FP 2003 suddenly only works via FTP

[Information Scavenger]

I used FP2003 to edit and create my website using a default theme
(ZERO). My banner images were not retaining the animation when I would
publish to the website, but they work fine locally and on preview. The
..GIF which was supposed to be animated just loses its animation after I
publish. I went to my ISP's homepage and they have a java chat with
web host for questions. I mentioned this to them yesterday, and the
guy I chatted with said he was going to rebuild the frontpage
extensions. He told me to wait 2 hours and to try to publish again. A
few minutes later I noticed that all of the folders in my user
directory which started with an underscore " _ " were missing. No big
deal, I thought. I waited 2 hours and try to publish, but now when I
try to open my website as a remote site to publish to, I get an error
message telling me that the site is not contained within a windows
sharepoint services. The exact error can be seen here at
http://users.adelphia.net/~heweaver/fperror.jpg .

This was yesterday. I have had no luck since then. I can still FTP
into my site, but if I try to open it via frontpage I get errors. It's
like the server no longer recognizes my user folder as one that should
work with frontpage extensions.

I contacted my ISP back via the web chat and they don't seem to
understand what my problem is. They say since I can still connect via
FTP that there is nothing wrong with their site and for me to use that.
I tried to tell them that when I do that, I lose the ability to use
the default counters and feedback forms that my site was designed
around. Even though it worked great for weeks. They seem dumbfounded
and don't seem to have a clue. Could anyone out here tell me what may
need to be done on a server level to fix my user folder, so that I may
at least try to provide them with the information? It's really
aggravating, and I may have to move my personal website off of my ISP's
servers and onto one that actually WORKS like its supposed to. If I do
that, I know I would have to pay for hosting, which isn't worth it for
the site just being a personal one.

 

[Ratatooie]

Your error link is broken.

You need a new host. There are really cheap if not free ones out there if
you look.

Connecting to a FrontPage web site via FTP is one of the fastest ways to
break it. Since your host did that, they are obviously inexperienced idiots
when it comes to FrontPage.

You need to tell them specifically to "uninstall but leave files" and then
"install" the FP extensions using the SharePoint manager tool web site.

Then you need a new host, the one you have has no idea how to manage a
server with FrontPage sites on it. Or, since it's just a personal site,
just use FTP.

 

[Information Scavenger]

Thanks. I put the error file back up there, I was chatting with them
again earlier and they managed to somehow fix it. I kept insisting it
was a server error, and they kept insisting it was a Frontpage issue
and to contact microsoft. Even though it worked perfectly from my 3
home PC's and at least 2 school PC's before they messed it up...and
then it suddenly wasn't working on any of the computers.

But after almost an hour of frustrating talk, the last person I talked
to re-created my user folder which allowed it to start working again, I
just had to re-upload my files (via sharepoint services, not FTP)

I'm still new to FP but I can tell I already know more than they do (at
least with a general idea of differences and importance between FTP and
sharepoint connectivity). I will consider a new host, but since its
just a personal site, I don't see myself spending money on it at this
time.

Thanks!