Gerry Heidenreich

Download Packages (I recommend Docs, Source, & Starter Kit)
Start by registering at www.dotnetnuke.com.  Once you're registered & signed in, go to the Download section, you'll see 4 packages:
   1. Docs - Definitely good to have around
   2. Install - Completely non-source release for deployment only.  I highly recommend getting the Source package for development.
   3. Source - Everything but the kitchen sink
   4. Starter Kit - A must-have package, installs .Net 2 templates (compatible with VS2005 & Visual Web Developer 2005)
          * New DNN Application Template - create new DNN sites straight from VS
          * New Module (VB, & C#) - Creates View/Edit controls, SQL integration, Module Manifest (.dnn file), and other items needed for writing your own module
          * New Skin - generates files necessary for a new skin

Installation
Note: Don't browse to site or open the DNN solution until the following 5 steps are completed
   1. Unzip DNN - Extract your dnn package into your web folder, example: c:\inetpub\dnn402
          If you're unzipping the Install Package, there will be 2 directories created below: Library, and Website
   2. Create IIS Virtal Directory - Point at the dnn root folder, be sure to go to the ASP.NET tab of your Virtual Directory and change the version from 1.1 to .Net 2.  example: c:\inetpub\dnn402\website, Virtual Directory “dnn402” will be found at http://localhost/dnn402, but do not browse there yet.
   3. Database - Create your dnn database (example, dnn402dev, add a database user & assign as owner (db_owner in SQL).  (Owner privs aren't necessary, DNN Installation documentation details minimum requirements for permissions).
   4. web.config - Copy release.config from the dnn root to web.config.  Update the db connection strings (there's 2, one is for legacy support), SQL settings are at:
          <appSettings><add key="SiteSqlServer" value="..." />, and
          <connectionStrings><add name="SiteSqlServer" connectionString="..." providerName="System.Data.SqlClient" /> ...
          sample connection string: Server=(local);Database=dnn402;uid=dnnuser;pwd=dnnuser;
   5. IIS worker process permissions - Make sure your worker process user account has read/write privileges to directories & files under your dnn directory (again, minimal requirements are detailed in the DNN Installation Documentation) - Default worker process accounts are:
          IIS5 & Win2000: {ServerName}\ASPNET
          IIS6 & Win2003: NETWORK SERVICE

Browse to site to conclude install process
   Opening the site in your browser (example, http://localhost/dnn402) executes all the scripts necessary to create the portal environment.
   Once this is complete, you will see the Home page with a few default modules installed.

Back it up
   Now is the time, db & app directory!

Opening the Solution
   First, update the path of the web project inside the .sln file!  The default inside DotNetNuke.sln is DotNetNuke_2. 
   The current 4.02 build fails to compile!  Open the solution and build a few times until all the dependent projects are built & the solution builds fine.

Final Note
   This post covers the simplest way to get a dev DNN environment going on your local machine.  There are many options in the install process that are covered in detail in the document 'DotNetNuke Installation Guide.pdf' that comes in the Docs package at www.dotnetnuke.com.