I’ve been trying to deploy a simple static HTML website (just index.html and an assets folder) using both the Netlify drop page and GitHub integration.
Despite following the correct steps, every deployment ends up as a Netlify Create Project, not as a Netlify Site. I’ve used Netlify multiple times, in incognito, even with a fresh account — but Netlify keeps creating “Projects” like jazzy-flan-afa069 instead of showing me a live .netlify.app link under the Sites dashboard.
Now I’m also getting this build error:
Build failed: found file owned by root
This is strange because I’m using Windows and didn’t use any elevated permissions to create or upload the files.
Here’s what I need help with:
Please help me disable or reset Netlify Create so I can deploy using Netlify Sites (the classic method).
Thank you for your response. I understand that “Sites” are now referred to as “Projects” in the UI. However, I’m not referring to just a label change — I’m experiencing a functional issue that is preventing proper deployment.
Despite using Netlify and trying GitHub deployment (multiple times, even with a fresh account), Netlify keeps routing my deployments into Netlify Create instead of treating them as traditional static site projects.
Here’s what happens:
I upload a simple index.html and assets/ folder.
Netlify creates a project (like jazzy-flan-afa069), but I never receive a live .netlify.app URL that renders the site.
In many cases, the build fails due to file permission errors like:
pgsql
CopyEdit
Build failed: found file owned by root
I’m using Windows and haven’t used elevated privileges. This issue seems related to how Netlify Create handles builds, not the static file permissions themselves.
I believe my account is defaulting to Netlify Create, which is blocking me from deploying a standard static site — the very thing Netlify is best known for.
Can you please help with the following:
Confirm if my account (mohammedmakaseb@gmail.com) is defaulting to Netlify Create
Help me force deploy using static hosting (classic workflow) instead of Netlify Create
Enable me to receive a working .netlify.app URL for my simple static site
Here’s my GitHub repo for reference:
I’ve tried this multiple times — even using a brand-new account — but the issue persists. I’m simply trying to deploy a traditional static HTML site with a custom domain.
Appreciate your help in resolving this so I can finally go live.
It’s not possible to “default to a Create project” as you say without first successfully deploying the site. Taking a look at the domain you mention, makasebinvestments.com, I’m seeing it successfully deployed here: timely-puffpuff-a34847.netlify.app.
In fact, I’m seeing several projects successfully deployed on your account in the last day. Please take a look at the project overview page to view those: Netlify
Thank you for your response. I understand that several projects have been deployed and that www.makasebinvestments.com is pointing to timely-puffpuff-a34847.netlify.app.
However, the issue is not that a project is deployed — it’s that the correct version of our static site (with our intended design and content) has never successfully gone live.
I am trying to deploy a simple static HTML website containing:
index.html
An assets/ folder with a logo
Sections for Real Estate, Gold, Shipping, Energy
Ownership details for Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Thani
Contact information and branding content
But every time I try to deploy this version (either using app.netlify.com/drop or via GitHub), I am either:
Routed into Netlify Create (which is not meant for static HTML)
Or encountering build errors such as:
“found file owned by root”
My goal is very simple: I want this correct static site version to be shown at my domain: www.makasebinvestments.com
