I wanted a simple web server so I could work on my web site and have a common header/foot .... and maybe a few other common items. SSI <!--#include ...> looked like the appropriate solution. Alas I can not get any SSI directive to work. I admit that the cause of the problem is my gross ignorance and plead for help for anyone who might have mercy on me.

(index.html) ---------------------------------------
<html>
<head>
   <title>Test page</title>
   <meta name="GENERATOR" content="NOTEPAD.EXE">
</head>
<body text="#000000" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" link="#FFFF00" vlink="#FFFFF0">
The next line should be an included file h1.shtml.
<br>
<!-- #include virtual = "h1.shtml" -->
<!-- #include virtual = "/h1.shtml" -->
<!-- #include virtual = "../h1.shtml" -->
<!--#include virtual = "../h1.shtml" -->
<br>
The next line should be an included file h2.shtml.
<br>
<!-- #include file = "h2.shtml" -->
<!-- #include file = "/h2.shtml" -->
<!-- #include file = "../h2.shtml" -->
<!--#include file = "../h2.shtml" -->
<br>
<!-- #echo var="REMOTE_ADDR" --> 
<!-- #printenv -->
<br>
XXX
</body>
</html>

(h1.shtml) ---------------------------------------
<html>
Test Include file (h1.shtml)
</html>

(h2.shtml) ---------------------------------------
Test Include file (h1.shtml)

The only thing that shows in the browser (Google Chrome and IE8) is:
--------------------------------------

The next line should be an included file h1.shtml. 

The next line should be an included file h2.shtml. 

XXX

[/b]
--------------------------------------
I searched for SSI on the forum.
XSSI Processing is enabled.
Error Message and Time format String are blank.
XSSI extensions are "shtml, shtm, stm"
XSSI path is "/"
ASP.NET Applications Virtual Path is "/"
Scripting is enabled.
No scripting parameters are set.
Scripting Interpreters, Script paths, Customer Enviroment Variables are Blank.
Operating environment is Windows XP Professional with all services packs and patchs running in a VM under VMWARE workstation 7.1.3.
Any help is very much appreciated.