On a fresh install (same configuration as previous report) after hitting the URL
URL: http://dnn7.4.local/ 
The following error occurs.

As before, I ran Unblock on the ZIP archive before extracting the contents.

Server Error in '/' 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.Globals.get_Status() +94
   DotNetNuke.Common.Initialize.CheckVersion(HttpApplication app) +257
   DotNetNuke.Common.Initialize.InitializeApp(HttpApplication app, Boolean& initialized) +163
   DotNetNuke.Common.Initialize.Init(HttpApplication app) +174
   DotNetNuke.Web.Common.Internal.DotNetNukeHttpApplication.Application_BeginRequest(Object sender, EventArgs e) +249
   System.Web.SyncEventExecutionStep.System.Web.HttpApplication.IExecutionStep.Execute() +91
   System.Web.HttpApplication.ExecuteStep(IExecutionStep step, Boolean& completedSynchronously) +164

Version Information: Microsoft .NET Framework Version:4.0.30319; ASP.NET Version:4.0.30319.34212

Daniel Bigelow

Hello

I used a fresh install package.

Fortunately the solution in getting DNN v7.4.0 to work in my Win8.1 environment was to simply apply the update. I reported this issue simply as a "heads-up" announcement to the development/test teams working on the stabilization release v7.4.1.

Given the recent mindset changes at DNN Corp, I am hopeful that the product roadmap will now be driven primarily by quality instead of the calendar. 

Kind regards,
Daniel