basic apache/linux security?

I have an apache server in which I have not had to mess with in three
years. I currently have security set-up on the 'htdocs' directory, but
recently we needed to share out a directory with no security. I
thought I did was I suppose to w/o using .htaccess files to accomplish
this. But I get prompted for username/security when accessing this
directory. The strange thing is, I can can hit cancel 3 times and
access the page without a problem. Here's my config.

##########No security needed, but get prompted when accessing.
alias /comm/ "/usr/local/apache/comm/"

<Directory "/usr/local/apache/comm/">
Options Indexes MultiViews
AuthAuthoritative Off
AllowOverride None
Order allow,deny
Allow from all
</Directory>

#########Secured, want to keep it that way.
<Directory "/usr/local/apache/htdocs">
AuthType Basic
AuthName "(Use lowercase please)"
AuthUserFile /usr/local/ops/users
require valid-user
Options Indexes FollowSymLinks MultiViews
AllowOverride None
Order allow,deny
Allow from all
</Directory>

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On 23 Mar 2005 09:14:47 -0800,
MD <dbmeyers@mac.com> wrote:
> I have an apache server in which I have not had to mess with in three
> years. I currently have security set-up on the 'htdocs' directory, but
> recently we needed to share out a directory with no security. I
> thought I did was I suppose to w/o using .htaccess files to accomplish
> this. But I get prompted for username/security when accessing this
> directory. The strange thing is, I can can hit cancel 3 times and
> access the page without a problem. Here's my config.
>

Check the code for the page you are trying to access, does it have
images, or other elements pulled from the restricted directory? Those
are probably triggering the password check, even if they aren't being
used on the page in question in any meaningful way. Try putting a simple
test page in the open directory, and seeing if viewing that triggers the
security check.

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--
Jim Richardson http://www.eskimo.com/~warlock
Instruction ends in the schoolroom -- but education
ends only with life. -- Publilius Syrus.