Installing Template. Something is going wrong! What am I missing?

[lastlokean]

To start off with my site is cvapors.com

I have installed zencart v1.5 with fantastico. At this point the site has the default green template.
I can log into my admin page and all without problem, and am semi-familiar with the functionality of the zen cart tools. (I have used oscommerce before)

The next step I took was set up ftp access to my web space. This works fine, I can access ftp.cvapors.com and upload / manage files. I am sure the files are getting there because I can upload an image and then go see that image on the www.cvapors.com/anyimage.jpg.

So to make things easier on myself I have been using a set up a virtual disc drive using NetDrive through the ftp access. This is mounted as drive Z:/ on my computer. Z:/includes/templates exists and I can see the default template.

So first I tried Apple Cart Zen template. I merged the existing includes file with the one from the AppleZen.zip I got from this website. With a drag and drop action to my Z:/ drive. (Should be the same as any ftp upload right?)

Then I go login to my zencart admin toolkit, and go tools->template and find that the Apple_Zen template is seen as an option. I select it. I then go to the layout boxes controller and hit the 'reset' option just to get things turned on.

At this point I check my homepage out. All that I see is the striped background for Apple Zen. No header, footer, logo, images, boxes or anything!

Confused, I uninstall then install zencart again. This time I do all of the above with Cherry Cart Template. This time I get just a plain blue screen when I load my homepage.

I had done some prior experimenting on a friends domain with an expensive 'paid for' template. He did pretty much the same steps I did, only his seems to work and mine doesn't?

Well anyways know here I am asking for help! I have read through endless tutorials, forum posts, guides and the instructions that come with various templates for DAYS and I can't seem to make any progress at all!

I am new to the php / css thing, but not new to programming. I feel I am just missing some critical little step to pull this all together?

Edit: I am sure that all files are present and accounted for on my web space, public_html and www directories.

Also under template selection the preview works perfectly for the cherry cart template, but when I select it, it doesn't turn out that way!