Well I have done this two ways - sometimes I backup the site on server (or if hosted, you need to request them to backup the sql db for you download) OR you can purchase from snowcovered a very good backup tool - and come to think of it - I believe it's got a 'whole site backup' feature so it will backup the db AND zip up the files for you download in one go.
Before doing this and before posting to live server (while I remember this) you, when logged in as host - go to the host / portals tab, click on the portal link - and then scroll down the bottom of the page and add in the other 'portal alias' - I always seem to forget this - and subsequently you have to go into the sql table - PortalAlias and add the url - or it will automatically bounce you back to the original url..
If you have backed up from server, through hoster - then you would need to unzip to local address and set up your permissions - change your connection string. I'm not 100% sure how it goes from a 2005 SQL server to a 2000 sql db - as I have sql 2000 so the platform is the same.
In the connection string, sometimes I copy and have sitting there but commented out - my live web.config because locally I run most times with Trusted_Connection=true rather than user name and password. Because I do portals for clients - I have mixed ways of deploying and installing, not that one way is the right or wrong way when it comes to connection strings - it matters only that it works for you.
So, the sequence in which I suggest you do things - is
1 - Check other URL exists in the Host/Portals ... PortalAlias link at bottom of page
2 - If going Local to Live - sometimes it's easier to have the samer UID setup - so you don't have to worry about not being able to connect
3 - If hosted, and downloading, request backup from hoster - OR get a copy of the BackupLite I think it's called - and follow backup instructions
4 - If going from Live to Local - do a test run with a blank DNN site - just get it running so you have your permission setup - with IIS 5.1 on xpro - running in a virtual directory environment - you need to check your permissions - an allow the aspnet role have read/write/modify - I don't ever suggest or recommend full control - but that's just me.
5 - If you have a successfull local blank install then you're set to prepare for the live to local setup - Unzip to the folder you want and check your permissions in the security settings
6 - Live to local - unzip the db and then create a db with the same name as live one and restore from backup and make sure you check the *overwrite existing data* and then refresh the tables - all the tables and stored procedures should be there.
7 - To use Trusted_Connection=true you need to set the DB to have the aspnet user in there - you can add a new user and pick it up from there - If you don't - you will need to create a user that is the same or another one and modify the connection strings accordingly.
8 - Check your web.config file has the local connection string in it - all you really need to do is change the UID and password in the two places.
9 - Then in IIS you need to map to the folder, and before clicking browse - check the aspnet client is set to .NET 2 framework - mine is set to 1 by default - since I have a mix of dnn 2, 3 & 4 sites and i didn't want to change them all when upgraded the framework.
10 - Double check the alias table has the correct url - and sometimes I even will make sure the local address is put in before the live one and vice versa if going live to local
11 - If going local to live - I think it's more difficult in a hosted situation - I put in a default.htm page - or you can put in an asp redirect - and the only way to get to site is to put in full url. Then I tend to upload folders at a time - I have heard stories of people getting only part of their site online - drop outs - there are so many files in DNN that you can miss a single file if the time of day is busy - or network drops out - so folder by folder I do it - making sure the last files updated are the root folder files since nothing will work without them.
12 - If going local to live - you need to get host or use control panel to manage the db - I can't really explain in too much detail since I am not 100% sure how everyone is setup - but the most common errors when going from local to live are - different user setup to live - with dbo issues - and that depends on your local sql install too, and no live portal being added to the portal alias table, skins being parsed (uploaded) using localised so it uses full local paths, sometimes some modules behave funny when working with images and links - but that hasn't been the case so much lately - but it has happened.
Then I generally use the IE browser rather than IIS since I have a network and I don't want localhost - but I want IP based - eg.. 192.168.1.1/localsite - so the network can see it or I have to go in and add that as well.
I haven't done live to local for a while - there may be some quirks but I did take my own site and put local and worked on it about 8 months ago - but it is 3.2.2 and doesn't have the permission / membership changes - but that shouldn't affect you.
I hope this gives you some insight and confidence to give it a try - but my first suggestion is to check out that backup module - I used it in it's early days and it was fantastic so I can only think it would have gotten better.
Some ammunition and reason not to sleep... :-D
Nina Meiers