Your Google Apps Account, And The New Administrative Google Login

In some cases, the earlier provided procedure, for accessing the limited access domain administrator account, may not work, for your Google Apps domain.

For some Google Apps domains, you will need to reset the password using the Google administrative reset. Instead of the wizard at "accounts.google.com", you may need the administrative reset wizard, at "https://admin.google.com".

A Google Apps administrative account reset uses the same set of displays, as the previously discussed limited access account reset.

When you request administrative account reset, you first try the using default account name.

For my domain, if it had been purchased after November 2012, the default account name would be "bloggeradmin@nitecruzr.net". Yours will be "bloggeradmin@yourdomainURL" - whatever "yourdomainURL" actually is.

Domains purchased before December 2012 will apparently still use a Google Apps token sent in email or linked from Google Wallet.

As previously advised, always use one browser for Blogger and other Google activity like GMail, and the second for the Google Apps session. For best results, first clear cache, cookies and sessions (yes, all 3!), and restart the second browser.

Use the same account name, as advised - just substitute the administrative reset sequence.

https://admin.google.com/

Click on "Need help?".

Select "I don't know my password".

Enter your limited access Google Apps account name.
In most cases, you will go into the expected administrative account reset sequence.

With a mature account, where you have previously setup a custom administrative account, "bloggeradmin@yourdomainURL" may not be accepted. Now, you must try an extended administrative account reset.


If the limited access account, for your domain, is not operational, don't panic.

Return to the previous screen, and select "I don't know my username".

Now, you have other details to provide.


Whether you use the standard administrative reset - or the extended administrative reset - Google will send a password reset email message, to the backup email account associated with the domain. The email account should be the one used by the Blogger account, under which you purchased the domain.

Other than the previously enumerated cases where you can't use the recovery email address, this should be a reasonably straightforward process.

1. Access the new Google Administrator Login screen.
2. Click on "Need help?".
3. Request password reset.
4. Access the right email account.
5. Open, and execute the password reset email.
6. Hopefully, you're done.
7. If necessary, return to the previous screen.
8. Select "I don't know my username".
9. Provide additional details.
10. Go to Step 3.

Once you're in the Admin Console, you can check / set the auto renewal option setting, or you can retrieve the login instructions to access the registrar's zone editor - or do whatever else you need to do.

The next time you need to access the Admin Console, try to remember the previously set account name and password. And, if you feel up to it, add recovery options to your administrator account.

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Your Google Apps Account, And The New Google Login

In the not so distant past, explaining how to login to Google Apps was a painfully tedious process.

If I wanted to login to the Google Apps account for this domain, "nitecruzr.net", I would construct a URL in the browser address window (or use a bookmark)

https://www.google.com/a/nitecruzr.net/ServiceLogin

The URL for your domain would be different - and explaining the difference was frequently a nuisance, in the login sequence instructions.

When explaining how to login to a recently created limited access Apps account, I would focus on the account reset process.

For this domain, "nitecruzr.net", I would access the account reset wizard as

http://google.com/a/cpanel/nitecruzr.net/ResetAdminPassword

or possibly

http://google.com/a/nitecruzr.net/ResetAdminPassword

Again, your URLs would differ. Maintaining separate bookmarks, for each different domain, was a time sink.

With the new Google Apps integrated account login, all of that has changed.

Any time you start a process which involves Google accounts, first clear cache, cookies and sessions (yes, all 3!), and restart the browser.

Since the Google Apps login uses a different Google account, you'll need to use two browsers - as you do when transferring control of your blog.

Use one browser for Blogger and other Google activity like GMail, and the second for the Google Apps session. For best results, first clear cache, cookies and sessions (yes, all 3!), and restart the second browser.

Next, to login to the limited access Google Apps account for this domain, you simply go to the standard Google login screen, using the second browser.

https://accounts.google.com/ServiceLogin

You then click on "Need help?". On the next screen, select "I don't know my password", and enter the limited access Google Apps account name, for your domain.

For my domain, if it had been purchased after November 2012, the default account name would be the limited access "bloggeradmin@nitecruzr.net". Yours will be "bloggeradmin@yourdomainURL" - whatever "yourdomainURL" actually is.

Domains purchased before December 2012 will apparently still use a Google Apps token sent in email or linked from Google Wallet.

Enter the appropriate account name, click "Continue", and follow instructions.


Click on "Need help?".

Select "I don't know my password".

Enter your limited access Google Apps account name.
After you submit the password reset request, Google will send a password reset email message, to the backup email account associated with the domain. The email account, for a new Apps account, should be the email account used by the Blogger account, under which you purchased the domain.

The only problem which you can have is if the necessary email account can't be accessed.

• Being overly secretive, and basing the Blogger account on a bogus or inactive email address.
• Having the Blogger / Google account deleted for abusive practice.
• Never bothering to remember the email account and password.

In either case, without access to the right email account, you won't be able to reset the Google Apps account password - and you won't be able to gain / regain access to your Google Apps domain administrator account, aka the "Admin Console", for the domain in question.

Other than that one possible problem, it should be a straightforward process.

1. Access the new Google Login screen.
2. Click on "Need help?".
3. Request password reset.
4. Access the right email account.
5. Open, and execute the password reset email.

Once you're in the Admin Console, you can check / set the auto renewal option setting, or you can retrieve the login instructions to access the registrar's zone editor - or do whatever else you need to do.

If you're logging into Apps for a second time, and you remember the account name and password, it's simpler still. Access the new Google Login screen, enter the domain administrator account name and password, and login. Now, Google Apps is just one more Google application - but with its own unique account name.


If you remember the domain admin account name and password from last time, just login - and you're there.

Again, always open Google Apps in a second browser.

Other than the need to use a second browser, logging into Google Apps is now a series of bookmarks and simple scripts.

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In some cases, you may not be able to use the limited account reset sequence. Don't panic! Google also provides an administrative account reset process, for these situations!

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Blog Readers Report Comments, Supposedly Published Using A Mobile Computer, Appear To Disappear

Recently, we've been seeing a few problem reports in Blogger Help Forum: Something Is Broken, mentioning mobile computers and problems publishing comments on Blogger blogs.

My readers tell me that they can't comment on my blog, using an iPad. Comments disappear, when they try to publish them.

As with a previously explored problem with comments on a non mobile computer, this problem may involve unfamiliarity with the publishing sequence.

The dialogue involved in publishing a comment, when using a desktop computer with a full size display and a non mobile Blogger template, is not simple. Depending upon the various commenting options selected by the owner, the publishing sequence may be even more complex. Blog owners may need to consider the additional details involved in comment publishing, when using a mobile computer.

Using Blogger on a mobile computer involves various compromises - and the comment publishing process on a mobile computer even more compromises.

• The small display size, on a mobile computer, makes finding the various controls involved a challenge. Both the small size of everything involved, and the necessity of repeatedly scrolling around the screen, looking for the controls used in comment publishing, is frustrating.
• The "mobile template" is an attempt to make up for the small display size. The mobile template puts the various controls on a series of displays, with various buttons and links used to move from display to display.

People unaccustomed to the sequence of steps involved in the comment publishing process may not see all of the controls required, when using a mobile computer. Neither the wide non mobile template, nor the deep mobile template, displays the comment publishing sequence easily. People who are not very experienced with the comment publishing process, in general, might become confused with the displays.

As an example, let's look at the basic comment entry dialogue. So simple - when you are used to it, and can see all of the components.

• On a desktop / full function display, you'll see an entry box, and a "Publish" button beneath the box. You use the keyboard and / or mouse to enter text into the box, then click on the "Publish" button.
• When the required display space is larger than the physical screen space, you'll have a horizontal and / or vertical scroll bar, indicating that scrolling is required, to locate other display content. You'll use the mouse to manipulate the scroll bars, and make other portions of the display visible.
• A mobile display will have an entry box, and an on screen keyboard. The onscreen keyboard will occupy a fixed amount of display space, with the entry box occupying the available remainder.
• The mobile display won't have scroll bars - if other portions of the display are not immediately visible, you'll use your finger to scroll around the screen. If you are not familiar with screen layout, you'll have to scroll around, aimlessly.
• The "Publish" button will be somewhere near the entry box - but depending upon screen size and orientation, may not be immediately visible. You may have to scroll around the screen to find the "Publish" button.
• People not used to using a mobile computer may be unable to find the "Publish" button. Finding other display content that may appear to replace the "Publish" button, they may be confused when their comments are not published, and report that their comments disappeared.

Both the authentication sequence (when authentication is required), and the CAPTCHA entry sequence (when a CAPTCHA is involved), when involved in mobile computing commenting, will make the comment publishing process even more complicated. The authentication sequence may be more complex, if the browser in use has a problem with Blogger authentication - and "third party" cookies.

Since most blogs are designed primarily for non mobile computer use, commenting using mobile computers may not be obvious, for a while. Many readers may simply not publish comments, to the same activity level, when using their mobile computers.

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