configuring Apache 1.3.33 for htaccess

[benf]

hi,


i'm new here and hopeful .....
i have been running an intranet site at work now Apache 1.3.33 under OS X 10.4.11. I had been using WebStar on an old mac but the drive burned out is our super heated server room (i'm a tech pubs guy, not IT, they run the server room with al the windows machines) I could not get WebSTar to run on the version of OS X - so the switch to Apache.

I am trying to password protect one directory. I have done a lot of searching, reading but still am stuck.

I have edited the main httpd.conf file AllowOverride All). A lot of places mention a user specific version of this in /private/etc/httpd/users - i have a users directory but it is empty (i have turned on invisible files). Do i need this other version of "user".httpd? or is that only for php, which i have not delved into yet.

i have created the .htaccess file and an .htpasswd file (using the provided utility module). when i click a link for the page that is in a protected directory, i get a dialog box for username and password but when i put in the username and password i created in the above steps i just get the same dialog box back asking for username and password.

I was wondering:

1. could it be that i have the path wrong in my .htaccess for to the .htpasswd file?

2. is it because I do not have the user .conf file?

any suggestions?

i'm pulling out what little hair i have left!

thanks in advance,

ben