installing and configuring the SMF bridge problem

[Atomant]

I'm following the instructions to conenct the SMF to elxis but hit a brick wall.

1. Install SMF forum
Done
2. Install component Bridge.
    If it is already installed you can skip this step.
Well the only way to know if it's installed is if I get an error saying that there is already a bridge in that directory because my Installers->bridges list doesn't have a list of currently installed bridges as I would have expected.

Make sure bridges's registry is up-to-date.
What the? What is the registry? Where do I find it?

Set 'elxis' as the Bridge registration module.
How please.

I saw a topic here that says Click Components-> Bridges.... I have no Bridges item listed in my components menu.

3. Install Elxis-SMF bridge.
Didn't I just do that in step 2 above?

Cant get any further in the install guide 
Advice please.

[Ivan Trebješanin]

Well the only way to know if it's installed is if I get an error saying that there is already a bridge in that directory because my Installers->bridges list doesn't have a list of currently installed bridges as I would have expected.

What you said above most probably means that you once had the bridge installed, but it is not present in DB anymore.
What should you do?
Use some FTP client and delete folder left from previous instalation. You should as well check that there are no leftovers in DB from previous bridge installation, and when you do all that, just install the bridge again.

PS
Once PowerBoard component reaches it's stable release, you won't need bridges anymore. It is a solution that integrates into Elxis like Fireboard for joomla.