Problem installing webserver, changing index.htm

[nighttraindb]

Hello everyone,

I am very new to Slackware. I 've been able to mess around for a couple of days. The reason I got it was to turn an old computer into a web server. Now, I had someone write very explicit directions for installation even down to removing the "#" sign from infront of the proftpd something I would have never figured out...Unfortunately I can only consult with him via snail mail.

So, now when I type in the IP I get the IT WORKS! screen and I can ftp. However when I try to copy over the current index file it says permissions denied... I am trying to copy a new index file into this folder (which may be allllll wrong ** a big no no **) if so go easy on me.

/srv/httpd/htdocs

What I could use is exactly what I would need to type at the root prompt if anything so that I can grant permissions or create a different default folder that would allow me to place the index file annnd the ip sees it by default and not the "it works!" index page..

Thanks for any assistance you guys can give.

[SailProf]

There's a couple things you can do.

You can change ownership of the directory to a non-root user and then copy / FTP'ed those files as that user. Those files usually will have read-only privileges for group and all (i.e. rwxr--r--).

It is generally good practice to change the user that the web server runs as (www or apache are typical) and ensure that account has read privileges on the directories that serve up your pages.

For example, if you run your web server as user apache and group apache your file permissions can be set up as such:

-rw-r-----  1 owner    apache    16301 2007-12-20 13:52 index.html

Hope this helps...