A big problem is that when the Web Install Wizard starts up, it seems it also overwrites the existing web.config file. And when this happens, the HASH Keys change and no one can login to the portal, not even Host/Admin. I then have to retrieve the correct HASH keys from a web.config.resources file (web.config backup) and put the correct HASH Keys back in the web.config file.

For awhile I was making the web.config READ ONLY (All) to guard against this happening, but then Host > Restart Application does not work, and I'm sure there are other reasons why web.config RO (All) is not a great idea.

When I mentioned this problem to Sebastian Leupold, he suggested changing the values in the web.config keys below, from "true" to "false":

<add key="AutoUpgrade" value="false" />
<add key="UseInstallWizard" value="false" />

I guess I should have seen these settings in web.config, but because I'm more DNN user than developer, I sometimes only see the things I understand, like HASH Keys.

This settings change is such a simple and powerful solution, I thought to share it here. It seems like a good idea to make these key changes after every upgrade, to safeguard against the Web Installer starting on an already configured and operational DotNetNuke installation.