it's a forum engine, a very limited one considering what's currently available.
it does have an ftp component but it's limited to uploading html pages &
images. I'll try changing the settings as you describe, if it doesn't work is
there a way to ferret out any link traps and use the exclude link function?
on my board there's nearly ten years of discussions, of which about %10 are
technical and worth every effort to preserve.

thanks again,