How you upgrade can be dependent upon your production environment.

The quick and obvious steps that we use at DNN are:

1. Back up the db

2. save a backup of your website folder(s)

3. Extract the UPGRADE packaged files into your DNN web directory

4. Point a web browser at your web directory and the upgrade should auto launch

***You should do the above on a test (non-production) site BEFORE you attempt a production upgrade to ensure a smooth, error free upgrade***

Mitch Sellars has additional information here:

http://www.mitchelsellers.com/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/278/upgrade-to-dotnetnuke-500-from-462-or-later.aspx

If you are running a site in a hosting environment you should be able to find upgrade instructions provided by that hosting company on their site.

I followed the instructions to the 'T' on a non-essential production site, but when I went to the site with the browser, nothing kicked off, the site doesn't show as updated.  Any ideas?  Do I have to go to the install directory again to get it to kick off?  Thanks in advance.