I am looking for a members system where they can log-in and veiw current projects that i am helping them with. (I create the projects).
They can also acess downloads page
Take a look at this completed solution.www.diofant.com. This script (Alasdin)resolves your task. When you register new member, protected area(directories) are created specially for this new member (with subdirectories and files inside this area). Only this user has access to his personal directory.
If you've got PHP5.n available, I can have this done very quickly, I have the package, all I'd need to do is perhaps limit access so clients can't see one anothers projects.