I'm just going to have to ask for help. I've read the Install documentation located under the Resources/Documentation. I downloaded the source of version 4.5.3 a while ago and never actually installed it - it just sat on my machine. So I tried to follow the doc above - I changed the .config file that's used for medium trust versions to web.config, created my sql 2005 database and brought up the install wizzard. It looked like it was going to install - the Version table appeared in teh database, but then the thing just hung. It keps looking like it was doing something, but it never did so I eventually killed it.

I deleted the database and decided to give it a go with the newest version - 4.5.5. Again, I've got the source. I unzipped it into mydocuments\Visual Studio\websites\DotNetNuke_04.05.05_Source

Under that are two folders - library and website.

I'm afraid I'm going about this all wrong. Do I now open the website folder, change the .config file appropriately and bring up the install wizard located under the install directory again after recreating a new database in sql 2005? Or am I on the completely wrong track?

I don't want to have to buy a book at this point. I also don't have IIS - I've never needed it before now on my local machine. I'm running XP. The other website I built in vb .net did not need it. (Most of my web development background is in cold fusion, fyi, but I've been learning vb .net 2.0 this summer. So if these are stupid questions, now you know why.)

Thanks in advance.

I just installed IIS. I guess maybe my question is this - Why does DNN need IIS when the other website I developed does not?

And - what does that have to do with the database install? I could understand if the database installed but the website didn't work, but for the database install to just hang like that doesn't make any sense to me.

I'm really just trying to figure out how and why this code works the way it does. I'm also wondering whether it will need any special setup when I get to teh hosting point. Obviously, I don't have access to IIS in a shared hosting environment. The hoster I use is a local one and does not automatically install DNN. I'm not interested in switching, btw.

you need a webserver to run a web site - and DotNetNuke requires ASP.Net, that is supported by IIS and Cassini. If the virtual directory points to the correct folder, and you have granted proper permissions for the folder, you do not need further modifications.