I couldn't find anywhere more relevant to put this, so I decided to go for the miscellaneous forum. I was tempted to put it in to cPanel, but it's not directly related to it. If a mod's got a better suggestion, do feel free to move it.

Firstly, I should probably make it clear that AstaHost is my first host. As such, I have little experience with the structure of a site. Looking at File Manager just now led me to see a stackload of files that I 1) have no idea what they do, and 2) don't remember seeing there when I first started my hosting plan. There's also a few that I vaguely remember being around, but I'm not entirely sure why they're needed. Let me go through what I've got:

In the "root" directory:

.cpanel (folder)
.fantasticodata (folder)
.sqmaildata (folder)
.trash (folder)
.cgi-bin (folder)
etc (folder)
mail (folder)
public_ftp (folder)
public_html (folder)
www (folder
.bash_logout
.bash_profile
.bashrc
.contactemail
.contactsavetime
.lastlogin
.mailboxlist

I'm pretty sure most of that stuff isn't entirely necessary. Take .sqmaildata, for example. I used the Squirrel Mail thing once while I had a quick look at a test email during the time I was setting up Outlook Express. Do I need to keep it? Will it damage anything if I get rid of it? What about .fantasticodata? Again, I used it a little while ago but haven't touched it since (and don't intend to).

I assume .cpanel is vital, but there's a fair amount of stuff in the root directory alone that I'm pretty sure is surplus to requirements. I'm starting to wish I'd made a list when I first got the hosting.

Perhaps someone (ideally someone who definitely knows what's vital and what isn't ) could make such a list? Ideally it would include subfolders, too (so what you get when you first create a hosting account) for the benefit of the rest of us who aren't quite so technically minded. Sure, I'm well on my way to creating a website (locally, I might add), but it's the top-level admin side that I'm not entirely up-to-scratch with.

Thanks!

EDIT: Hmmm...it seems that the "www" folder is actually a shortcut to "public_html". Also, do I have to have all of these MS FrontPage files lurking everywhere?

This post has been edited by Mordent: Sep 16 2007, 12:02 PM

Well, since these folders take very little room, I suggest leaving them alone! Most of them can go and when you log into cPanel again, the important ones will be recreated. You must keep the following:
mail
public_html
public_ftp
www

Without these, your data will be lost. Most of the others, as far as I know, are just settings files that keep your preferences stored.

Yes, www is a"shortcut" to public_html. This is a security precaution. This way only the "shortcut" is available to the public while the files are kept away in another folder. You must have both to work correctly.

Again, since we are talking about very little storage space for these "extra" files and folders, I recommend leaving them alone.

vujsa

ive got all of those too, ill just leave them.

i also have the ssl folder cos i clicked on the ssl button in my cpanel, lol. actually somehow ive accumulated alot since i first got my hosting. i saw my best friends file manager (hosted on astahost) and hes only got like half the stuff i have. ah well im not gonna touch them cos i dont no wot half of them are.

You should just keep them there just for the sake of having the system running as smoothly and painless as possible. I don't think you'd want Astahost to reset your account and lose data from your account.

xboxrulz

actually xbox, click here

i made that topic a while ago and didnt get a reply, lol

*chuckles* Okay, as long as the general consensus is for me to leave them alone I will.

I can't help but feel they make my site pretty messy, though, so do be prepared for me to delete them in a spurt of tidiness in the next few weeks and come crawling back here saying you lot were right all along.

no one else will know about them

they have nothing to do with the actual files that make up your website

all that people can see is the stuff in the public_html folder

just leave them there to save time and annoyance.

Fair enough, I'll leave them there, then. What about all of the stuff in the subfolders, though? As an example, in public_html there are a stack of files/folders with "_vti_..." in the name. I gather they're something to do with MS FrontPage, but if I don't plan on using it do I still need them?

i dont have a clue what they do so if you really want to you can delete them

ive just deleted my whole site and everything cos im starting from scratch, but ive left everything (i hope) there that came with my hosting when i first got it.

True, but I'd still like to get a more "official" view on this. I've made a backup of my site, so if something does go wrong I can always get it back, but I'd love to know what each little part of the hosting (when first created) does. Do bear in mind that it could be a pretty lengthy post, getting you a good number of hosting credits. *hint hint*