I am a brand new PC gaming. I bought Skyrim through steam last night and I have used a few of the mods that are on steam and they run great! When I download a mod from Nexus I followed the instructions open steam, steam apps common and game and drag the files in there but they never work. Could someone please help me out???

Apparently you didn't activate fhe mods from Data Files.

Anyway, here's my humble recommendation:

1. Stop using Steam Workshop. Unsubscribe all mods you have from there.

2. Download and install Nexus Mod Manager. Learn to use it to install mods.

3. Download and install BOSS. Use it to sort out your load order. This is important as wrong load order can lead to a heap of trouble.

I just started playing on PC also, for mods is very easy ...for a beginner like myself, I just get all my mods from Nexus mods (except SKSE which is needed for SkyUI).

For Nexus Mod Manager (NMM) just install it from the nexus website, of course make an account on Nexus website (is free). Once NMM is installed, have it scan your skyrim installation (which is steam based), then just get all your mods from the Nexus site, and you'll notice for MOST mods you can download them directly with the NMM. Then you can just go into NMM , after they download, and install them instantly (NMM does all the work for you). Just remember to launch Skyrim thru the thing in NMM (upper left corner), no need to even open Steam to play Skyrim (yay!!).

So far, I haven't had any problems with the few mods I use, and has been VERY easy to use them ! Using NMM, you don't have to worry about dragging & copying files anywhere, it does it all for you. Seems to be VERY user friendly

PS: please be sure to download BOSS, only takes 30 seconds to download & install, has an auto installer, just have to tell it what game to use it for, and it will do all the work for you, it just makes sure all your mods load in the proper order in NMM. Nothing complicated, just scans to see what mods you have, and puts them in the best order in NMM, so when you play, everything works right

My laptop plays Skyrim on low with an awful framerate (my PS3 is probably better) and I've only gotten mods from the Nexus. Easy to use with the NMM. Got the unofficial patches, a body mod, map mod, and an armor mod. Fooled around for about 2 hours before I stopped.

I have downloaded the nexus manager but for some reason when I go in the game my mods aren't there...

You have to find them in the mods tab, search for them and double click. At least, that's been my experience.

did you have NMM scan your skyrim files, it should recognize the ones you already have and list them in the left window. in NMM, you see all the mods that will load upon startup thru the NMM client of skyrim, in the leftmost window of NMM.

Wow im dumb. I just had to activate them. LOL Thank you all!!

Download a program called BOSS. Boss looks for mod conflicts..and makes sure the mods load into the game in a non conflicting way. run boss and read what it says and look for concerns BOSS might have. Not being careful with mods invites game crashes and lockups.

You can find BOSS at the nexus site.

Also, look up someone named Gopher on youtube, he has a Youtube series on how to use NMM and mods in general.

Indeed, start with http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QinA4qD6hXM and go from there.

Edit - or even http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxQ1JN_X-_Y&list=PLE7DlYarj-DdhDG41roBVJfNCqvO5MmKP&index=1

M'aiq suggests this.