I'm sorry if this is a stupid question but it's bothering me:

I just downloaded apache web server

i extracted it using tar just fine, put it into a folder called apache_1.3.27

i go into terminal, go into that folder using cd

then i do a "su" then i put my password in (and get the #)

then i try to run INSTALL by typing "./INSTALL"

bash: ./INSTALL: Permission denied

how do i become the supreme leader of all folders?

thanks

PS this also happens with any other files in there like this:

bash: ./LICENSE: Permission denied
bash: ./README: Permission denied

etc.

permission denied does not mean that the user permissions are wrong necessarily, but it may mean instead that the file permissions are wrong.
Also .. i dont think you can run a readme from just ./README.
The ./ prefix is to execute an executable in the current working directory b/c the directory you are in is not included in the path
If you wanted to look at a README you would type:
For your ./install or whatever .. which i dont even know if thats the right thing .. (it sounds like another readme which details the install process)
You need to run
./configure
make
make install

That will configure, compile, and install apache.
Make sure that your configure script is executable .. it should already be
ls -l configure
rwx------
or
rwxr-x---
something like that
if the first three arent rwx then do chmod +x configure
P.S. If your unfamiliar with the install process, you should read up on these forums first before installing anything, or posting.

INSTALL is a text file, not a program. It contains the installation instructions for the program you want to install. To read it either use the method suggested above, or open it in a text editor such as pico or vi:

ok thanks i got it installed and running and now i'm (trying) to delete some files in the htdocs folder (the default "If you're seeing this, the webmaster hasn't copied any content to it" blah blah blah message) but i get an error that i don't have proper permissions to acess the parent folder. I went to the parent folder of the "parent folder" and right clicked for properities. It say's i'm not the owner so i can't change the permissions. How do i change the permissions so i can edit the stuff?

thanks

Be root to make the permission changes.
Open a console window (kterm, gnome-terminal, xterm etc) and type su
then enter the root password.
Change to the parent directory of the htdocs folder (cd <directory> changes directory cd .. goes back a directory) and then type: That will alter htdocs and all the files in it so that you have write permission (and can therefore delete them).

thanks

Hi

You cannot run INSTALL - it is a text file, not a script (I think).

To setup apache, go to its directory, do ./configure

make

make install

to set it up.

BTW if you want all powerful access to a directory, log in as superuser and do

chmod a=rwx /dirname

Cheers

If you bothered to read the thread you'd see that we've already given this answer.

number 3 on my list of forum hates: people who reply without reading the thread.

The a in chmod -R a+w stands for all. So you are setting your entire htdocs directory to world write.

If you only want to give user write access use:
chmod -R +w
or
chmod -R u+w

To give user and group write access you would use:
chmod -R ug+w

A better approach would be to add yourself to the apache group. You could do this by editing the file /etc/group.