Allora ho provato ma confesso che di php ne so veramente poco
comunque ho tolto la riga dove c'è se il file esiste e una volta mi è funzionato. Per capirne anche un poco di più ora inizio a leggere i bei manualini di html.it pero' per chiudere questo problema vi riporto il codice perchè credo che sia a conoscenza di php quasi sorriderà per il mio problema cosi banale
vedro' di migliorare Ho capito grazie a voi che le righe in grassetto sono quelle da toccare devo lasciare intatto da copy in poi pero' come lo lego correttamente al resto del codice? grazias come sempre

ecco codice:
require("setup.php3");

if($doupload) {

if($ADMIN[RequirePass] == "Yes") {
if($password != "$ADMIN[Password]") {
echo("

<CENTER><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\">Error</FONT></CENTER></P>



<CENTER><TABLE WIDTH=\"450\" BORDER=\"0\" CELLSPACING=\"0\"
CELLPADDING=\"0\">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH=\"100%\" BGCOLOR=\"#000000\">
<TABLE WIDTH=\"450\" BORDER=\"0\" CELLSPACING=\"1\" CELLPADDING=\"2\">
<TR>
<TD COLSPAN=\"2\" BGCOLOR=\"#ffffff\">
<FONT COLOR=\"#000000\" SIZE=\"-1\" FACE=\"Verdana\">Invalid Password</FONT></TD>
</TR>
</TABLE></TD>
</TR>
</TABLE></CENTER></P>


<CENTER></CENTER></P>


<CENTER></CENTER></P>


<CENTER><FONT SIZE=\"-2\" FACE=\"Verdana\"><A HREF=\"http://www.phpscriptcenter.com/uploader.php3\" TARGET=\"_blank\">Uploader</A> Version 1.0

Copyright &COPY; 2000-2001 <A HREF=\"http://www.phpscriptcenter.com/\" TARGET=\"_blank\">PHPScriptCENTER.com</A></FONT></CENTER>
</BODY>
</HTML>");
exit();
}
}

$num = 0;
while($num < $ADMIN[UploadNum]) {
$num++;


$picture = "fileup$num"."_name";
$picture1 = $$picture;
$picture2 = "fileup$num";
$picture3 = $$picture2;

if($picture3 != "none") {
$filesizebtyes = filesize($picture3);

$ok = 1;
if($filesizebtyes < 10) {
$error .= "Error uploading (file size lower than 10 bytes) for file $num
";
$ok = 2;
}



if(file_exists("$ADMIN[directory]/$picture1") OR $ok == 2) {
$error .="File name already exists for file $num
";
} else {
copy ($picture3, "$ADMIN[directory]/$picture1");
$error .="File $num has been uploaded
";
}
}
}

if(!$error) {
$error .= "No files have been selected for upload";
}


echo("

<CENTER><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\">Status</FONT></CENTER></P>



<CENTER><TABLE WIDTH=\"450\" BORDER=\"0\" CELLSPACING=\"0\"
CELLPADDING=\"0\">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH=\"100%\" BGCOLOR=\"#000000\">
<TABLE WIDTH=\"450\" BORDER=\"0\" CELLSPACING=\"1\" CELLPADDING=\"2\">
<TR>
<TD COLSPAN=\"2\" BGCOLOR=\"#ffffff\">
<FONT COLOR=\"#000000\" SIZE=\"-1\" FACE=\"Verdana\">$error</FONT></TD>
</TR>
</TABLE></TD>
</TR>
</TABLE></CENTER></P>


<CENTER></CENTER></P>


<CENTER></CENTER></P>


<CENTER><FONT SIZE=\"-2\" FACE=\"Verdana\"><A HREF=\"http://www.phpscriptcenter.com/uploader.php3\" TARGET=\"_blank\">Uploader</A> Version 1.0

Copyright &COPY; 2000-2001 <A HREF=\"http://www.phpscriptcenter.com/\" TARGET=\"_blank\">PHPScriptCENTER.com</A></FONT></CENTER>
</BODY>
</HTML>");
exit();

} else {

$num = 0;
while($num < $ADMIN[UploadNum]) {
$num++;
$html .= "<TR>
<TD WIDTH=\"25%\" BGCOLOR=\"#295e85\">
<FONT COLOR=\"#ffffff\" SIZE=\"-1\" FACE=\"Verdana\">File $num:</FONT></TD>
<TD WIDTH=\"75%\" BGCOLOR=\"#ffffff\">
<INPUT NAME=\"fileup$num\" TYPE=\"file\" SIZE=\"25\">
</TD> ";
}

if($ADMIN[RequirePass] == "Yes") {
$passhtml = "

<CENTER><TABLE BORDER=\"0\" CELLSPACING=\"0\" CELLPADDING=\"0\">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH=\"100%\" BGCOLOR=\"#000000\">
<TABLE WIDTH=\"300\" BORDER=\"0\" CELLSPACING=\"1\" CELLPADDING=\"2\">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH=\"33%\" BGCOLOR=\"#295e85\">
<FONT COLOR=\"#ffffff\" SIZE=\"-1\" FACE=\"Verdana\">Password:</FONT></TD>
<TD WIDTH=\"67%\" BGCOLOR=\"#ffffff\">
<INPUT NAME=\"password\" TYPE=\"password\" SIZE=\"25\">
</TD>
</TR>
</TABLE></TD>
</TR>
</TABLE></CENTER></P>";
}

echo("<FORM ENCTYPE=\"multipart/form-data\" ACTION=\"uploader.php3\" METHOD=\"POST\">


<CENTER><FONT FACE=\"Verdana\">Upload</FONT></CENTER></P>



<CENTER><TABLE WIDTH=\"450\" BORDER=\"0\" CELLSPACING=\"0\" CELLPADDING=\"0\">
<TR>
<TD WIDTH=\"100%\" BGCOLOR=\"#000000\">
<TABLE WIDTH=\"450\" BORDER=\"0\" CELLSPACING=\"1\" CELLPADDING=\"2\">
<TR>
<TD COLSPAN=\"2\" BGCOLOR=\"#295e85\">
<FONT COLOR=\"#ffffff\" SIZE=\"-1\" FACE=\"Verdana\">Select Files</FONT></TD>

</TR>$html
</TABLE></TD>
</TR>
</TABLE></CENTER></P>$passhtml

<CENTER><INPUT NAME=\"doupload\" TYPE=\"submit\" VALUE=\"Upload Files\"></CENTER></FORM>


<CENTER></CENTER></P>


<CENTER></CENTER></P>


<CENTER><FONT SIZE=\"-2\" FACE=\"Verdana\"><A HREF=\"http://www.phpscriptcenter.com/uploader.php3\" TARGET=\"_blank\">Uploader</A> Version 1.0

Copyright &COPY; 2000-2001 <A HREF=\"http://www.phpscriptcenter.com/\" TARGET=\"_blank\">PHPScriptCENTER.com</A></FONT></CENTER>
</BODY>
</HTML>");
exit();
}


php?>