Hi all,
If this question has already been answered, please feel free to direct me to the correct article, forum, video, ETC.  But anyway.  I have just installed DNN on a test system which is my Windows 7 Professional laptop with IIS 7.5 installed.  I got to the third step of the wizard after allowing DNN to install through the Web Platform Installer.  The database connection stuff is where I'm stuck.  I use SQL Server 2008 R2 express edition with advanced services, but I still selected the file option as you have recommended.  I'm set for mixed mode authentication however, so I think that this is where the mess-up may have happened.  I checked run database as owner, and then when the ID and Password were called for, I typed in the super admin credentials.  I wasn't sure what else to type.  This only resulted in connection errors.  I can't give them to you now because I'm not sure the address of the installation page since I launched it from WPI.  Any further assistance is appreciated.  Thanks. 

Chromebuster

Thanks for the tip.  But what's the difference between the file option and the regular database option besides the fact that one seems to be specifically for SQL Server Express?  I don't get that.  And when you say integrated, you mean integrated pipeline mode in .net, right?  And classic, you mean the older way that these kinds of things used to run?  Thanks. 

Thanks.  But I was able to get it working.  I used the auto procedure, and there were no problems there.  now in your recommendations, is using that setting okay to do in a production server?  I ask this because I'm few weeks away from getting my own server at home to run my site, and I want to make sure that I'm following correct precautions and things.  Thanks so much for your help!