Forbidden when changind documentRoot path in httpd.conf

[Lonny]

This is prob going to sound dumb. Here is my issue, my DocumentRoot default path is /var/www/html which I think is standard from the install in the httpd.conf file

I want to move this path to my active user account /home/me/html Hence changing the default website to a place I can access, as I can't FTP , and upload webpages etc...when I FTP as my normal user I can't access /var/www/html to upload stuff.

When I change the path and restart httpd I get the 403 error and it said it was looking at / which is not the path I specified.... I just don't understand why apache is not directing to the right location and giving me the 403 error. Any ideas?

Thanks!

[CiaW]

Lonny,

try this thread, or this one, there's a link to a tutorial (that I haven't checked out yet!)

Also, in the servers topic there's a 'how to' thread that has a lot of good info. if you need it!

[Lonny]

Thanks a bunch, I will check them out, I looked through here, but there are always some you miss. I will let ya know.

[jpollard]

Setting your document root to "/home/me/html" defines how apache defines a "root" directory.
All URL references (such as "http://hostname/name") start by getting redefined as
"/home/me/html/me".

Now for access - remember that apache does not run as the user. By default it runs as
the "apache:apache" user:group. This is normal as it will prevent a vulnerability in
apache from affecting any files you have. BUT - to grant apache access (read) you
need to modify your home directory and grant world x access.

This will allow apache to open directories (and files) if it knows what the name is.

Since the document root is "/home/me/html" apache has access to the "me" directory,
you must also give apache access to the "html" directory. If you want apache to be
able to generate directory listings (usefull...) you need to grant world "rx" access.

Now the URL "http://hostname/name.html" will look for a file named "name.html" in the
document root.. which is "/home/me/html". If you use the URL "http://hostname/" then
you should get a directory listing of /home/me/html.

[Lonny]

Well I was coming back to post that I figured it out! Jpollard you are very correct, did a little chmod and everything works perfect. Thank you for the post! It's always the dumb things! I pulled my hair out all day over this.

[marcrblevins]

My instruction are:

su -
chmod 711 /home/marc
chmod 755 /home/marc/Public
setsebool -P httpd_enable_homedirs 1
chcon -R -t httpd_sys_content_t /home/marc/Public
vi /etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf

Should have these in your httpd.conf

#
# DocumentRoot: The directory out of which you will serve your
# documents. By default, all requests are taken from this directory, but
# symbolic links and aliases may be used to point to other locations.
#
#DocumentRoot "/var/www/html"
DocumentRoot "/home/marc/Public"

#
# This should be changed to whatever you set DocumentRoot to.
#
#<Directory "/var/www/html">
<Directory "/home/marc/Public">

Then you restart Apache

service httpd restart

I got the chmod 711/755 from that same httpd.conf:

#
# UserDir: The name of the directory that is appended onto a user's home
# directory if a ~user request is received.
#
# The path to the end user account 'public_html' directory must be
# accessible to the webserver userid.  This usually means that ~userid
# must have permissions of 711, ~userid/public_html must have permissions
# of 755, and documents contained therein must be world-readable.
# Otherwise, the client will only receive a "403 Forbidden" message.
#
# See also: http://httpd.apache.org/docs/misc/FAQ.html#forbidden
#

But remember, you are changing your web files LIVE. I build my web site on another PC then sftp to my web server. If I want to make a quick fix, I use Quanta Plus. Then update my development box.

[Lonny]

thank you Marc. Perciate it

[flebber]

I have updated httpd.conf

# DocumentRoot: The directory out of which you will serve your
# documents. By default, all requests are taken from this directory, but
# symbolic links and aliases may be used to point to other locations.
#
#DocumentRoot "/var/www/html"
DocumentRoot "/home/sayth/Public"

#
# Relax access to content within /var/www.
#
<Directory "/home/sayth">
    AllowOverride None
    # Allow open access:
    Require all granted
</Directory>

# Further relax access to the default document root:
<Directory "/home/sayth/Public">

However I cannot get it to serve file from ~/Public

[flebber]

Oh I forgot to edit the userdir.conf