hi am a newbie to DNN and .NET as well, i attempted to install DNN for the first time using some simple steps found in an article over the net. below are the steps i did; 1. Download the .zip file from dotnetnuke.com. 2. Create the database and a SQL Server login 3. Create the website folder and unzip the downloaded .zip file. 4. Create virtual directory in IIS and configure the website 5. Run the DNN install wizard in your favorite web browser. but when i launch my browser to run DNN (http://localhost/DNN453_2) i get the following errors ============================================================================================== Server Error in '/DNN453_2' Application. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Object reference not set to an instance of an object. Description: An unhandled exception occurred during the execution of the current web request. Please review the stack trace for more information about the error and where it originated in the code. Exception Details: System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object. Source Error: An unhandled exception was generated during the execution of the current web request. Information regarding the origin and location of the exception can be identified using the exception stack trace below. Stack Trace: [NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.] DotNetNuke.Common.Utilities.Config.GetConnectionString(String name) +47 DotNetNuke.Common.Utilities.Config.GetConnectionString() +38 DotNetNuke.Data.SqlDataProvider..ctor() +83 [TargetInvocationException: Exception has been thrown by the target of an invocation.] System.RuntimeTypeHandle.CreateInstance(RuntimeType type, Boolean publicOnly, Boolean noCheck, Boolean& canBeCached, RuntimeMethodHandle& ctor, Boolean& bNeedSecurityCheck) +0 System.RuntimeType.CreateInstanceSlow(Boolean publicOnly, Boolean fillCache) +103 System.RuntimeType.CreateInstanceImpl(Boolean publicOnly, Boolean skipVisibilityChecks, Boolean fillCache) +261 System.Activator.CreateInstance(Type type, Boolean nonPublic) +66 DotNetNuke.Framework.Reflection.CreateObject(String ObjectProviderType, String ObjectProviderName, String ObjectNamespace, String ObjectAssemblyName, Boolean UseCache) +582 DotNetNuke.Data.DataProvider.CreateProvider() +46 DotNetNuke.Data.DataProvider..cctor() +13 [TypeInitializationException: The type initializer for 'DotNetNuke.Data.DataProvider' threw an exception.] DotNetNuke.Common.Globals.GetUpgradeStatus() +67 DotNetNuke.Common.Initialize.CheckVersion(HttpApplication app) +147 DotNetNuke.Common.Initialize.InitializeApp(HttpApplication app) +405 DotNetNuke.Common.Initialize.Init(HttpApplication app) +125 DotNetNuke.HttpModules.RequestFilter.RequestFilterModule.FilterRequest(Object sender, EventArgs e) +162 System.Web.SyncEventExecutionStep.System.Web.HttpApplication.IExecutionStep.Execute() +92 System.Web.HttpApplication.ExecuteStep(IExecutionStep step, Boolean& completedSynchronously) +64 ======================================================================================================== PLEASE GUIDE ME..thanks

Did you put the connection string for the database you made in the web.config?

These types of errors are always fun to track down, but seeing the "DotNetNuke.Common.Utilities.Config.GetConnectionString()" I'd check that first, personally. I'm not a pro at fixing install problems, I normally stumble around until it loads. I always forget what I did. :)