installation of mysql to linux in a virtual memory environment

[rexa_midst]

is there any difference in installing linux or any software run between a virtual memory and real memory?

im just new to the linux OS.
im trying to install mysql in linux using VMware(virtual memory)because im using windows in my laptop.
im using ubuntu-9.04
im using mysql-5.0.82-linux-i686.tar.gz
i use terminal in the installation
i unzip it using tar zxvf
then i confiugure it using ./configure
then i type make, it appears
make: *** No targets specified and no makefile found. Stop.


why is it that when i enter a command "make", no target appears.
what is the solution because im trying to practice mysql.
please write step by step.
thanks

[HROAdmin26]

You have likely downloaded a binary release of MySQL - it is already compiled.

You can reference the MySQL Documention on installing MySQL manually if you refuse to use Ubuntu's repository.

 The basic commands that you must execute to install and use a MySQL binary distribution are:

shell> groupadd mysql
shell> useradd -g mysql mysql
shell> cd /usr/local
shell> gunzip < /path/to/mysql-VERSION-OS.tar.gz | tar xvf -
shell> ln -s full-path-to-mysql-VERSION-OS mysql
shell> cd mysql
shell> chown -R mysql .
shell> chgrp -R mysql .
shell> scripts/mysql_install_db --user=mysql
shell> chown -R root .
shell> chown -R mysql data
shell> bin/mysqld_safe --user=mysql &

please write step by step

Please read directions.

[rexa_midst]

i type groupadd mysql

it response :
groupadd:unable to lock group file

so i jump to tar command
until the chown command

i type chown -R mysql

it response:
chown: missing operand after 'mysql'