Apache ignoring .htaccess

[FiRe]

I have a .htaccess file in the root directory which works fine for me but when uploaded onto a Linux box with Apache it does not work.

RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f [NC]
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d [NC]
RewriteRule ^(.*).html index.php?page=$1 [QSA]
RewriteRule ^sitemap.xml google-sitemap.php

If I go to Home.html for example it should load index.php?page=Home but instead it says page not found, and same if I go to sitemap.xml

I have done a phpinfo() on the server and in the apache2handler section under Loaded Modules it says mod_rewrite so I dont see why else this shouldnt work. Any ideas?

[Samizdata]

Some server configurations require Symlinks specifically enabled:

# Set options
Options +FollowSymlinks

# Turn on mod_rewrite
RewriteEngine On

Might do the trick.

...

[Caterham]

but when uploaded onto a Linux box with Apache it does not work.

It looks like AllowOvrride FileInfo was not set, so your directives in per-directory configuration files are simply ignored.

Some server configurations require Symlinks specifically enabled:

If RewriteRules are used in per-dir context and the option Followsymlinks is not enabled for that directory, you'd receive a 403 forbidden error issued by mod_rewrite.

[jdMorgan]

Minor tweak:

If RewriteRules are used in per-directory context and the Option FollowSymLinks or SymLinksIfOwnerMatch is not enabled for that directory, you'd receive a 403 Forbidden error issued by mod_rewrite.

Jim