The htaccess files are in place on my new webhost's server, but it's not working. If I browse a protected directory without entering an html filename, it says I am not authorized to view that, so the htaccess is partly working. But if I know the URL of a protected page and type it, the browser displays it. I have emailed the contact person there but he hasn't responded and already gave a certain amount of double-talk about the situation. The people at the 3d-party billing company I use told me to ask him to fix it. He told me to use Putty if I needed to fix anything ("carry out advanced maintenance" is how he sagely expressed it) and gave me a username and password for that. But what I've read so far suggests that he's got it blocked with whatever he has in the httpd.conf file. I can't even do anything or go anywhere if I logon with Putty. It shows a "system" folder, but I'm not allowed there. Can anyone help?

He (onedollarhost.net) just sent me an email saying "We do not have .htaccess." According to a server.cgi I ran their system is: Operating System Linux 2.4.18-5 Web Server Software Apache/1.3.22 How can Linux/Apache not have htaccess? He's ripping me off, right?

That hosting company's website doesn't mention Linux anywhere... in fact, they make it very plain on the site that the only hosting they provide is Win2k based. In which case, you wouldn't have .htaccess The moral of this story is, if you want to get webspace for $12/year fine... but make sure you read the website FAQs first. I'd be inclined to think that your CGI script is telling you porkies, rather than the helpdesk. Sean

Oh, the website also says there's a 30-day money back guarantee.... If you're not too late I'd take it. Sean

in apache.conf you can set wether your webserver will recognise your .htaccess file. They've probly got it unset.