Hello
I have to admit that I felt abit like you do at first, like many open-source projects the start-up instructions generally sucks, since they mainly target people who are allready in the know (is it to much to ask to get a description of what a module actually does and what it provides on the module page? =).
This is how I do atm to get a somewhat easy setup (using 4.5.1):
Preparations:
1. Install the .vsi package for a DNN template in either Visual studio 2005 or the free variest (think its visual web developer from Microsoft.
2. Open MSVS 2005 and select new website --> select the DNN template that should now be there. I usually go for local IIS installation so I can test at localhost. ( for this you need to have IIS on your windowsmachine which will be IIS 5 for win XP and IIS 6 on 2003 server). After a little while the project will be built and you will se the whole file structure in the right-pane of MSVS 2005.
3. Download and install SQL server management studio express 2005 from microsoft. This will give you SQL server like environment free, which makes it easier to make a "real" installation.
4. Create a database (right click on databases in SQL smse 2005).
5. under security create a login account with username and password for sql (remove password policy if you wish).
6. under databases in sql smse 2005 your database should be visible, expand it and go to security-->users. Add the user you created and give that user DB owner schema and db owner role membership.
7. Go back to IIS, rightclick on the website that should be visible (Visual studio creates it in IIS) and run permission wizard (rightclick-->all tasks-->permission wizard) go for public website and replace all directory permissions (it will work for a few seconds). Also in IIS rightclick on the website and pick properties. In the window that shows, go to directory security and pick integrated windows security (spelling? its the little box at the bottom of the page anyhow)
8. go to c\inetpub\wwwroot and rightclick on the folder with your website name. pick properties and go to the security tab. pick Add and in the box that pops up write aspnet and hit the check name button, if its found, add it and give it modify permission. repeat this for Network service (they both need modify I think)
9. Open IIS again and make sure that the IIS-website is running (press the play button)
10. Open Internet explorer and write http://localhost/"write the name of the DNN website here, and without the quotationmarks"
11. With a bit of luck the installationwizard will start. pick typical in the radiobox and your language of choice --> hit next.
12. Test the folder permissions, which should work.
13. Database --> pick sql server 2000/2005 and not sql server express. In the server name write your computername (you can also see this if you open the sql manager, what the server is called). Enter the database name of the database you created. Enter the username and password for the user you created and tick the tickbox with "run as DB owner". Test the connection.
If this works you can hit next and it will install the DB scripts needed to run the DNN site and the wizard will end --> you made it =).
You can now access your site with http://localhost/"name" and you should get to your portal. If you are denied to view the page its probably an IIS error, and the permissions are wrong.
Anyway I hope this will help you get started, it might look like a lot of work , but its actually quite fast once you get the hang of it. Once you get access to the portal and can actually use it, you will hopefully think its worth the trouble.
Good Luck
Torbjörn Bång