Help install nightmare

Trying to recover from some failure. Try to do clean install
and I see these errors

Warning: fopen(./sites/default/default.settings.php) [function.fopen]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /home/cookin/public_html/includes/install.inc on line 188

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/cookin/public_html/includes/install.inc:188) in /home/cookin/public_html/includes/install.inc on line 618

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/cookin/public_html/includes/install.inc:188) in /home/cookin/public_html/includes/install.inc on line 619

Can anybody shed light on this. I have to get this up because a mail drop occurred and we expect some visitors.

Any help appreciated.