I modified my own php.ini file but the change doesn’t seem to take place, why?

In this article:

If you are on a Virtual Private Server (VPS) please see this FAQ.

If you are not on a VPS you likely either have a syntax error (did you include the [PHP] at the top of the file?) or you are specifying an invalid argument. Double check your spelling and check against a php info page to see if your change is taking place.