I have been trying to set up DNN 3.2.2 using with the web.config setting <identity impersonate="true"/> uncommented. I was doing this because my host (1and1.com, which I can see from some threads here isn't very knowledgable) said it was required in their help files. Once I got the install through, I was left with a blank portal. The default host login worked, so I checked the module definitions. Several were missing. Among the missing were: Announcements, Events, and Text/HTML.
To verify that it was not some strange server settings that 1and1 were using, I installed SQLExpress onto my local machine and tried the install using an identical web.config (well, I replaced the connect string). Lo and behold, I got the same incomplete install.
To check even further, I deleted the database, the dnn folder and repeated the installation on my local machine, but this time without impersonation. This change caused the installation to succeed.
On a hunch that 1and1 didn't know what they were talking about in their guide, I attempted an installation using a web.config with impersonation disabled. It turns out that impersonation is not required. I now have a complete running DNN site.
For anyone who is trying to use 1and1 for DNN, here are the steps I took:
- Create the database using the tool "MS SQL Administration". Copy down the server, username, and login for the connection string.
- Start 1and1's "Webfiles" tool.
- Upload the DNN install zipfile to the root.
- Create a temp folder and use the webfiles tool to unzip the install files into the temp folder. This creates a subfolder with the name of the zipfile in the temp folder.
- Rename this folder to something nicer, like "dnn".
- Copied that "dnn" folder to the root.
- Right click on the "dnn" folder, select security and give all the users full permissions.
- The instructions given by 1and1.com are outdated: the "webfiles" tool has
the capability to create applications for ASP.NET, so there is no need
to call tech support. This capability is under File -> Application
Settings. Create an application for your "dnn" folder.
- On your local computer extract the release.config from the DNN installer, and rename it to web.config.
- As per 1and1's instructions, change the connect string, comment out the large files setting, and change the databaseOwner field (EDIT: after further investigation, changing this field isn't necessary, see below). Again, ignore their instruction to uncomment the impersonation setting.
- Upload this web.config file to your "dnn" folder on the website.
- Assuming you already have a domain pointing to your website's root, and the SQL server has finished configuring itself, you can then navigate to your DNN site to start the DNN install: www.yourdomain.com/dnn or whatever you renamed your unzipped folder to.
It would be nice to know why asp.net impersonation causes problems with DNN. On a hunch, I tried a local install where I gave IUSR full permissions on my MSSQL folder, but this did not help.
Good Luck,
The Hanker Chief
Note on databaseOwner and 1and1.com:
After getting the DNN site
up with all of its content, I tried to install the DSLocalizator module
and immediately got big red SQL error messages. Upon further
investigation, the SQL database scripts were using
{databaseOwner}sysobjects, which then resolves as
dbo123456789.sysobjects.
I tested this in the query analyzer tool and
it is not valid, the correct method is dbo.sysobjects (or no prefix at
all). I changed databaseOwner to "dbo" and reinstalled. I managed to install DNN and the DSLocalizator,
however I did have some wierd generic error messages mid installation, which a refresh
got rid of.
If worse comes to worse, I'll find and replace all the
strings "{databaseOwner}sysobjects" with just "sysobjects" in the main
DNN installer as well as my modules' installers and run with the
1and1.com suggested databaseOwner="dbo123456789".