Thank you Wes,

I wouldn't have normally used the default web server, except for a line that I found in the book Professional DotNetNuke 5 by Walker, Scarbeau, et al, (Wrox ), pg 82, which says, "Click Sites, right-click over Default Web Site, and scroll down to Add Application, as shown ..." Granted, I'm using IIS 6 and this is for IIS 7, but the implication is there to use the Default Web Site, isn't it?

I may be wrong, but I don't think SBS will put anything into the Default Site on a member server on the domain. I will also grant that SBS does some annoying things from time to time, but I haven't seen that.

I found this blog entry by a fellow that wrote a book on IIS 7:
http://blogs.technet.com/b/chrad/arch...

Maybe I misunderstood when he said:
"If there is a website which is already running and utilizing a binding that you would prefer to use then you should select this option.  This allows you to utilize the resources of the parent site, if interested, as the server (e.g. IIS) will handle any requests over the same connection(s). "

Since I had no intention of using this server or its meager resources for anything other than DNN, it seemed like good advice to "utilize the resources of the parent site." Now I'll try it differently.

As far as using the inetpub\wwwroot folder and also the Default Web Site, I got the following information from:
http://seablick.com/blog/71/a-newbies...

This seems like a reliable site, and it says:

4 IIS – create virtual directory and set-up

Now that the database and file system are in place, we can create the virtual directory in IIS.

■ Open IIS and expand the tree to see “Default Web Site”. (You can find IIS in Start | Control Panel | Administrative Tools.)
■ Expand the "Default Web Site" node.
■ If you have placed your DNN root folder under C:\inetpub\wwwroot, you will already see your website and can bypass this step. If not, you will need to add a virtual directory.
■ Right-click on "Default Web Site"
■ Click New | Virtual Directory

You see, from my point of view, there is not a lot of agreement as to what's best.

Nevertheless, I'll use a different folder.

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1. Ping and nslookup are ok.

D:\Users\richard>ping aciis.argosy.local

Pinging aciis.argosy.local [192.168.221.6] with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 192.168.221.6: bytes=32 time=17ms TTL=128
Reply from 192.168.221.6: bytes=32 time=3ms TTL=128
Reply from 192.168.221.6: bytes=32 time=3ms TTL=128
Reply from 192.168.221.6: bytes=32 time=2ms TTL=128

Ping statistics for 192.168.221.6:
    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
    Minimum = 2ms, Maximum = 17ms, Average = 6ms

D:\Users\richard>nslookup aciis.argosy.local
Server:  acsbs.argosy.local
Address:  192.168.221.5

Name:    aciis.argosy.local
Address:  192.168.221.6

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2. C:\inetpub\DNN contains the extracted zip

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3. dnn_APPPOOL is now a local user on the IIS server

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4. Using the Website Creation Wizard, I have described the new Web Site as DotNetNuke.
I used the binding *, 80, aciis.argosy.local (aciis.argosy.local is the host header)
I used the directory C:\inetpub\DNN
I allowed Anonymous access
I selected Read, Run Scripts, and Execute
I have created an Application Pool, DotNetNuke and assigned the user dnn_APPPOOL to it
I have removed the default Application settings and Created one named DotNetNuke.
I set the Application Execute Permissions to Scripts and Executables
I selected DotNetNuke for the Application Pool
I set the default document to default.aspx and put it at the top of the list.

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5. I set dnn_APPPOOL as the user for the DotNetNuke application pool

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6. I assigned dnn_APPPOOL Full Control over the C:\Inetpub\DNN folder
I also replaced permissions on all child objects, overriding the inheritance

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7. From my Win7 workstation browser, http://aciis.argosy.local diplays "Service Unavailable"

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8. The Sharepoint for SBS is automatically configured for "CompanyWeb"
It is entangled with other aspects of SBS, too.
The DNS entries are likewise automatically made.
Companyweb and the health status reporting emails work, so ....

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9. The Exchange server seems to work well in the domain and externally.

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PS. I am in a very rural location, thus I AM the specialist, or must become, as we have to be generalists to survive, and use each other for help.

For instance, the phone company here has one employee, an old cowboy in a pickup truck, who calls me for help with static addresses for the 2 customers who have it for their DSL.

There's simply too much to know and it changes too fast, even for a guy like me with MCSE, Network+, Server+, and SBS certifications, who built 5 VMs for the world's largest software company just last night.

That's why I appreciate it that I can get help from a forum like this.
.
Anyway, much obliged for your help so far. I think we may be getting closer.

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"All the solutions are simple, but only after you already know them" Robt. Pirsig

 Ok, this seems like a good test.

I created the default.html file, and set the Document list with it on top. Still was getting the Service Unavailable. The Event Log said that the DotNetNuke application pool identity was invalid and killing it, so I went back and reset the password for dnn_APPPOOL and put the account into the IIS_WPG group.

Hooray. I can display default.html.

However, when I put default.aspx back at the top of the Document list, the site reverts to "404." No Event errors are generated.

I can go back and forth, just by moving default.html up or down one position, so there is something about default.aspx ... isn't there?

Oh, and yes, the ping and nslookups were done from the Win7 workstation... I can also ping and do nslookup from either of the other servers, IE shows the same page or error from them, too, depending on whether default.html or default.aspx is at the top of the list.

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"All the solutions are simple, but only after you already know them" Robt. Pirsig

Hmm ok - some forward movement. What version of windows server is the iis system running - and what version of iis. 2003 and iis 6 ? We need to ascertain if asp.net is running and properly configured on your system First lets check what versions are installed: Open explore and look for C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\ or C:\WinNT\Microsoft.NET\Framework\ Depending what your system folder is. You should see a number of versions C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727 C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v3.5 Must be there. Now open your command line and cd to C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727 we now want to run aspnet_regiis -i this will make sure that asp.net is properly configured and registered with your web server. Now trying default.aspx again Westa