1: Make a small box and name it frame
2:Make a large box name it skybox
3: Convert it to editable mesh
4:Flip the normals
5:ID # of 1 and clear all smoothing groups
6: Select the bottom of the box and its auto maticly set to a ID 3 of 2 and smoothing group of 2(I think this is a problem)
7: go into material editer and change to Multi sub objects
8: Set only 2 materials, Name the hole thing Skybox
9:Choose a sky color name it +sky, click the checkerd box
10:Find the ground bitmap, name it (the name of the map here)_ground , click the checkerd box
11: Apply the matieral to the skybox.
Im using 3ds Max 8
Here is what it turns out

I was using kirks tutorials to guide me. Please tell me what im doing wrong.