I downloaded the LAME and put it in the windows/system32 folder. And then the REAPER folder. And neither works. What am I doing wrong?

Well, what error does it give you when you try to export?
Are you sure you set up reaper to locate the lame_enc.dll file properly?

are you using the demo version? if you are you can only make wavs.

Demo version of reaper can render to mp3 just fine.

Post the error message you're receiving, and we can diagnose it better.

Reaper/Plugins folder, I'm pretty sure is where it should be.

The "demo" version is completely unhindered.

it never made any mp3s for me. ever.

If you tell it which directory the lame.dll file is, there shouldn't be any problem. Can you get a screenshot of the message that you get when you try to render to an MP3?

That's most likely the result of a misplaced LAME.dll

maybe. it's not really all that important to me since I actually don't use reaper to mix. I only use it to record.

If it doesn't work, you can always export it as a wav and use itunes to convert it.

What's some programs I might already have that will convert a wav to a mp3?
My program I use to record with only exports as a wave.
Now if I burn it to a disc, I can then rip it to an mp3, but I don't wanna do that all that for one song.

I had a program on my old computer(that died), I think it was Real Audio that had a converter.
I don't think Windows Media Player has a converter...

I use cool edit pro. but give me a second there is a website that will let you do it as well.

http://media.io/?0.7430233973131896

As MrTubeFox noted, this can be done in iTunes.

Thanks shaolin...
I saved that site. I'll give it try soon.

You are quite welcome!

in Repaer preferences you have to specify the location of LAME...

and you could use something like the freeware wavosaur to do some final tweaking on your mix and convert to mp3

just my 2 cents, as whta everyone else has said works fine too....but opening itunes (the mother of bloatware) to do something like is seems overkill.....wavosaur is small, fast and surpissingly user freindly