Disallowed Path Characters

I did a search in the knowledge base, and a search on the forums, but I didn't find the phrase 'Disallowed Path Characters'. I am moving a forum from a server where the admin used the physical path (c:\websites\etc) as the strDbPathAndName to point to the location of the forum database to a hosted server where I need to use the virtual path. The database is an Access database. In the WebWiz Guide, on the 'Securing Your Microsoft Access Database' page (http://www.webwiz.net/webwizforums/kb/moving_access_database.asp), step 4 indicates that I should use ../ to move up the directory tree. However, when I defined the virtual path in database_connection.asp and then attempted to access the forum, I got the error message below:

Server.MapPath() error 'ASP 0175 : 80004005'
Disallowed Path Characters
/forum/database/database_connection.asp, line 87
The '..' characters are not allowed in the Path parameter for the MapPath method.

If I can't use those characters, how do I reference the database outside the root of the website? Or do I have to put the database under the root directory on a hosted server?

Thanks.

Looks like this may be the cause, however, I note you are on a hosted environment, so you may not be able to make the change. The following blog http://www.bennadel.com/blog/153-The-Characters-Are-Not-Allowed-In-The-Path-Parameter-For-The-MapPath-Method.htm also indicates that the command Request.ServerVariables("APPL_PHYSICAL_PATH")  may be of use as it gives the physical path. 

Allowing parent paths should fix this and allow you to use ../

Ha, yes, Access=poo. If I had my druthers the site would be using SQL on Linux, but I'm just a contractor trying to reassemble the pieces my client has left after dissolving a relationship with the person who set the site up. So, if I change the file extension, the database will still work?