Ciao e intanto grazie per avermi risposto...
Le prove le sto facendo direttamente sul server finale avendo un server pubblico
e il mio file configure.php è praticamente uguale a quello che mi hai postato.... anzi ora ti allego il mio file di configurazione...
eccolo :
/*
$Id: configure.php,v 1.14 2003/07/09 01:15:48 hpdl Exp $
osCommerce, Open Source E-Commerce Solutions
http://www.oscommerce.com
Copyright (c) 2003 osCommerce
Released under the GNU General Public License
*/
// Define the webserver and path parameters
// * DIR_FS_* = Filesystem directories (local/physical)
// * DIR_WS_* = Webserver directories (virtual/URL)
define('HTTP_SERVER', ''); // eg,
http://localhost - should not be empty for productive servers
define('HTTPS_SERVER', ''); // eg,
https://localhost - should not be empty for productive servers
define('ENABLE_SSL', false); // secure webserver for checkout procedure?
define('HTTP_COOKIE_DOMAIN', '');
define('HTTPS_COOKIE_DOMAIN', '');
define('HTTP_COOKIE_PATH', '');
define('HTTPS_COOKIE_PATH', '');
define('DIR_WS_HTTP_CATALOG', '');
define('DIR_WS_HTTPS_CATALOG', '');
define('DIR_WS_IMAGES', 'images/');
define('DIR_WS_ICONS', DIR_WS_IMAGES . 'icons/');
define('DIR_WS_INCLUDES', 'includes/');
define('DIR_WS_BOXES', DIR_WS_INCLUDES . 'boxes/');
define('DIR_WS_FUNCTIONS', DIR_WS_INCLUDES . 'functions/');
define('DIR_WS_CLASSES', DIR_WS_INCLUDES . 'classes/');
define('DIR_WS_MODULES', DIR_WS_INCLUDES . 'modules/');
define('DIR_WS_LANGUAGES', DIR_WS_INCLUDES . 'languages/');
define('DIR_WS_DOWNLOAD_PUBLIC', 'pub/');
define('DIR_FS_CATALOG', dirname($HTTP_SERVER_VARS['SCRIPT_FILENAME']));
define('DIR_FS_DOWNLOAD', DIR_FS_CATALOG . 'download/');
define('DIR_FS_DOWNLOAD_PUBLIC', DIR_FS_CATALOG . 'pub/');
..... segue il connect del db che funziona

vedi qualkosa che nn va?
di certo 4 occhi so meglio di 2 !
Grazie