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This guide to dotnetnuke install prerequisites assumes that you have direct access to the computer

This guide is appropriate for any DotNetNuke version from 4.4.1 up to 5.1.0. This includes major versions such as DNN 4.5.3, DNN 4.6.2, DNN 4.7.0, DNN 4.8.4, DNN 4.9.2, DNN 4.9.4, and DNN 5.1.0.

Note: You should not try to install DNN version 5.0.0 - there are too many bugs present in this version.

You must first install these items, in this order:

1. Internet Information Server (iis) .
2. DotNet framework 2.0.
3. SQL Server (express or 2000 or 2005).
4. If you are using SQL server express then you must also install SQL server management console for SQL server express (a seperate download from microsoft.com).
5. The DotNetNuke website files ... unzip the latest versions install package and copy the files to a physical directory somewhere eg c:\dotnetnuke.

(Full instructions on how to install each of these items can be found on google)

1. Create the DotNetNuke database ~ create an empty database and a new database user, using SQL server management studio. eg you might name the database dnn_site and the user dnn_user. Give the new user full dbo access to the new database.

This is why we downloaded SQL server management console for sql server express - it is so much easier to use SQL express if you have the graphical management interface!

2. Configure the virtual directory ~ use IIS to create a virtual directory that points to the physical directory created above eg c:\dotnetnuke. For example, we might name this virtual directory dnn_site. Now make sure that the new virtual directory's properties are correct by right clicking the directory in IIS and choosing properties, and now ...

2a. Check that the default document is set to "default.aspx".
2b. Check that "anonymous access" is turned on.
2c. Check that asp.net framework version 2.0 is selected.

These settings will probably already be set correctly, but must be checked.

2a.

2b.

2c.

3. Configure the physical directory ~ give read/write permissions to the physical directory for either the ASPNET user account if you have IIS 5 (Windows XP) or the NETWORK SERVICE user account if you have IIS 6 (Windows 2003). The permission that you must give is "modify". Then give read (but not write) permissions to the IUSR_machinename account.

for iis 5 give modify permission to the ASPNET account:


Or, for iis 6 give modify permission to the NETWORK SERVICE account:


Give read permissions to the IUSR_machinename account:


4. Create a web.config file ~ the install files do not include a web.config file, as a precaution against accidentally overwritting your exiting web.config file if you are doing an upgrade. So you will need to rename the file release.config to web.config.

5. Enter the correct connection strings ~ open web.config in a text editor (eg wordpad) and edit the connection strings:

5a. First in the connection strings section:

Data Source=(your server name);Initial Catalog=(your db name);user id=(your db user);password=(your db password);" providerName="System.Data.SqlClient"/>

5b. Then in the app settings section:

Data Source=(your server name);Initial Catalog=(your db name);user id=(your db user);password=(your db password);"/>

These keys will already be in your web.config, you just need to change them to contain the correct connection string.

The connection string format is the same for SQL 2000, SQL 2005 and SQL 2005 express (and SQL 2008 as well, if you have just started using that).


These keys will already be in your web.config, you just need to change them to contain the correct connection string information as shown above.


6. Now that all the prerequsites have been installed and configured we can start installing dotnetnuke by opening our web browser and browsing to the virtual directory created above, http://localhost/dnn_site.

If while installing, anything goes wrong due to missing any of the settings above, then delete the database and create a new empty database and start the dotnetnuke install again. The reason for this is that a half completed install will result in a half created database, and it is quicker to start again than it is to fix a half installed database.

If everything has been configured properly, the install wizard will start, and we will choose the custom install setting. We will not choose auto or typical, because the custom install allows us to specify the host and admin user names and password ~ since everyone knows that the default usernames and passwords for dotnetnuke is host/dnnhost and admin/dnnadmin, we will make sure to use different usernames ~ any usernames are ok as long as they are not "host" or "admin".

One more time ~ do not use "host" or "admin" as user names, everyone knows this is the default, so it is a security risk.

6a. Install page 1 ~ choose "custom install"



6b. Install page 2 ~ click "test file permissions", this will work since we have already set the permissions.


6c. Install page 3 ~ we do not need to enter any db information, we have already added it to our web.config, click "test database connection", this will work since we have already set up the database.



6d. Install page 4 ~ just click "next".


6e. Install page 5 ~ enter the host user account name and password, remember not to use "host".


6f. Install page 6 ~ just click "next".



6g. Install page 7 ~ enter the admin user account name and password, remember not to use "admin".



6h. Install page 8 ~ just click "next".



6i. Install page 9 ~ just click "next".


6j. Install page 10 ~ dotnetnuke installation completed successfully.


Now that the DotNetNuke website has been installed, the next step is to read our post essential DotNetNuke settings guide and make sure that everything is running securely and efficiently.