WordPress MU

Dear All,
I am sorry to ask such basic question but I am having trouble getting plugins to show up. As pointed out in
http://mu.wordpress.org/forums/topic/367#post-1980, it appears that regular wordpress plugins may work in wordpress mu.

So I installed plugins such as wp-contactform. I put the files to the plugin folder, then activate it from the dashboard. But, I cannot see the added plugins from the "Option" tab. (I tried many other plugins as well..)

If I put the file in the mu-plugins folder, and go to "Option," I could see the configuration settings for that particular plugin with some errors. If I put the file to both plugin folder and mu-plugins folder, I get redeclare problem that is similar to what is described at http://wordpress.org/support/topic/44210

Can you please guide me on the proper way of installing plugins to Wordpress MU? I am very lost..

Now I'm pretty positive that I should not place the plugin files in the mu-plugin folder since I'm able to view some of the configuration option under "option" now. (Particularly, plugin option Syndication does not show up for the FeedWordpress plugin.)

Cruz, I'm having trouble with the WP-ContactForm plugin as well. I have it in the "Plugins" folder, not the WPMU-Plugins folder and it behaves exactly as it does with regular WP, EXCEPT that once you use the QuickTag to insert the code for the form and save your page or entry, WPMU strips the code out. I have another post open about this, and just now thought of using the WPMU-Plugins directory to see what would happen.

And ... this begs the question: What the heck is the WPMU-Plugins folder for, anyway, if not for plugins?

i did also make the same mistake, as far as i know mu-plugins is for buddypress?

You should know that mu-plugins will run no matter what! you can put wordpress plugins there and some will work with mu, but most times you have to hack it up to make it work properly.

Plugins folder adds plugins that you can enable within the admins backend.

that is the difference. that being said, if you post which plugin you are having problems with perhaps there is an MU update, or a work around.

"as far as i know mu-plugins is for buddypress? "

Yes. and any other plugin that *specifically states* to put it there.