I am attempting to install DNN locally. I have created a database ("dotnetnuke") in SQL Server MGT Studio, and a user account ("dotnetnukeaccount"). The account is set up as the DB owner.

I keep getting connection errors when I try to establish the DB connection. Can anyone tell me if anything is obviously wrong with the following?

Server: localhost\SQLExpress (also tried the default ./SQLExpress)
Database: dotnetnuke.mdf
Integrated Security: (unchecked)
   Username: dotnetnukeaccount
   Password: *******
(I've also tried it with Integrated Security checked)

1. Make sure that you have enabled mixed mode authentication (i.e. Windows and SQL Authentication) in the properties for SQLExpress and that you are able to connect to the newly created (blank) database with SQL Server Management Studio using the same username and password combination you set up.

2. In this case the database name should be "dotnetnuke" not "dotnetnuke.mdf"

3. Leave Use Integrated Security unchecked in the DotNetNuke install wizard.

4. Most ususally if you did not provide an instance name when installing SQL Server Express, the Server or Data Source would be ".\SQLExpress". Note in particular that it is a back-slash not forward slash used here.

Here is a typical connection string for one of my localhost installs:

"Data Source=.\SQLExpress;Initial Catalog=DNN560Source;User ID=DNN560User;Password=DNN560Pwd"

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Bill, WESNet Designs
Team Lead - DotNetNuke Gallery Module Project (Not Actively Being Developed)
Extensions Forge Projects . . .
Current: UserExport, ContentDeJour, ePrayer, DNN NewsTicker, By Invitation
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I can't seem to establish a connection to my new DNN database. I can't access it through Visual Studio either. This has pointed me in the right direction. Thanks. I'll see if I can figure out what I did wrong.