Custom php.ini install, again

I have read all the previous threads about how to set up a custom php.ini file to achieve larger file uploads. I have meticulously followed the instructions from the wiki at...

http://wiki.dreamhost.com/index.php/PHP.ini

... and...

http://wiki.dreamhost.com/Custom_PHP.ini

... and all I get as a result is a "404 not found..." error when trying to run any php page. If I comment out...

Action php-cgi /cgi-bin/php.cgi

... from my .htaccess file, the php pages load fine, although, without the custom php.ini file, just DH's defualt one.

I am pretty knowledgable about this stuff, and having carefully gone over this 10 times, re-done it from scratch each time, etc etc, it still isn't working. Any ideas what I might try to get this going? DH tech won't support this, but I sent them a message anyway, but I don't expect anything from them.

TIA

well well, it looks as if the solution was... to wait 10 minutes. Maybe apache hadn't reloaded, maybe some config file hadn't been re-read. But shortly after posting, it works as expected.

whew.