LAME INSTALLATION

[wcrv977fm]

I have windows xp, and am using Audacity 1.2.6.
My computer is updated, and has quite a bit of space.

I have downloaded lame as per instructions. I have made several folders, and after I click on "find library", no matter where I have installed or saved Lame, it always comes up saying it is not a recognizable window. I really have tried everything I can in order to install it.

Any other tips?......I've read all the instructions over and over.

Even though I can see that I am recording, and I'm now using a radio station to "see" the recording, I can't seem to save and go back to that recording, or, the recording is just six seconds long.
My goal is to record vinyl into audacity and send it to someone else via mp3.

Since this is a normal turntable without a preamp, I have it plugged into a 100 watt amp and the amp is plugged into the computer. ..I listen to the record live via headphones. There is a lot of distortion.
Could it be the 100 amp is too much power?

Before I started using audacity, I read the instructions and even printed everything out that pertained to what I was going to be using it for (I avoided anything to do with recording a band, per se).
Although I find the instructions well written, I find that there are terms or instructions written, such as by a programmer, that "assumes" that everything read will be understood. I noticed the term "command line" many times, and if that is what I think it is, I can't type into it. I tried to type audacity, lame, etc into these lines in order to install lame, and that doesn't work. It would be a help to know, or it seems as though you need to exit audacity nearly all the time in order to find your supposed file.
This is a great forum: and I recognize that one or two folks probably could spend 24 hours answering the same question over and over........but I didn't find my answer in the FAQ section; I hope someone out there can help me out!
Thanks,
Carl

[waxcylinder]

Since this is a normal turntable without a preamp, I have it plugged into a 100 watt amp and the amp is plugged into the computer. ..I listen to the record live via headphones. There is a lot of distortion.
Could it be the 100 amp is too much power?

OK I'll have a go at part of your posting. You definitely need a preamp - the phono stage of a pre-amp applies the necessary RIAA equalization. Withou this the music will sound thin and lacking in bass.

You may already have a pre-amp. Is the amp you talk about hust a power amp or is it a single integrated amp? In particular does it have RCA sockets marked Phono for you to plug the TT in? And does it have a Tape-Out or Record-Out for sending a signal to a tape deck for recording? If so than this is the output you should be using. Finally are you plugging this to tyho the Line in on your PC and NOT the Mic in - the mic input takes a much lower signal level and you will overload it with a line level signal.

Basically we need you to get your hardware set up correctly before anyone can really have a go at any software issues which may be happening.

WC