These instructions are for computers running Windows 95 / 98 and later operating systems. The lessons on this site are not designed for Apple or Mac. If you don't know how to download, this is a good introduction to managing your downloaded files in Windows.
The easiest way to download is to right-click on the link, the choose either 'Save As' or 'Save Target As' option, then browse for a folder to download to. I suggest you download to My Documents, but you can use any folder. Just make sure you can find the folder later.
Before You Download If you've never downloaded a file to your computer before, don't worry. It's easy.
Executable Zip Files Downloads from this site are in the form of zip files. These zip files are called 'executables' and have the file extension .exe.
Executable files install software on your computer. You should be careful about downloading and activating executable files from any website you don't know.
No Programs You don't have to worry. The Zip files from this website contain no programs. There is no possibility of a conflict with any other software on your computer, and they will not change any of your present configurations. They will not affect any of your settings, drivers, DLLs, Registry, Program Files, etc.
No Spy / Adware ... This site does not use any spyware, adware, tracking software, cookies, etc. There is no annoying software in any of our downloads.
The reason for using an executable instead of allowing users to simply download individual files is that in order for the lessons to work, the individual files have to be in the proper folders and subfolders. The executable files create these folder branches with the correct files automatically.
No program is necessary because the lessons files are controlled and activated by your off-line web browser. This gives HoustonGuitar lessons the look and feel of the Internet, without having to go online, and without waiting for files to load.
What The EXE Files Do These executable Zip files will automatically create a set of folders and sub-folders containing the individual files that make up the lesson.
What Kinds Of Files Individual files contained in the Zip files consist only of HTML documents, GIFs, JPEGs, MP3s, and AVIs. There are no other file types used.
Folder structure When you unzip the downloaded files, they will create a folder called HoustonGuitar.Com, unless that folder already exists. (A 'dot' is a legal character in Windows folder names.) It will create this folder inside of whatever folder it is in when you unzip it. Click here for a description of the HoustonGuitar.Com folder.
It's recommended that you save the Zip download files to the My Documents folder, and unzip them from there. This will place the HoustonGuitar.Com folder inside of My Documents where it will be easy to find.
If you save your downloads to 'My Documents,' and unzip them from there, then you will find your lessons in:
My Documents / HoustonGuitar.Com / Lesson Title Folder
OK to Overwrite Some of the lessons files will be updated from time to time, so you may get a prompt asking if it's OK to overwrite an existing lesson file. Only files in the HoustonGuitar.Com folder will be altered. Pressing 'OK' at the overwrite prompt will ensure that you always have the most recent lesson versions.
Moving An Executable File You may decide to move a Zip executable file after you download it. Windows wont let you move an executable file, but you can copy it to a new location and erase the original. Windows will warn you that you're about to erase a program, but if you have successfully copied it to another location, then it's safe to erase the original.
Downloading Files Save To Disk When you click to download a file from this website, you will see a dialog box asking if you want to save the file to disk. Click on the button next to 'Save this program to disk.'
Decide Where To Save Files The next dialog box lets you browse for the folder you want to save your files in. Save all files from HoustonGuitar.Com in the same place each time you download. Saving to the same place each time insures that the lessons will run properly once they are unzipped.
Save to My Documents I recommend saving all downloads from this site to the 'My Documents' folder. This way the HoustonGuitar.Com folder will appear inside of your My Documents folder.
It's a good idea to write down the file name and extension (.exe, .doc, .txt, .mp3, etc.) so that you can find it if you need to do a search for the file. You can keep a 'Downloads.doc' document in MS Word or your favorite word processor. You can use this document to keep a record of what you downloaded, from where, on what date, and so on.
The picture below shows the dialog box you want when you begin your download. At this point, you would press 'Save.'
If you are downloading multiple files at one time, it's easier to download them all, and then unzip them all together.
Unzipping Files Zip Utility You will need a zip utility in order to activate your lesson download. Your computer probably already has a zip program installed, but if you need one, you can download one on the internet. There's a great little free number available from Tucows.com. It's called 'Coffee Cup Free Zip Wizard 2.2' and you can go there directly by clicking here.
Use My Computer or Windows Explorer Open either My Computer or Windows Explorer. Click on My Documents. Find the zip files you just downloaded.
Extract Files Double-Click on the zip file. This will bring up a dialog box that asks if you want to extract the files. The wording in the dialog box may vary depending on what Zip utility you have on your computer. Click on 'Extract.' Or if the box asks if you want to extract, click 'Yes' or 'OK.'
When you extract the Zip files, they will automatically place new files in the HoustonGuitar.Com folder, or create a HoustonGuitar.Com folder if there isn't one already.
Erase The Zip Files Once you have the lesson files unzipped, you no longer need the original Zip files. These files take up almost as much space as the unzipped lesson files, so if you are pressed for space on your drive, you can erase the original Zip files.
Finding The Lesson Click On HoustonGuitar.Com Go to My Computer, click on My Documents, then click on HoustonGuitar.Com.
Click On Lesson Title Look for a folder with the title of the lesson you downloaded and click on it.
Click On 'Click Here' Entry Page You will see two items on the screen. One is a yellow folder labeled '---' (three dashes). The other will be an HTML document titled 'Click Here' followed by the lesson title. The Click Here - Lesson.html file is the Entry Page to your lesson. Click on this item to open your web browser and see your lesson.
For Instructions On Using The Lessons, Click Here
