in DNN 5.5, I had very little problems moving a copy of my production installation to my local box for debugging modules by launching localhost.  However, in DNN 7, I am having problems.  I installed version 07.01.02 (356) on a 2012 server with a local instance of SQL Server 2012.  In the past all I needed to do was copy down the local file structure from the server and map it in IIS and set localhost in the PortalAlias of the remote DB.  I have done these things but the site will NOT run.  I surf to localhost in the browser and the site is redirected to http://localhost/Login?returnurl=%2f, which is not unexpected.   I can surf to that very same URL on the server and redirects to http://localhost/Login?returnurl=%2f where I can login.  If I copy that file system structure on the server to my local Windows 7 box running IIS 7.5 and i get a 404 error.  The database seems configured correctly, but something about my local installation is problematic, but I cannot figure it out.  The same database will serve localhost on the server, but not if I call out to database from my local box.   This seems like an IIS issue, but I have tried several AppPool configurations and no change in behavior.  Here is some error detail:

 

Module	IIS Web Core
Notification	MapRequestHandler
Handler	StaticFile
Error Code	0x80070002

  

Yeah. I just started loading service pack1 for windows 7. Hoping that fixes the issue

Sounds to me as if a web application on your local box cannot connect to the remote database.

I do much the same as you for debugging purposes but I ALSO copy the database to my local box.

Things to try:
- can SS Management Studio connect to the remote db?
- if you use SS security then check that SSMS can connect with the same credentials as you use from DNN
- if you use integrated security then I'm not sure how you'd simulate a connection with the same creds from SS MS

It might be easier to just copy the DB as well. Then you wouldn't need to worry about your dev work breaking the main DB.

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Best wishes,
- Richard
Agile Development Consultant, Practitioner, and Trainer
www.dynamisys.co.uk