How to Install DotNetNuke 4.3.x

The Logical Way to Think of a DNN Installation

1. Make sure your install computer is up-to-date with the latest security fixes, including ASP.NET 2.0, and that if you’re using XP, that you’ve downloaded SP2 and that you have IIS 5.x installed.
   
2. Decide which files to download. For this tutorial, we’re going to use the Install file.
3. Download the file to whatever computer you’re planning on doing the install.
4. Create a folder under which you want to unzip the DotNetNuke files. Even if you’re not planning on programming, I still recommend you create a ‘website’ folder, just in case you end up hiring consultants (this will be explained). Point is — decide on the home for the files and unzip them there.
5. Create the database. You can either use Windows security for the user login/password or SQL Authentication. This tutorial will focus on SQL Authentication. Why do this first? Well, because it’s separate from the rest of the install. By this, I mean, that once you deal with IIS, you have to deal with folder permissions. Once you deal with the web.config file, you’re indirectly messing with IIS. So get the database piece done first.
6. Make the changes to the release.config file and rename it to web.config. Why? Because you really don’t want to mess with IIS until you have the web.config file configured correctly. As soon as you create the virtual directory, assign it to ASP.NET 2.0, IIS can potentially make changes to the web.config file. So do all the work you need to do on the .config file first; leave the IIS steps for last.
7. Get your permissions set up. Incorrectly assigned permissions, and mistyping things in the web.config steps, are the two most frequent reasons I’ve had install problems. Why do this before the IIS steps? You could switch them, but if you assign the permissions first (including the Internet Guest account), then IIS won’t need to change any of the permission settings—you’ll have done all the work first.
8. Complete the steps to create a virtual directory for your website in IIS.
9. Open up Internet Explorer, and run the install.
10. If you want a website and not just a virtual directory, make the changes required in the DotNetNuke database (PortalAlias table), create the website in IIS (using the same instructions for the virtual directory, except create a website, then stop and restart IIS.