This answer from Mike solved this (e.g. create a CGI process for this task): [...] So, yes, you can create a directory which it is then impossible to access -- this is an unfortunate side-effect of safe mode when PHP runs as an Apache module and hence as the Apache user. This is why hosted services often use chrooted jails with PHP as a CGI -- the individual copies of PHP then run with the appropriate uids of the host usernames. [...] Regards, Summi -- PHP General Mailing List (http://www.php.net/) To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php