Getting an Apache (httpd) server up and running (YDL 3.0.1)

[Eric D]

Hello, I am trying to get an http server working on YDL 3.0.1.

[Preamble]
I'm a "sort of" newbie to the world of *nix. I used Mach for quite some time 
in uni and have used OS X since the public beta (and playing with Terminal 
off-and-on)! I also had a stint of YDL 2.x but that ended when I had to 
finish off a MSc thesis and sold my desktop.
[end of preamble]

I am now trying to set up a PowerMac Beige G3 as an Apache server using 
Linux. I already have services working under OS X 10.3.5 (on a PowerBook G3 
Pismo) doing what I want:
1. serving http;
2. password protected http directories;
3. WebDAV (iDisk-like) access (including password protected areas);
4. ftp server; (ok, so that's not Apache ;)
5. ssh server.

I don't want all of that on my laptop since it's only got a 20 GB drive (2 
GB free) and is put to sleep when not in use.

I got YDL installed on the Beige (no hitches :). I selected Server install 
and added the GUI packages (GNOME, etc.). Swap partition is 384 MB & RAM is 
128 MB.

I cannot for the life of me figure out how to get Apache to work _properly_ 
(none of the fancy services, just plain old http). I use the Server control 
and HTTP apps under Gnome to turn httpd on/restart it, configure the default 
virtual server. This works (briefly) to serve up the standard, "Apache is 
installed and working pages". I also made _one_ file located in 
/var/www/html that gets served up (it was created with: su and pico o.html).

I've also put files in the /var/www/html directory that I ftped from my OS X 
server and they don't work (see below for changed permissions).

/etc/httpd/logs/error_log says error (13) file permissions don't allow file 
to be served (I'm paraphrasing from memory here). This is AFTER I have run 
"chown -R root:root /var/www/html" (since the one file that works is 
root:root) and "chmod --reference=o.html other.html" on a few of them (I 
used --reference since o.html was working and I figured I could "borrow" the 
permissions from the one file of mine that worked).

Come to think of it, is it possible that my "chown -R root:root /html" is 
what prevents the files from being served? Should the owner of var/www/html 
be something else (did that chown change the html directory?)?

I also get another error that has to do with /var/run/httpd.pid... something 
like Error (17) "/var/run/httpd.pid overwritten -- Unclean shutdown of 
previous Apache run?

This happens when I try to restart httpd (using the GNOME network services 
interface) after changing something in HTTP and writing it to the httpd.conf 
file.

When this happens httpd is not running as shown by a ps -e|grep httpd

Questions:

1. Are there any utilities out there that will allow for a cleaner (& 
easier) set up of Apache on YDL for httpd (& WebDAV but that's for a later 
project... right now I'd like plain http working) than what I'm using (GNOME 
HTTP and the GNOME server start/stop/restart application and chown/chmod to 
change ownerships)?

2. What do I have to do to get a plain-Jane http server working on YDL? 
Should I do a clean reinstall?

3. Are there any primers -- I haven't had much luck with the YDL one (e.g. a 
more-or-less step-by-step guide that doesn't assume a whole lot of 
knowledge) on how to get httpd running (on YDL/Red Hat)?

4. Where are the files to be served stored? I thought it was var/www/html 
(at least that's what's in httpd.conf and that's where I've put o.html) I 
also presume there's the same functionality as on OS X to have ~username 
(since it too runs Apache).

Anyway, thanks in advance for (a) reading this long e-mail and, if you get 
up the energy, (b) responding.

Sincerely, Eric.

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