[bigsmoke07]

I know how to get the right format....snd...but I can't seem to drop it in the right folder

Do I have to log in as a root user?

[Mithras]

You can put an AIFF or .snd file in the ~/Library/Sounds folder (in your home directory), and then choose it as the system alert.

Maybe you can even use any Quicktime-recognized file, I dunno.

If ~/Library/Sounds doesn't already exist, just make the empty folder, and put the sound in.