Installing Skins (Counter-Strike: Source > Tutorials > Installation)

This tutorial explains how to install skins, not just explaining which folder it goes to.
Note: When you reach your custom folder, you might have to create some folders you don't see. **For Weapon Skins** I am going to show you how to install the Gangsta Glock which can be found here

First off download the skin
Notice the file has a ".rar" extension. Winzip does not support rar files. You must download WinRAR or 7-Zip in order to access rar files which can be obtained here (WinRAR) or here (7-Zip).
Once WinRAR/7-Zip is installed, open up the file.
Now you will see something like Screenshot A
Now let's review the folders.
materials: this contains the textures for the weapon. Without it, you will have a pink and black looking gun.

models: models for skins
weapons: skins for weapons
v_models: skins for weapons in first person view (view models)
w_models: (this may not appear all the time) Skins for the weapons in world view (world models)

models: this contains the model for a weapon. Without it, your skin would not work.

weapons: folder that contains models for weapons

scripts: this tells what the sound of each event (reload, draw) is.

game_sounds_manifest.txt: Contains the names of all the sound scripts that'll be preloaded when you start the game.
weapons: sound scripts for weapons

sounds: this contains the sounds for the weapon

weapons: sounds for weapons
[weapon name]: sounds for this particular weapon

**NOTE**: It is normal for some folders to not appear in other skins that you download. (E.g. when you open up a different skin you see only materials and models) The following procedure (STEPS 6-14) works for any skin that opens up displaying any combination of these folders: materials models scripts sound.
That means you can use this procedure for any skin you download as long as it was submitted correctly.

Go to Start>Run (On Vista and up it is Windows Key + R)

Enter C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps and click OK. If you want to skip the next three steps, try putting %sourcesdk%..\..\..\common\counter-strike source\cstrike\custom instead.

Select the common

Select the counter-strike source folder

Select the cstrike folder

Select the custom folder

Now go back to WinRAR/7-zip

If you have a '.vpk' file, put it in the custom folder, otherwise

Create a new folder, name it something intuitive like 'my_custom_skins'

Select all of the **folders**

Now drag and drop the folders into the new folder (make sure the pointer is on the white part of the new window when you release the mouse.

Now your skin is installed! Go play counter-strike source and enjoy!

**For Player Skins**

Download a T/CT skin
Open with WinRAR
You should see some vtf files
Go to C:\Program Files\Steam\SteamApps\Counter-Strike Source\cstrike\custom\my_custom_skins\materials\models\player\
Create the folders if they don't exist, as well as these folders: ct_gign ct_gsg9 ct_sas ct_urban t_arctic t_guerilla t_leet & t_phoenix
If the files in the rar file start with ct\_urban, drag and drop all the files into the folder "ct_urban". If the files start with t_phoenix, drag and drop all the files into the folder t_phoenix. The same concept applies to the other Terrorist & Counter-Terrorist skins.

**Scopes**

If you end up with a scope\_lens.vtf when you download a scope, extract it to ...\counter-strike source\cstrike\custom\my_custom_skins\materials\overlays\
If you just have a materials folder, drag and drop the materials folder onto the my_custom_skins. (\counter-strike source\cstrike\custom)
The material file is located in root\materials\overlays\scope_lens.vtf

**Shells**

If you end up with a rar file that only shows the title of the release when you open it, double click that folder and you should select the materials (and models if applicable) folders and drag them to the background of the my_custom_skins folder (aka 'root'). Yes, you do overwrite all.
The shells are stored in root\materials\models\shells\. Let's review the folders within shells. a. 12gauge - for shotguns b. 338mag - for awp c. 556 - for rifles mostly (some include m4a1, m249, galil) d. 57 - for fiveseven and p90 e. 762nato - for rifle ak47 (maybe others) f. 9mm - for glock18, tmp, mp5navy (maybe others)
There is also a special folder for the deagle shell. It is stored in materials\models\v_models\pist_deagle\ and is called bullet.vtf.

**Gloves/Sleeves**

The hands/gloves texture is root\materials\models\weapons\v_models\hands\v_hands.vtf

**Flashlights**

The flashlight file is located in ...\root\materials\effects\ and is called flashlight001.vtf.

**Muzzle Flash**

The muzzle flash file is located in ...\root\materials\effects\ and is called muzzleflashx.vtf.

**Technical Support**
Q : My skin turned out to be pink and black checkered in the game and I know I installed it right! WTF??????
A : In most cases someone didn't submit the file right. I know in some skins (like the black m134 Vulcan mini gun ) you get pink and black textures. Fortunately, there is way to fix it!
1) Go to root\materials
2) Right click the folder weapons and click cut. (Control+X)
3) Now go to root\materials\models\
4) Right click the background of this folder and click paste (Control+V) and select yes to all.
5) Now your skin is fixed
In other cases the folder that you have to move will be somewhere else. The easiest way to find out is to open the zip/rar file for the skin, and then explore into the materials folder to see what folders were placed wrong. Q : All I see is a cstrike folder when I open up the skin file!
A : Open it, if it's filled with materials or models, rename it to my_custom_skins and place it in the custom folder, if it has a custom folder, just drop it in your counter-strike source folder. Q : I did everything you said and it still doesn't work! If you're just going to message that you better include what skin you were trying to install. I will determine if it is your problem or the compiler's problem. Q : What if it is the compiler's problem?
A : Ask someone in the comments or the forums on how to fix it. Q : What if it is not easy enough to fix?
A : PM the submitter to fix it. Q : What if the submitter is a guest?
A : Then just do the work yourself; go read Devieus' compiling/decompiling tutorials. Please, don't keep posting, "I did everything and it still doesn't work!!" without even giving a link to the CS:S skin you were trying to install. Tutorial by xz64
Tutorial fixed by BigDog, then by Devieus

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