And when I try to set the third drive to my 1TB drive, it borks the skin and I have to reinstall it. 

If your using ABP the you need itunes running. After you launch itunes refresh the skin. For the slideshow do this. Right click on any open skin and select ABP + Configure + Configure ini. The configuration window will open. Scroll down and select Slideshow path and enter the correct path to the picture folder you want the slideshow to display. You can also change the text in the next option so it will say something different then slideshow on the skin. As far as the drive is concerned not sure why it is doing that. I can set mine to 2 different external drives with no problem.

Nice article about Rainmeter customization/installation for n00bs like me:

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/31705/beginner%E2%80%99s-guide-to-rainmeter-display-system-stats-on-your-desktop/

Well, I don't have, and don't want Itunes, so I won't use that skin.

I appreciate all the help, but I do think I like DX better. For one, you don't need a third party app to play music...lol.

RND, it's not a case of replacing dx with rainmeter, it's just a different customizing tool to play around with. And you can use both at the same time. Rainmeter gives those of us without photoshop talent a chance to customize our desktops ourselves using code and sometimes graphics.

Your dx skins will always be appreciated as they look totally different from rainmeter skins. I would love to see some of your dx graphics mixed into a Rainmeter skin or suite- that would be hot!

Well, that is the plan, if I can ever figure out how to use this thang!   lol

Some of the renamed zips still don't load. Some error about rainmeter.cfg.

They need to get with a standard .rmskin instead of zips. Some skins load, some don't. I like the potential of the program, but the delivery system needs work. Too confusing to have to manually load anything into the skins folder.

You'll get it RnD. The DX Designer in you won't let it happen otherwise.

No kissing up. Fact.

And what exactly does this mean/entail?

Manually = put the folder in C:\Users\Admin\Documents\Rainmeter\Skins (if you're using windows7). Or, if there's a bunch of files/folders in the zip - make a new folder, name it and unzip it to the same place (this is for mostly for older skins - but sometimes people don't package it up in .rmskin format).

I would suggest that you go into Windows Explorer and look at the Rainmeter folders that are in C:\Program Files\Rainmeter and get familiar with what's there. Just remember that the 'skins' are filed in C:\Users\Admin\Documents\Rainmeter\Skins and everything else is in C:\Program Files\Rainmeter.

For XP, if I remember correctly, it would be For XP C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\Rainmeter\Skins.

And remember to REFRESH ALL after adding a new skin if it wasn't a .rmskin install!!! And REFRESH SKIN after editing a skin!!!

Karmat my skins folder path is a little different, C:\Users\owner\Documents\Rainmeter\Skins. I have Rainmeter installed on 3 computers and the path is the same for me on all of them. That is why I have been telling people to just put the non rmskins in the rainmeter skins folder found in your documents. Some people get a little confused with paths.

I have tried all that, some skins still don't want to show up correctly. My skins are in the same place as Junior's. I'm gonna keep trying, but my opinion is that this software is way too convoluted, and unintuitive. And some say DX is hard...lol.

@RedneckDude

What skins are you trying to install? Also, you might want to check out http://rainmeter.net/RainCMS/?q=Rainmeter101_AddingSkins

Well I'm in the same boat as RedneckDude.  I run Windows 7 64 bit and just can't figure this all out.  I tried downloading ABP, got no backgrounds. 

I guess that I just not able to follow the instructions. 

I download the ABP file, it's zipped so I saved it to a folder and then extracted it to the skins folder under Rainmeter.  Was I supposed to do something else? 

Rainmeter really looks like a nice program but I don't think I will ever know.

Philly --- have you read all of my comments in this post? I've included links and also a screenshot of how my RainBrowser window (showing ABP) looks different from RDN's. Which one does your look like?

As previously said in this post, if your zip program is screwing up your installation, maybe you could try using a different zip program. I use Alzip and have absolutely no problem with .rmskin format or unzipping skins that aren't in that format. I really believe that that is the problem you both are having.

I have whatever zip program thats come with Windows 7.  I've never downloaded another one.  My RainBrowser does not look yours.  If the zip program is the problem then why do mention of it on the Rainmeter site? 

I'm not picking on anyone or trying to say the Rainmeter is not a good program.  I use all of the Stardock stuff, Rainlendar and Winstep and have no problem downloading and extracting the skins to the correct folder and having everthing work.  So I have to be missing something thing here.  Oh and I am working with the new beta.

I understand using a new program can be a little frustrating. With everything new there is a learning curve. If you think rainmeter is bad have you ever tried to use Samurize? That is one program I just do not get.

Well I decieded that this was not going to get the best of me so I deleted everything for Rainmeter and started with a fresh install of it.

It got the best of me.

I've been using Rainmeter for several years now and yes, there is a little early learning to do, however it is well worth while. It's like learning to ride a bike - once you've mastered it you never want to get off. The combination of some DX stuff together with matching Rainmeter skins makes my mouth water!

RND..........If only Yrag was here on this thread...........He'd have you bent over!

Well I tried it again starting from a clean slate.  This time I installed the current version, 1.3 64 bit and had better luck. 

I atleast got Enigma and Gnometer working.  I also downloaded Clock, Frostclock and WeatherBox from the WC Library and got those to work.  I was still not able to get ABP to download correctly.  I think is it intestesting the the three I was able to download from WC had installers. 

I tried the others in WC and couldn't get them installed.

I went to Rainmeter.net and downloaded ABP. It came as a .rmskin, not a zip package. One click and it was up and running. I got version 1.3 of Rainmeter. Could be the beta version isn't as stable as once thought.

Well I know people that are using the 1.4 beta and it works fine for us. The one thing you need to make sure of is to download the proper version, 32bit or if your system is 64bit download the 64bit version

Win7 64 bit. I made sure to get 1.3 as I have no luck with betas.

Yes that was not necessarily directed at you. I was just saying for those that are having problems with the install to make sure they are downloading the proper bit version.  As far as the beta is concerned I use it and have not found even one issue with it but for those that are paranoid of beta's the 1.3 version works fine too.