Error 403 for Apache After Changing Root Directory

[jmadero]

Hi All,

Trying to change the root directory away from /var/www to a subfolder in my home folder (sick of using root to get around). What I did was this:

sudo gedit /etc/apache2/sites-available/default

Changed Document Root and Directory to /home/user/Documents/PHP


I then changed my PHP folder to 777.

Before the change my test php worked fine, now it's spitting out a 403 error. Any help would be appreciate


These are the instructions I followed for changing the directory:

Configuring the PHP Development Environment in Linux Ubuntu

[elija]

Every directory from / to your site will need read and execute permissions. Take a look at this tutorial for ideas on setting up development web servers

[jmadero]

I do have both permissions as it is my home folder, I have made it executable and put permissions at 777 and it still fails

[elija]

Ah but does the user or group www-data have read and execute permission? That's who runs Apache. Or user httpd on the Red Hat based systems.

[jmadero]

How do I go about doing that? I added my user to the www-data group, I also checked the folder properties but I don't see www-data in the drop down menu for permissions. Thanks again

[elija]

Did you look at the tutorial I linked to?

The way that does it is to change the group on the folders to www-data. It also creates the sites outside of your home directory so that no additional users need access to that. It definitely works on LMDE.

[jmadero]

solved! thanks Elija