Lee,

We followed your instructions and when it comes to installing SQL Server 2005, the screens don’t match after the feature selection.

Instance name appears with two options:
1. Default Instance
2. Named Instance – Labeled SQLExpress (Default Selection)

We selected the default and moved on.

Next when we to Report Server Installation options

• Both choices are grayed out and install but do not configure the server is selected.

We click next and the install completes O.K.

I log into my site and start to build. After I restart my PC, I can not get the site to start again.

I log into IS and the Default Web Site folder has an error stop sign and says (Stopped). I have tried several things toget it back up again with no luck….Any suggestions?

Thank you,

Sean

Hello,

This sounds like a problem with IIS rather than SQL Server. The differences in the screens for installing SQL server may have happened if you installed a different version - if you recall I installed the advanced version of SQL Server express, rather than the version that will be automatically installed when you install visual web developer express.

I have come across this problem and it's due to another programme using the resources that IIS needs, I can't remember how I fixed it but I found the solution by looking through the Microsoft.com help website (try restarting IIS (right click on Default website and select start) and follow the error links that it produces)

- Sometimes the problem reoccurs for no reason on my system as well and recently I've found the best solution is to use virtual server 2005 or virtual pc 2007 (both are free downloads from Microsoft). -  This allows you to set up several test areas and is ideal for moving test systems from one computer to another.  So I now literally have operating systems set up with just the minimal programs installed for running DotNetNuke and I have no problems with other programmes causing conflicts.

If you do not want to go down the virtual route (I highly recommend you try it ;-) )  I would attempt to look at disabling programs starting up on startup of windows (go through them one at a time to see if you can find the culprit), restart Windows and see if it allows you to restart IIS. - (right click on Default website and select start)

Hope this helps,

Lee / Sean

When installing SQL Server Express 2005 I also received the following options.....

********************************************************
Instance name appears with two options:
1. Default Instance
2. Named Instance – Labeled SQLExpress (Default Selection)
********************************************************

I worked out that the reason for this was that I already had an instance of SQL Server Express 2005 already installed. I also found that unless you follow the exact sequence for installing each of the applications (as per Lee's videos in Issue 20) you might also have some issues with the ASP.NET account not registering correctly and unavailable in the list of installed "users". This happened because I installed IIS AFTER the .NET Framework....

My advice if you are having problems installing DNN on XP Pro with IIS (which is what I ended up doing) is to uninstall SQL Server Express including all other SQL components and the NET Framework Ver 2.0 via Add or Remove Programs in the Control Panel. I also uninstalled IIS via Add/Remove Windows components, again via the Control Panel.

I then followed Lee's Videos "Step by Step" and installed (1) IIS (2) .NET Framework (3) SQL Server Express (4) DotNetNuke. Everything worked identically to how Lee explained it in the videos and worked first time....

Hope this helps

Kevin

Hi Kevin,

Thanks, that's a good tip. - I also came across problems installing DotNetNuke when I had to install it to a new computer - the problems were caused by installing programmes in a different order to the way I installed on the videos and IE7 changing intranet security settings - if you follow the steps exactly you should be ok.

Thanks,

Kevin,

Thanks for the tip; I was removing everything except ASP.NET. I will wipe it clean and start over.

Has anyone tried local development on Vista? We are thinking of upgrading equipment and Vista will no doubt come standard.

Thank you,

Sean

I haven't tried Vista yet - I do seem to recall reading a blog post about it though - I would google and you will probably come across something. - The security and IIS will be slightly different but you should be able to work it out once you have successfully figured it out on XP - if there is a demand for it I will create a tutorial for Vista.

Thanks,

Lee,

I started with a fresh install and I'm back in business :o) I think a Vista video would be a great addition to the collection. As much as I am not in love with Vista yet, I am ready to upgrade my equipment and like most people buying a new PC, you are going to have to upgrade or pay to re-install XP.

Thanks,

Sean

If I only use SQL on my laptop for DNN, would it be best to d/l and install the 'express' version, or my full version of SQL 2005? Would downgrading to the express improve performance?

If I am using a regular SQL database with my host, will there me any issues? ...never used the express version and thought that perhaps it limits you to MySQL databases with your host....no idea what is best.

Any suggestions welcome!

Hello,

If you have the full version I would personally install that. - It will make it much easier for development and maintaining databases between localhost and the live site in the future. Thanks,