Topic: Apache won't restart when I change document root in httpd.co

[andysummerskill]

Hi,

Just installed Apache Web Server 2.2.5 (downloaded from the Apachelounge) on a PC running XP-MCE with the
intention of storing my website on a Network Attached Storage (Maxtor
Shared Storage II) disk drive. With this in mind I created a folder on
this drive under the file path \\MSS\Public\Our Sites\Web and saved a
html file, named index.html in the \Web folder. I then mapped the
drive letter K: to \\MSS\Public\Our Sites on the PC. I then edited the
Document Root directive and Directory directive in the default
httpd.conf file from:
"C:\Apache2\htdocs" to read "K:\Web".
These are the only changes I made to the httpd.conf file as it came from the download site.
Saved the file and then tried to restart Apache but got the Windows Error Message that 'Apache HTTP Server has encountered a problem needs to close',
followed a few seconds later the Apache Error Message 'The requested
operation has failed'.

Checking the Widows event viewer I found that:
Faulting application httpd.exe, version 2.2.5.0, faulting module libapr-1.dll, version 1.2.9.0, fault address 0x000038dc.

No useful information is found from the Apache Error log

I've done a bit of troubleshooting and found that, without changing
the httpd.conf file again, if I plug in a USB drive into the PC it
acquires the drive letter K: and if I put an index.html into the \Web
folder on this drive and restart Apache again it restarts with no
problems!

I have also tried mapping K: to C:\Program Files\Apache Software
Foundation\Apache2.2\htdocs, creating a \Web folder containing a file
index.html in the \htdocs folder and restarting the server but, again,
the server fails to start and the Error Messages above are generated!!

BTW I have also tried versions 2.2.4 & 2.2.6 and see exactly the same issues. Also tried turning off the windows firewall, etc and still doesn't make any difference.

Can't find any reference in newsgroups or Apache documentation that
could explain what I am seeing so was hoping that someone might be
able to shed some light on the issue?

Regards,

Andy Summerskill

[James Blond]

Not sure, but I think apache has it problems with mapped drives. There was discussion about that in this forum, but I'm too lazy now to use the forum search

[glsmith]

//computername/sharename/path/to/files

I believe you also have to run Apache under a username that has access to the network share. I'm pretty sure about this.

Interestingly, I am having a problem at the office similar. New server and it's not letting Apache (running as everyone) have access to the share.