diff --git a/src/Orchard.Web/Modules/Orchard.Setup/Controllers/SetupController.cs b/src/Orchard.Web/Modules/Orchard.Setup/Controllers/SetupController.cs
index 621cba3d0..1b7bedfc6 100644
--- a/src/Orchard.Web/Modules/Orchard.Setup/Controllers/SetupController.cs
+++ b/src/Orchard.Web/Modules/Orchard.Setup/Controllers/SetupController.cs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 using System;
+using System.IO;
 using System.Web.Mvc;
 using Orchard.Comments.Models;
 using Orchard.ContentManagement;
@@ -36,6 +37,10 @@ namespace Orchard.Setup.Controllers {
         private Localizer T { get; set; }
 
         public ActionResult Index(SetupViewModel model) {
+            if(!CanWriteTo(Server.MapPath("~/App_Data"))) {
+                _notifier.Error(T("Hey, it looks like I can't write to the App_Data folder in the root of this application and that's where I need to save some of the information you're about to enter.\r\n\r\nPlease give me (the machine account this application is running under) write access to App_Data so I can get this app all set up for you.\r\n\r\nThanks!"));
+            }
+
             return View(model ?? new SetupViewModel { AdminUsername = "admin" });
         }
 
@@ -112,5 +117,17 @@ namespace Orchard.Setup.Controllers {
                 return Index(model);
             }
         }
+
+        static bool CanWriteTo(string path) {
+            try {
+                var systemCheckPath = Path.Combine(path, "_systemcheck.txt");
+                System.IO.File.WriteAllText(systemCheckPath, "Communicator check one two one two");
+                System.IO.File.AppendAllText(systemCheckPath, "\r\nThis is Bones McCoy on a line to Sulu");
+                System.IO.File.Delete(systemCheckPath);
+                return true;
+            } catch {
+                return false;
+            }
+        }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/Orchard.Web/Themes/SafeMode/Styles/site.css b/src/Orchard.Web/Themes/SafeMode/Styles/site.css
index c49327828..e7e12636a 100644
--- a/src/Orchard.Web/Themes/SafeMode/Styles/site.css
+++ b/src/Orchard.Web/Themes/SafeMode/Styles/site.css
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ h5 {font-size: 105%;}
 
 
 #main {
-    margin:0 auto;
+    margin:0 auto 40px;
     width:600px;
 }
 
@@ -148,4 +148,51 @@ button:focus, .button:focus {
 
 html.dyn fieldset.data div span {
     display:none;
+}
+
+
+/* Confirmations, Messages and the like
+----------------------------------------------------------*/
+.message, .validation-summary-errors {
+	margin:10px 0 4px 0;
+    padding:4px;
+	white-space:pre-wrap;
+}
+span.message {
+    display:block;
+	margin:4px 0 4px 4px;
+}
+.message a {
+    font-weight:bold;
+}
+
+.confirmation.message {
+	background:#e6f1c9; /* green */
+	border:1px solid #cfe493;
+}
+.warning.message {
+	background:#fdf5bc; /* yellow */
+	border:1px solid #ffea9b;
+}
+/* todo: (heskew) what else (other inputs) needs this? */
+.critical.message, .validation-summary-errors,
+.input-validation-error.text-box, .input-validation-error.text {
+	border:1px solid #990808;
+}
+.critical.message, .validation-summary-errors {
+	background:#e68585; /* red */
+	color:#fff;
+}
+.info.message {
+    background:#fff; /* orange :P */
+	border:1px dashed #D2D6C6;
+}
+.debug.message {
+    background:#eee;
+	border:1px dashed #D2D6C6;
+	color:#7a7a7a;
+	margin:20px 0 14px 0;
+}
+.debug.message:before {
+    content:"DEBUG » ";
 }
\ No newline at end of file