' and install stuff this way.

jb14813 wrote:no it is supose to change your desttop to look like windows xp

Yuck! Why would you want *that* ?

Besides you got all the infos you need in those install instructions. Read them *precisely*.