I have downloaded the newest version of audacity on windows 7 and installed the ffmpeg and lame files by exe, and also reset the preferences when I installed the newest version. Every time I try to import the mp3 it just says, ‘audacity did not recognize the type of file. If it is uncompressed, try importing it using “Import Raw”.’ Am I missing something important?
calmly smashes head through computer screen
Please give us the actual complete version number of Audacity from Help > About Audacity… . Only download Audacity from us: http://audacityteam.org/download/windows.
Probably it’s not an MP3. The last three or four characters after a file name tell you the extension of the file, but people can change the extension. If the file contains MP4 audio and someone renames the file as an MP3, that does not make the contents into MP3 audio.
You can download “MediaInfo” from http://mediainfo.sourceforge.net/en/Download/Windows to find out what type of file you really have. Get the version without installer, because the installer may have malware or adware.
If you still need help, tell us what MediaInfo says about the file (View > Text).
Gale