Anyone using GoDaddy hosting for their websites?

by Barbara Eyre

Posted: 15 years ago 22 replies

INTERNET MARKETING

Guys and Gals - I could use your help.

Just picked up a client who has their website hosted at GoDaddy. This is a brand new website that I am building from scratch. This is the first time I have had experience with GoDaddy hosting.

I do not know enough PHP to build a .php website, but I do use the following command for headers, footers, navigation menus, and other bits that would appear on many, if not all, pages of the .html website:

Code:

<?php include('header.html')?>

I have the following in the .htaccess file, as per usual:

AddType application/x-httpd-php .html
AddType application/x-httpd-php .htm

However, the header, the footer, etc are not being "pulled in". While GoDaddy support is answering quickly, they are pretty much saying they can not help me, that this is a 3rd party issue, etc.

And when you go to the website, it tries to download a file that doesn't exist. GoDaddy says it has something to do with the .htaccess, hence the 3rd party issue.

This is the first time I have run into a hosting company that can not deal with this. Is there something else I need to be doing to accommodate GoDaddy?

#godaddy #hosting #websites

Scott Woodside 15 years ago

I've been using godaddy for 7 years and have never had a problem. They have great customer service.
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- Dan Ambrose 15 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by Scott Woodside
  
  I've been using godaddy for 7 years and have never had a problem. They have great customer service.
  
  Completely disagree - I used to host with Godaddy and had nothing but awful customer service.
  
  Moved over to Hostgator a few months ago and have never looked back.
  
  Whenever I am asked about Godaddy - I say stay clear!
  
  Just my $0.02
  
  Daniel
  
  Thanks
  
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write-stuff 15 years ago

Yeah, godaddy pretty much sets the standard these days for what customer service should be. I can understand their inability to advise you with php issues. That is software and outside of their realm.

Best of luck. - Russ
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Scott Woodside 15 years ago

I left hostgator because of poor customer service. perception is reality I guess.
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- Dan Ambrose 15 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by Scott Woodside
  
  I left hostgator because of poor customer service. perception is reality I guess.
  
  Yep - obviously.
  
  Daniel
  
  PS. Merry Christmas bud.
  
  Thanks
  
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Dixiebelle 15 years ago

You can't accommodate Godaddy when it comes to their website builder. It is not kept up-to-date, and is very buggy. I have never used a site editor that was so hard to work with.

I tried to use it a couple of years ago, but finally forfited my hosting fee and moved on. Your customer would be wise to do the same if they can't get a refund.

Dixie
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ChristianM

15 years ago

Have you tried getting rid of the html stuff and changing the extensions to .php? That way you can see if it really is the .htaccess which is causing the problem.

Thanks
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Barbara Eyre

15 years ago

Originally Posted by ChristianM

Have you tried getting rid of the html stuff and changing the extensions to .php? That way you can see if it really is the .htaccess which is causing the problem.

OMG, that worked! Thank you SO much!

How weird! All I did was change index.html to index.php and viola!

Still don't know why the other way won't work when I do it for all the sites I build and NEVER had an issue as it is a basic thing to do.

*shrugs* Go figure.

And an FYI - I would never have suggested GoDaddy for hosting to this client, but he was adamant, saying he's never had a problem etc etc. I couldn't convince him otherwise. Have to work with what we're given sometimes.

Thank you everyone!

Thanks

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jacktackett 15 years ago

Barbara,
upload this file and name it info.php and see if it will display the php variables in effect for the account.

<?
phpInfo();
?>

This will help tell if there's something wrong in the .htaccess file with the account, as Christian and Big Mike indicate. GoDaddy and other such hosting providers lock down their accounts and access rights pretty tight.

good luck,
and a Merry Tar Heel Christmas,
--Jack
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- Barbara Eyre 15 years ago
  
  Jack,
  
  Thanks for providing info to help me on this.
  
  I did what you suggested and got the PHP info ... but what specifically am I looking for to see if what I can do what I want to do?
  
  And just FYI response to a previous post - I am not using a site builder - I NEVER use a site builder ... I said I was building the website from scratch. :rolleyes:
  
  Thanks
  
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ChristianM 15 years ago

It is probably just because they have over careful limitations on your .htaccess files - it's non-standard set-ups like that which caused me problems as well.

Another one to look out for is if you are using a database you can't use .htaccess but actually have to use the ip address shown in phpmyadmin
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jacktackett

15 years ago

Barbara,

looks like things have worked out, great!

Basically by being able to run a php program it showed the problem was with the rewrite rule/.htaccess - and for the reasons Christian indicated - GoDaddy locks things down pretty tight.

What's nice about the info.php program is it will give you the absolute path for files on the godaddy server, in case you ever need them instead of relative paths. Plus things like how to access sendmail etc from php on their servers.

Good luck and happy holidays!
best,
--Jack

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koolphoto 15 years ago

I have had clients on GoDaddy and I too don't like working on their servers.

I have done what you are trying to do in the past. I just don't remember if I ever did includes with Godaddy.

I might try using a header.php instead of header.html in the include. Just save as a php file instead of a html file. Not sure it will work but it is worth a try.
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- maba1 Banned 15 years ago
  
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  Barbara Eyre 15 years ago
  
  Thus far, there is no question about the reply speed of GoDaddy tech support - they answer quickly (I know it's first come first serve in queue type thing, so it may take a few minutes).
  
  It's just when they do the "I don't know" bit (complete with the "duh" tone to voice LOL) when, as people have mentioned in this thread, they are tighter than most hosting companies - they could have just said that instead of "I don't know". Grrr.
  
  I left the header, footer, and menu files as .html ... just changing the index page from .html to .php did the trick .... I left in the php include command also.
  
  I'll have to remember that mention of the databases, as I will be adding a WordPress blog to this website in the coming days. That should be my only database usage. I might recommend a message board down the road due to the nature of their niche.
  
  Now, off to resume my battle with CSS menus .... can do it fine on the left side, but am wanting the menu on the right and can't seem to move the darn thing to the left so it's within the width of the site.
  
  Love a challenge ....... :rolleyes:
  
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Barbara Eyre

15 years ago

Originally Posted by jacktackett

What's nice about the info.php program is it will give you the absolute path for files on the godaddy server, in case you ever need them instead of relative paths. Plus things like how to access sendmail etc from php on their servers.

--Jack

Ok, I have created folders for inner pages and I need the absolute path to call in the header, footer, and menu files.

I have the info.php up, but I do not see anything that tells me what that path is. On one server (hosting), they use: /var/www/vhosts/sitedomain.com/httpdocs/header.html

I need that kind of path.

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jacktackett

15 years ago

Originally Posted by Barbara Eyre

Barbara,
I believe this is the root file path for your website:
/var/www/vhosts/sitedomain.com/httpdocs/

everything should be relative to this path, but you may have to play around a bit to make sure.

HTH,
--Jack

Thanks

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AverageGuy 15 years ago

I used godaddy hosting before, and it was ok for several months, then suddenly, the site does not work any more. I called them at the whoel night and tried to find someone can fix the problem. Yes, someone picked up phone, but the problem never solved. after > 20 called at that night, I decided to give up godaddy's hosting.

Maybe they changed, then I do not know. This was about 3 years ago.

good luck

david
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Jagged

15 years ago

Even though your problem is solved, you may still want to suggest to your client to move to another host. I am assuming that your client registered the domain with GoDaddy also? Could suggest that it really isn't advisable to have your domian and hosting in the same house...there is cheaper and more reliable hosting services (Hostgator) than GoDaddy. Just my .02

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Barbara Eyre

15 years ago

Originally Posted by Jagged

I agree, and I told him that, but he insists on GoDaddy and I can't change his mind.

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napoleonfirst 15 years ago

Godaddy is cool but Kiosk.ws is the best I have found.
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Kim Standerline 15 years ago

If you're running a website with anything but basic html, you don't want to touch Godaddy hosting with the proverbial bargepole. it's very basic and forget about running any decent scripts on it

Kim
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- Barbara Eyre 15 years ago
  
  This thread is not about GoDaddy's reputation as a hosting company.
  I was asking questions on how to do certain things within GoDaddy in regards to building a website.
  
  We have established the fact that GoDaddy hosting is terrible.
  And I agree - like I have said several times in this thread.
  
  But I have to go by what the client wants and they want GoDaddy.
  
  Geesh!
  
  Anways, I found the answer to my problem so that is solved.
  Forgot to come back to state that as I had moved on to something else on the site.
  
  Thank you to all those who have provided help.
  
  Thanks
  
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Anyone using GoDaddy hosting for their websites?

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