How do I host a file on my server for download?

Question

This might be a stupid question, but I have to ask cause I'm not getting anywhere...

I have a virtual private server with Godaddy, and I set up an FTP account. When I access the account via ftp I see these folders:

anon_ftp
cgi-bin
error_docs
httpdocs
httpsdocs
private
statistics
subdomains
vault_scripts
web_users
.Security (file)

Now, what I want to do is place a file on this server where people can just navigate to a URL and download the file. For example, mywebsite.com/music/somesong.mp3.

How do I do this? Do I just create a folder in that location called "music" and then upload the file to that folder? If so, I'm getting error "550 music: Access is denied" is this a permissions error because this user is admin so whats the deal?

---

UPDATE

The file I'm trying to make available for download is a .jad

I've put the file in /httpdocs/BB but I keep getting this error when accessing:

"HTTP Status 404 - /BB/plugin.jad

type Status report

message /BB/plugin.jad

description The requested resource (/BB/plugin.jad) is not available. Apache Tomcat/6.0.16"

---

UPDATE 2

I spoke with Godaddy and they said I need to configure the MIME type as an application/octet-stream. They tell me I have to do it but don't tell me how, so how is this done?

Thanks!

Solution 1

I recall GoDaddy having some form of tech support. If you have a VPS that should get you at least some level of competent person to help you.

Assuming the root url (example.com) is pointing to your httpdocs directory, you would upload your music folder to /httpdocs. Then the web address would be www.example.com/music/song.mp3. It's possible GoDaddy has a .htaccess file prohibiting you (or anyone else for that matter) from accessing a .mp3 file.

I would also check the error_docs directory and see if you're getting any serverside errors.

Solution 2

If you're using Apache as the web server, you could create a .htaccess file in the directory where your .jad file is.

Put the following into the .htaccess file:

AddType application/octet-stream .jad

Solution 3

If you want to access the file via http then you should probably put the music folder into the httpdocs folder. If that doesn't work then it might be some subfolder in the subdomains folder.

Comments

[GiH]

Here is how to configure a MIME type in IIS technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc758256%28WS.10%29.aspx

[GiH]

exactly, so how do i do that? Why would putting a file in /httpdocs/music point to www.mywebsite.com/music? By this path shouldn't the URL be www.mywebsite.com/httpdocs/music?

[GiH]

I'm not able to access the file once I put it in this folder, I'm getting the error message stated above in the Update to the question.

[mmmeff]

it may need to be example.com/music/mysong.mp3 i think i got the syntax wrong, but basically put ftp: or ftp:// in front of the URL

[GiH]

Thanks, godaddy support was actually pretty useful. I figured out how to configure a MIME type in IIS here technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc758256%28WS.10%29.aspx‌​. Work's like a charm now.

[GiH]

JAD: text/vnd.sun.j2me.app-descriptor, JAR: application/java-archive, and COD: application/vnd.rim.cod instead of application/octet-stream makes the file .jad installable on Blackberry