title: Apache: Copied files from another directory do not work
body: <p>I recently set up my Apache server (2.2) with PHP (5.3) on my Oracle Linux computer.  Initially, I created three files: <code>index.html</code>, <code>index.php</code>, and <code>countries.html</code>.  I believe (do not recall 100%) that I created these files in my <code>/var/www/html/</code> folder, and these files were automatically given <strong> root </strong> permissions for both owner and group.  However, when I copied my <code>index.html</code> into my home directory (not root), I was no longer able to access the file (403 Message - Forbidden access), even after I moved it back into it's original <code>/var/www/html/</code> folder and changed its permissions for owner and group back into <strong> root</strong>.</p>
  
  <p>Notably, my <code>index.php</code> file was the default page, even though it wasn't listed in the <code>DirectoryIndex</code>.  Furthermore, I experimented with my <code>index.php</code> file by copying it, deleting the original, moving the copied version back into the <code>/var/www/html/</code> folder, and changing the permissions.  Same result, where it didn't work.  Only difference is that the php file threw an internal server error (HTTP Error 500).</p>
  
  <p>I have added my <code>countries.html</code> file into my <code>DirectoryIndex</code> line, and it will now display as the default page.  However, if I remove it and leave my <code>DirectoryIndex</code> line as it is:</p>
  
  <pre><code>DirectoryIndex index.html index.html.var
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>then it will default to my <code>index.php</code> page and output the internal server error.</p>
  
  <p>Right now, I see a couple of problems:</p>
  
  <ol>
  <li>The copied files do not work, despite having the same permissions.  I believe my experiment with copying the <code>index.php</code> file is proof of this.</li>
  <li>The default page, which was <code>index.php</code>, is not listed in the <code>DirectoryIndex</code>, yet it still is the default.</li>
  </ol>
  
  <p>Any help/insight would be appreciated.</p>