MS-SQL vs. SQL Express
Getting Started
In order to install DNN using SQLExpress, you have to download the most recent version of DNN, using the install DNN package. Once done, extract the contents of the ZIP bundle to your computer’s folder. Next, make a directory on your C drive, naming the folder DNN, where you will copy the contents of the DNN package. Once the software has been replicated, you need to add permissions for the appropriate user by going to the DNN folder and clicking on the Security tab.
The next step involves clicking Start > Run, then typing "INETMGR" to open the web server IIS Console. You need to enlarge the default website node and right click the DNN folder, after which you can now surf your website.
Once the installation is complete, make sure that the default login accounts, Admin and Host, are found on the DNN site’s homepage. Make it a point to have the passwords changed immediately once you login to these two accounts. To install DNN using SQL Server 2005 or newer, the initial steps are exactly the same as those described above.