Preface

1. DNN 3.2 uses ASP 1.1 and can be installed for any shared plan started $3.99 (though they definitely recommend $19.95 plan)
   The only real limitation is 10M SQL database, which is usually enough for small sites.
2. Because parcom does not allow more than 1 application runnung, DNN must be installed in the root directory only (not to a virtual directory as described in DNN Installation instructions)
   First, BACKUP your site. Remember that all your configuration settings and default.aspx will be overwritten during installation.
   The easiest way to backup a site is to move everything under /wwwroot to folder above it using FTP. So you start from empty wwwroot and after installation you may restore some subfolders (which you are not going to use under DNN control). Do not overwrite web.config ever!
3. Installing or re-installing Frontpage Server Extension will overwrite standard security settings and do not allow DNN installation.
   If you are able to use Frontpage access to your site, this usually means that original security settings have been already overwritten and you are not able to install/use DNN. In our case DNN requires Modify/Read/Write access for NETWORK SERVICE account to the root directory (/wwwroot)
4. It is useful to read DNN Installation documentation first.

Installation process

1.      Unpack DotNetNuke_3.2.2_Install.zip into separate directory

2.      Determine the name of your SQL Server

2.1.   Login to your Control Panel

2.2.   Choose Domains, select your domain, choose Database Manager

2.3.   If you have not created database already, create it

2.4.   Select the database, and choose MyLittleAdmin

2.5.   Connect to the database using database’s user name and password

2.6.   You’ll see Server Name (CHEWBACCA in my case)

3.      Locate release.config file in the root of the directory and make the following changes:

3.1.   In <appSettings> section replace
<add key="SiteSqlServer" value="Server=(local);Database=DotNetNuke;uid=;pwd=;" />
with
<add key="SiteSqlServer" value="Server=SERVERNAME;Database=DBNAME;uid=DBUSERNAME;pwd=PASSWD;" />
where SERVERNAME, DBNAME, DBUSERNAME, PASSWD – are your particular values.
in my case it looked like this:
<add key="SiteSqlServer" value="Server=CHEWBACCA;Database=digivs;uid=user;pwd=***;" />

3.2.   In <system.web> section replace
<customErrors mode="RemoteOnly" />
with
<customErrors mode="Off" />
This give you ability to see errors if anything goes wrong, though it breaks security guidelines.

3.3.   Find
objectQualifier=""
and replace it with
objectQualifier="dnn"
this will mark all tables/views/SPs in the database with dnn_ prefix, and ease your future maintenance.

3.4.   Save corrected file to the same directory with name web.config

4.      Copy the whole directory to /wwwroot of your domain

5.      Start your domain (in IE www.yourdomain.com)
Installation process will be started.

Installation troubleshooting

1. NEVER overwrite web.config with something different. It looks like during installation DNN writes to the file some security settings unique to particular machine where it is installed. See
   <add key="MachineValidationKey" value="F9D1…" />
   <add key="MachineDecryptionKey" value="F9D1…" />
   and even if you replace it with originally corrected web.config – there are going to be big problems in future using of the site.
   When you need to correct web.config – download it to your local PC first, then make changes and upload it back
   
   
2. Any error messages containing SiteSqlServer refer to wrong database settings (see 3.1)
3. Error messages like “Access denied”, “Can not create file”, “Wrong file attribute” refer to security settings. Contact parcom support, request Modify/Read/Write access for NETWORK SERVICE account for your root directory.

Essential Configuration

1. Start your domain
2. Login as “host” with password “host”
3. !!!Change passwords for “host” and “admin”
   3.1.  Click “SuperUser Account”, in “Change Password” enter old and new password and click “Update Password”
   3.2.  Select menu “Admin / User account”, edit “admin”, enter new password, click “Update Password”
4. Select menu “Host / Host Settings”
   4.1.  Expand “Advanced Settings”,
   4.1.1.      Expand “SMTP Settings”,
   set
   “SMTP Server”: mail.yourdomain.com
   ”SMTP Authentication”: basic (I think)
   ”SMTP User”, SMTP Password- your e-mail account name and password
   4.1.2.      Expand “Other Settings”
   set “Site Log Storage”: File System