My web host has recently upgraded to a new operating system (vDeck 1 to vDeck 3). To get my new installation of Joomla v1.5 to install properly, I configured my site to run php v5.

Since then, I've noticed that my links site no longer works and gives the HTTP 404 - File not found error. However, it correctly redirects me from /links to /links/directory/ in the process.

I didn't know if this had something to with register_globals which Joomla requires to be off. I tried adding a php.ini file to my links directory that sets register_globals=on but this hasn't made any difference.

Do you have any suggestions?

I suspect you have one of the following conditions..

1, a conflicting .htaccess file is above the links directory (since you use Joomla, and it includes a .htaccess file with mod-rewrite rules for freindly URLs, this seems likely)

2, The .htaccess file in the links directory is missing.

3, The .htaccess file in the links directory contains the wrong syntax for your version of Apache.

Here is a portion of the FAQ from the old Dew-Code.com site regarding the included .htaccess file

There is a .htaccess file needed in the same directory as the directory file. The .htaccess file is included, but some FTP programs/operating systems have issues with such filenames. The included text file, dothtaccess.txt covers the topic as well.

The contents of the .htaccess file should look like this

<Files directory>
ForceType application/x-httpd-php
#SetHandler application/x-httpd-php
#ForceType x-httpd-php
</Files>

Depending on your version of Apache you may need to use a different syntax by toggling the commented lines in the .htacess file. (note you likely wont see the 2 newer variations in your .htacess file)

If you download/upload the file in order to edit it, be sure it is uploaded in ASCII mode.

If you have access to it, the directives within the .htaccess file can be put in your apache config file, normally /etc/httpd.conf then the .htacess file is not needed.

An httpd.conf entry might look like this...
<VirtualHost>
ServerName www.mysite.com
DocumentRoot /var/www/html/username
<Directory /var/www/html/username>
Allow from all
AllowOverride All
Order allow,deny
</Directory>
<Files directory>
ForceType application/x-httpd-php
</Files>
</VirtualHost>

I have Joomla installed in a directory beside my links directory rather than above. In the root (/public_html/) directory, I have a MS FrontPage site running which I will be replacing with the new Joomla v1.5 shortly. I believe that the .htaccess file in the root directory was generated by FrontPage.

As for the .htaccess file in the links directory, it looks like what you show. As I said, the Dew-Code links program was working properly until just recently.

A .htaccess file affects all files and directories beneath it, so the .htaccess file in your root directory may be causing problems if it contains rewrite rules, or some other directive that conflicts.

See if temporaily renaming it allows you to view /links/directory (also try with and without the trailing slash)

If it still won't cooperate. perhaps alert me of the URL of your installation so I can see for myself what it's doing.

I renamed the .htaccess file to .htaccess2 (no .htaccess file now in the root) but it didn't make any difference. I also tried entering the full base path in the configuration page in admin but the full path is too long to be stored properly. Just using the shorter /public_html/links or any other variation did not make a difference.

I wish I had a quick answer for you, but I don't. You do say it 404s... are you sure it's not a 500 error ? Perhaps I don't fully understand the problem. "links site no longer works and gives the HTTP 404 - File not found error. However, it correctly redirects me from /links to /links/directory/ " ... but I presumed, after it redirected, you got a 404. Does the script work correctly if you browse directly to /links/directory/

The bundled index.php really does nothing except re-direct the browser to the actual script, which is the file named simply "directory" The directives in the included .htacess file tell your web server to treat the
"directory" file as a PHP file, despite having no .php file extension.

For the most part, no script should care if register globals is on or off until a form is submitted,.

Also, according to some of the previous Dew-Code visitors, some servers don't process changes in .htaccess files right away. I recall thinking one guy's server was possessed because changes were not readily apparent. He had to wait up to 15 minutes for changes to .htaccess files to take effect.

I beleive you can PM me the url to your installation by clicking my profile link. Perhaps I could figure something out after seeing how it behaves.