Please, can someone explain to me why I can not promote the original post in a thread but can promote replies within a thread? Also whats the difference in promote and recommend?

You're  able to promote the topic (1. post) via the button right above the reply to this topic button.

 

The difference between promote and recommand is that recommended replies are shown only inside the topic and promoted content is listed on the "our picks" page and shared via social sites

Ah ha and that right there seems to be my problem. I don't seem to have those buttons i have the unread and mark as read links. I can also on replies to a thread click options and see promote but dont see those buttons. Just disabled all my plugins and still no buttons.

 

I have the sidebar on in topic view could this be causing it?

Is your social media promotion switched on and configured in your admin cp?

Found the problem. I didn't realise there was a new theme I was still on the old theme. Here begins transferring all my theme edits 

If I have created a schedule where can I see those scheduled posts?

from the manage promoted items link from under your name in the top right

or domain.tld/index.php?/promote/manage/

Great thanks. Now it seems i have an issue with promoted content failing. I have my social media accounts setup just fine (I have checked, removed them and re added them) but every time i try and promote something it says twitter failed, facebook went fine but it doesnt show on our picks. 

 

So not working for our picks or twitter it seems. 

Right seemed to have fixed the failed on twitter error it seems my twitter app was right only instead or read and write. That said the promoted post still only goes to my Facebook page even though it says success on all of them. Doesn't show on twitter or our picks. 

 

Even more annoyingly if I refresh the manage promotions page it schedules the post again. Meaning my facebook page has duplicate posts.