I am creating a new DNN portal (4.9.0) from scratch and just received the same error. This is a clean server - I installed the .NET Framework 2.0.50727 immediately before starting the DNN install. I got as far as skin options, clicked next, and received the "value cannot be null" report.

Server Error in '/SERVER' Application.
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Value cannot be null.
Parameter name: value
Description: An unhandled exception occurred during the execution of the current web request. Please review the stack trace for more information about the error and where it originated in the code.

Exception Details: System.ArgumentNullException: Value cannot be null.
Parameter name: value

Source Error:

An unhandled exception was generated during the execution of the current web request. Information regarding the origin and location of the exception can be identified using the exception stack trace below. 

Stack Trace:

[ArgumentNullException: Value cannot be null.
Parameter name: value]
   System.Web.Caching.CacheEntry..ctor(String key, Object value, CacheDependency dependency, CacheItemRemovedCallback onRemovedHandler, DateTime utcAbsoluteExpiration, TimeSpan slidingExpiration, CacheItemPriority priority, Boolean isPublic) +680
   System.Web.Caching.CacheInternal.DoInsert(Boolean isPublic, String key, Object value, CacheDependency dependencies, DateTime utcAbsoluteExpiration, TimeSpan slidingExpiration, CacheItemPriority priority, CacheItemRemovedCallback onRemoveCallback, Boolean replace) +103
   System.Web.Caching.Cache.Insert(String key, Object value) +96
   DotNetNuke.Services.Cache.FileBasedCachingProvider.FBCachingProvider.Insert(String CacheKey, Object objObject, CacheDependency objDependency, DateTime AbsoluteExpiration, TimeSpan SlidingExpiration, CacheItemPriority Priority, CacheItemRemovedCallback OnRemoveCallback, Boolean PersistAppRestart) +135
   DotNetNuke.Services.Cache.FileBasedCachingProvider.FBCachingProvider.Insert(String CacheKey, Object objObject, CacheDependency objDependency, DateTime AbsoluteExpiration, TimeSpan SlidingExpiration, Boolean PersistAppRestart) +70
   DotNetNuke.Common.Utilities.DataCache.SetCache(String CacheKey, Object objObject, TimeSpan SlidingExpiration, Boolean PersistAppRestart) +72
   DotNetNuke.Entities.Portals.PortalController.GetPortal(Int32 PortalId) +280
   DotNetNuke.Entities.Portals.PortalSettings.GetPortalSettings(Int32 TabId, PortalAliasInfo objPortalAliasInfo) +121
   DotNetNuke.Common.Globals.GetHostPortalSettings() +216
   DotNetNuke.Common.Globals.GetPortalSettings() +79
   DotNetNuke.Authentication.ActiveDirectory.HttpModules.AuthenticationModule.OnAuthenticateRequest(Object s, EventArgs e) +62
   System.Web.SyncEventExecutionStep.System.Web.HttpApplication.IExecutionStep.Execute() +157
   System.Web.HttpApplication.ExecuteStep(IExecutionStep step, Boolean& completedSynchronously) +65

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Version Information: Microsoft .NET Framework Version:2.0.50727.42; ASP.NET Version:2.0.50727.42

I'm certainly no .NET expert, so if anyone determines what conflict there is between the framework and DNN 4.9.0, I would very much appreciate their assistance. The ASPNET account has appropriate permissions on the DNN file folder, and the first several install steps performed smoothly indeed.

I got the same error doing a custom install.

It appears to be related to the ActiveDirectory module. It's seeking some kind of required config value that is not set.

I went to my web.config, manually edited the file to comment out the ActiveDirectory line as inserted in the <httpModules> section.

Went back to the previous page deselected ActiveDirectory, and then the install went forward OK.

Somebody from DNN needs to address this in the installer so if you choose AD on a custom install you can get prompted for the necessary config values.

Good luck,

Jesse Wolfe

Jesse Wolfe wrote   I got the same error doing a custom install. It appears to be related to the ActiveDirectory module. It's seeking some kind of required config value that is not set. I went to my web.config, manually edited the file to comment out the ActiveDirectory line as inserted in the section. Went back to the previous page deselected ActiveDirectory, and then the install went forward OK. Somebody from DNN needs to address this in the installer so if you choose AD on a custom install you can get prompted for the necessary config values. Good luck, Jesse Wolfe

There are no necessary config values needed for the AD provider. It adds a line to the web.config but it's never brought into play unless the provider is enabled under Admin->Authentication.