How to password a web folders ?

[#1]

If you show me the .htaccess file, I can check it over for you.

[#2]

As I said I have deleted both these files from 'htdocs' but here is a copy from my hdd:-
AuthUserFile /share/isp/plusnet/www/wa/walter/htdocs/path/.htpasswd
AuthName "Please Log On"
AuthType Basic
require valid-user
At present I have no index.html, no htaccess and no htpasswd stored in 'htdocs',  but I am still locked out via www. ; If I have a choice I would have htdocs open to www and certain folders therein secure passworded.

[#3]

Is it the main walter.plus.com which you want to be password protected?
If so, remove the /path at the end, as this is saying to password protect the directory path, which is in htdocs.
I see that entry to walter.plus.com is forbidden. What other html files are in the htdocs directory

[#4]

No, only the subfolders when I get it working again.  I had renamed the index.html file which initially did let me in to see the folders, but since I failed to get password to work I cannot get in either.  (The attributes are set rwx--r--r which I think is correct)
Can you suggest how the flush out and get back to viewing www?
When I dir 'htdocs -a' there are 2 files '.' and '..'  dare I delete those?
In htdocs I've got two folders one with jpgs and another with  docs and  a bookmarks.html.  I have now deleted all html files in the htdocs folder.
Your patience appreciated David.

[#5]

The '.' is the current directory and '..' goes to the parent directory.
They aren't files.
Otherwise, put back in the index.html file, which will sort the problem.
Are you putting the .htaccess and .htpasswd in the htdocs file or in the folder which you want password protected?
You need to put them in the folder which is being password protected.

[#6]

i.e. .htaccess and .htpasswd need to go into the htdocs/path folder.