tI have been using DNN for two+ years. My goal is to use it - not install it (regularly). That means that when I do install it there tends to be a significant delay between the next time I install so DNN installation isn't something that comes naturally because I do it every week :) However, my overall sense of DNN installation all along (and again right now) is that it's very "fragile". I cannot remember EVER having gone through an installation start to finish without issues. And, sure enough. after a recent hard disk failure on a key development server, I'm trying to install again and have ran into tons of issues.

What is frustrating about this is that I don't seem to be trying anything out of the ordinary. At this stage (before I get to my site-specific details) I just want to install DNN on a server - quite simple. My hope - for such a mature product - is that there would be a nice installer that just abstracts all the different platform (Windows Server, IIS, SQL Server, etc) away and "just works".

A good example of where I think DNN has really missed the boat (again, for a mature product) is here: http://www.dotnetnuke.com/Resources/W.... It's just so messy for what is a "basic scenario" - playing with permissions, application pools, etc, etc. Yuk! But I digress.

Anyway, having spent three hours this morning trying to get DNN 6.2 installed (with only very minor changes from defaults) I want to break beyond just following instructions (that don't work) and actually start to understand what is happening. So, let me explain where I am and then have a question the point that is failing.

I am looking to install on WS 2008 R2 with IIS 7.5 and SQL Server 2008 Express. I followed the instructions in the link above. I want to use my own database - and that is where I think things are not clear in my mind.

When I get to the web-based installer I receive errors. Let's say my database is MyDB. I have created that in SQL Server, I am using WIndows Authentication in SQL Server and the account I use is dbowner. I can log on to SQL Server Management Studio and see that database just fine.

When I get to the "Configure Database Connection" screen in the web installer step, I enter:

• Select Database: SQ Server 2005/2008 Express File
• Server: (Tried all of the following) .\sqlexpress, <servername<\sqlexpress, (local)
• Filename: MyDB.mdf
• Integrated Security: Checked
• Run as db owner: Checked

When I submit this I receive a Connection Error:

Source: .Net SqlClient Data Provider, Class: 14: Error: 15382

This is my current status. Before I try other things I'd like to understand what is happening here. With the default install it seems that database.mdf in the AppData folder is being targeted during installation. If I want to use my own database (say, MyDB.mdf) do I need to alter web.config? I have tried this, by the way, but still can't get past this step of the wizard.

I'd like to understand the relationship between this step of the wizard (the fields), the role of web,config and so on.

I'm tearing my hear out here so would appreciate any pointers. Frustratingly for me, I am on vacation too but this is a pretty urgent issue.

Thanks.

Mark

 

 

Create a specific ID for this database and use that to connect.

Mark

Mark,

No, I mean a SQL Server ID, not a windows account. You probably wouldn't use a windows account to connect to an external DNN install anyway.

I just downloaded a fresh install copy of DNN 6.2.1 and tested this, so it should work for you too.

Start by creating a new database in Sql Server 2008. Let's call it "DNN". Select all the default settings.

Once this is done, expand "security" in the left pane and and right-click on "logins" and select "new login...". This will open a new window. Supply a login name (let's call it DNNUser), select the radio button "sql server authentication" and supply a password for this account. Click "user mapping" in the top-left part of the window. When the page refreshes, scroll through the list of existing databases and check the checkbox next to the one you just created (DNN). Beneath that, select the checkbox for "db_owner". Click ok and everything should be closed. The sql server account has been created.

Go back to your DNN web site. When you get to part of the database installation, select/supply the following:

Select Database: SQL Server 2005/2008 Database (not the express option!)
Server: localhost\SQLExpress
Database: DNN (or whatever you named your database above)
Integrated Security: Uncheck this option and the page will reload and change slightly
User ID: DNNUser (or whatever you named your sql server user above)
Password: Password for the sql server user
Run as DB owner: leave checked
Object Qualifier: Leave unchecked

Click next or install or whatever the button says. You should get the "building your database" screen that installs all the database objects.

Let me know if that works.

Mark