Hi,
This applies to DNN 4.x running on ASP.Net 2.0 with SQL 2005 Express / MDF file under the App_Data catalog as data provider.

I've been under the delusion that I could use the MDF files on any IIS server running ASP.Net 2.0. My mistake. As far as I understand the IIS webserver must have SQL 2005 Server installed to connect to MDF files. Is this correct?

In case, can anyone name one host that runs SQL 2005 Server on the webserver itself? It's very common that hosting companies offer MS SQL on a larger, isolated server and not on every webserver. So instead of using the the "free" MDF solution used by all the starter kits, you have to convert DNN using the rather expensive MS SQL data provider instead. Would not this undermine the whole concept by using MDF?

Is there a way for DNN 4.x to work with MDF files where the host provider have separated web and MSSQL server?

With kind regards,
Bonavox

That applies when SQLExpress is installed on the webserver. Is that a common configuration among hosting companies?