Start by trying to make a simple one page default.htm website work on your staging server. I can't tell if you're able to fully access IIS manager or if you're having to get someone to do it for you, but in any case, try and make a simple static site work first with your new or temporary domain.

If you can make that work, then you know you have that part all correct and can start troubleshooting.

Change the IIS entry to point the domain to the DNN folder on your staging server.

If you have created the IIS entry yourself, you must also check its properties and ensure that ASP.Net is set to 2.x not 1.x otherwise DNN 4.x will not run.

The web.config should only need the database setting changed - possibly in two places - have you noticed the legacy connection string just below the main one? Always use both.

With all that out of the way you can check your DNN system. Before you exported the database, did you do this bit: "Add the new domain as an additional alias in your DNN portal's site settings. "?  This additional portal alias must match the domain you have added as an IIS entry. It is ok to leave the original alias in there as well. If you did not carry out this step before exporting then you can still add it manually in the database in the portalalias table. It may however be easier just to add it to the live site and export the database again. This saves you having to keep adding it each time - just leave it in there permanently if you're going to be repeating this procedure.

Let me know if that works

Rob

hmm, ok I see. I assumed you'd simply set up a duplicate site on the hosting account and then you'd know exactly how to set it up seeing as you set the first one up there as well.  I'm hosted at Webhost4life and it's very simple to duplicate a DNN site, but I also know from reading posts about godaddy that that may not be so straigthforward to do it there... so is that possibly why you're copying it locally instead?

Even so, it shuodn't be too hard ti download and get it running locally so long as you know how to do that in the first place. I would suggest troubleshooti this by setting up a blank fresh DNN portal first, just to confirm that you can do it and everything that is needed is present.

If you can get a new DNN portal working, then it'll be clear how to make the duplicate work as well. Have you got the same database running? I don't know if SQL2005 and SQL2005 Express db's are interchangable.. perhaps someone else can fill us in on that.

Also.. if you can get into Admin, Event Viewer, you can probably find a lot more information about those errors. Even so, I wouldn't beat a dead horse... it should simply fire up and work without any dramas.

I would also do a search for posts about Godaddy... there are always issues with hosting there, but I have to admit that I haven't followed any of the threads.