I deleted everything on my GoDaddy account (SQL deleted and set up fresh-empty; directory from root zapped of all files and directories)

Set up new SQL database and changed web.CONFIG.

Created new directory “dnn” on my host site with the Control Panel within GoDaddy.  Had Read, Write, Web, and SetRoot marked.

Ftp DNN to my hosting site.

Invoked DNN and saw the following:

Installing DotNetNuke

Version: 04.00.02

Installation Status Report

00:00:00.031 - Installing Version: 4.2.0
00:00:00.031 - Installing Script: DotNetNuke.SetUp.SqlDataProvider
00:00:00.062 - Installing Script: DotNetNuke.Schema.SqlDataProvider
00:00:02.796 - Installing Script: DotNetNuke.Data.SqlDataProvider
00:00:04.765 - Installing MemberRole Provider:
00:00:04.765 - Executing InstallCommon.sql
00:00:05.000 - Executing InstallMembership.sql
00:00:05.359 - Executing InstallProfile.sql
00:00:05.500 - Executing InstallRoles.sql
00:00:05.875 - Performing General Upgrades
00:00:06.140 - Loading Host Settings:
00:00:06.250 - Configuring SuperUser:
00:00:06.609 - Installing Desktop Modules:
00:00:06.625 - Installing Modules:
00:00:06.640 -   Installing Module File d:\hosting\perrym\dnn\Install\Module\Announcements_3.1_Install.zip:
00:00:07.765 -   Installing Module File d:\hosting\perrym\dnn\Install\Module\Contacts_3.1_Install.zip:
00:00:08.000 -   Installing Module File d:\hosting\perrym\dnn\Install\Module\Discussions_3.1_Install.zip:
00:00:08.312 -   Installing Module File d:\hosting\perrym\dnn\Install\Module\Documents_3.1_Install.zip:
00:00:08.578 -   Installing Module File d:\hosting\perrym\dnn\Install\Module\Events_3.1_Install.zip:
00:00:08.937 -   Installing Module File d:\hosting\perrym\dnn\Install\Module\FAQs_3.1_Install.zip:
00:00:09.171 -   Installing Module File d:\hosting\perrym\dnn\Install\Module\Feedback_3.1_Install.zip:
00:00:09.234 -   Installing Module File d:\hosting\perrym\dnn\Install\Module\HTML_3.1_Install.zip:
00:00:09.500 -   Installing Module File d:\hosting\perrym\dnn\Install\Module\IFrame_3.1_Install.zip:
00:00:09.578 -   Installing Module File d:\hosting\perrym\dnn\Install\Module\Image_3.1_Install.zip:
00:00:09.734 -   Installing Module File d:\hosting\perrym\dnn\Install\Module\Links_3.1_Install.zip:
00:00:10.046 -   Installing Module File d:\hosting\perrym\dnn\Install\Module\NewsFeeds_3.1_Install.zip:
00:00:10.125 -   Installing Module File d:\hosting\perrym\dnn\Install\Module\Survey_3.1_Install.zip:
00:00:10.484 -   Installing Module File d:\hosting\perrym\dnn\Install\Module\UserDefinedTable_3.1_Install.zip:
00:00:11.000 -   Installing Module File d:\hosting\perrym\dnn\Install\Module\UsersOnline_3.1_Install.zip:
00:00:11.171 -   Installing Module File d:\hosting\perrym\dnn\Install\Module\XML_3.1_Install.zip:
00:00:11.765 - Executing Additional Scripts:
00:00:11.781 -   Creating Portal: My Website
00:00:12.031 -   Portal failed to install:
00:00:12.031 - Installing Optional Resources:

Installation Complete

Click Here To Access Your Portal

Upgrading DotNetNuke

Current Assembly Version: 04.00.02

Current Database Version: 04.02.00

Upgrade Status Report

00:00:00.015 - Performing General Upgrades

Upgrade Complete

Click Here To Access Your Portal

I clicked "Click Here To Access your Portal" and got:

Server Error in '/dnn' 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:

Stack Trace:

[NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.]

   DotNetNuke.Entities.Portals.PortalSettings.GetPortalSettings(Int32 TabId, PortalAliasInfo objPortalAliasInfo) +125

   DotNetNuke.Entities.Portals.PortalSettings..ctor(Int32 tabId, PortalAliasInfo objPortalAliasInfo) +83

   DotNetNuke.HttpModules.UrlRewriteModule.OnBeginRequest(Object s, EventArgs e) +3797

   System.Web.SyncEventExecutionStep.System.Web.HttpApplication.IExecutionStep.Execute() +92

   System.Web.HttpApplication.ExecuteStep(IExecutionStep step, Boolean& completedSynchronously) +64

Version Information: Microsoft .NET Framework Version:2.0.50727.42; ASP.NET Version:2.0.50727.42

Anyone know what in the world I’m doing wrong?

Thanks for any help,

Perry

4.02 on Godaddy shared hosting plan - I got mine working!

I've been wanting to figure this out for over a year (from prior versions). Here's what I had to do in addition to Michael's directions (very helpful).....
1. Added another virtual folder setup with read/write perms for "Config"  (this was because the FRESH install that I was trying to do was trying to create the backup folder and files below this one.  Fine.

2. I think if I had Moved the SiteURLs.config file instead of Copying it, that would have gotten rid of the related error when the install tries to copy it into the root.

3. It appears to me that there is just no way around the fact that Godaddy has limited aspnet or system accounts (whichever iis is using) to NOT have create/modify rights right on the root (hense the reason they have you create subdirectory...but what's the diff really?)

4. The final things I had to do relate to editing my "Install.aspx.vb" file which lives in the install directory and commenting out the code that tries to modify the web.config.  Now, there are some valid changes that it needs to make, BUT it will first save them to the Config folder (remember step above to make that work) as web_.config.  You can take this file and move/overwrite it over to the root with your ftp software.  I also had to do some editing of the web.config somewhere in this monkey'ing around where I changed the "InstallationDate" value="" to "InstallationDate" value="02/13/2006" to get the Install.aspx.vb logic to flow right, but (I'm sorry) I can't remember which order I did it.

But it did install once I jacked with based on those ideas. 

Now, what we need is a real VB developer out here to modify that Install.aspx.vb file so that it's SMARTER and has good try/catch logic for those copy/modify parts and can TELL the user what to manually do about copying the file over and then refreshing the install url, which will be SMARTER and skip the copy part if an appropriate tag is included in the web.config which was correctly, manually copied over and then just "magically" continues!!!   Sorry, that person's not me.  I'm just the idea man on this one.