Troubleshooting Your Custom Domain Problems

Of the many accessories and features in Blogger, Custom Domain Publishing is possibly the most problematic.

Looking at the Labels index in this blog, I see the Custom Domains label on 317 posts (as of 2013/11/21) - which makes it one of the most heavily labeled single topics here. There are several challenges with diagnosing and resolving a custom domain problem.

• It has various different causes.
• It leads to many different symptoms, which can easily be confused for other problems.
• Its symptoms can be chronic or intermittent- and may be immediate, or may take months to exhibit themselves.
• It may require resolution by any blog guest, by the blog owner, by Blogger Support, and / or by a third party such as the domain registrar.

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As you read this article, click on some of the many links in the text, and read the linked articles. Please think of this article as the first chapter in a very large book - right now, a book with 317 chapters.

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How To Use This Guide

• Always start properly, with righteous DNS addresses.
• Verify DNS addresses, using Dig. If any doubt about Dig results, compare logs from multiple Dig utilities, including a Dig against the authoritative domain server. Possibly 90% of all custom domain problems are caused, directly or indirectly, by spurious DNS addresses.
  
• If examination of multiple Dig logs shows righteous DNS addresses, look at HTTP traces against the BlogSpot and domain URLs.
  
• If neither Dig nor HTTP traces provide a definitive diagnosis, consider that you have internal database corruption.
• As you diagnose your DNS setup, only look at "A" and "CNAME" records.
• As you diagnose and / or fix the problem, do not delete the Google Apps administrative desktop account.

These are the known custom domain publishing diagnoses. Here's a brief, one line summary of the problems, which are discussed, in some detail, farther below. Click on any one, if it looks promising, to jump to the detail discussion.

• Domain Purchase Unsuccessful
• Only Name Registration Purchased, No DNS Hosting
• Domain Addresses Not Defined
• Domain Ownership Not Verified
• Non Google DNS server Part Of Configuration
• Domain Addresses Not Properly Chosen
• Domain Previously Registered, And Used In Blogger
• Domain Registration Expired
• Blog Published To Domain, Using Mixed Case URL
• Blog Published To Domain Root, With Asymmetrical DNS
• Domain Redirected To Google Ad Services, Sites, or Start Page URL
• Domain Published, Partially
• Internal Blogger Database Corruption
• The Blog And Domain Are In Transition
• All Issues May Not Be Discussed Here

Domain Purchase Unsuccessful

• The domain will not be setup. The blog may, or may not, be published to the domain.
• This will follow use of "Buy a domain".
• The primary symptoms will vary. We see both "404 Not Found", and "Another blog is already hosted at this address", fairly common for this problem.
• This will be an issue for newly purchased domains.
• It will be diagnosed by use of the WhoIs log showing "xxxxxxx.xxx appears to be available", and verified by examination of the Google Checkout logs, and bank account ledger entries.
• The blog owner generally has to correct a problem with his bank account, then repeat the purchase of the domain.

Only Name Registration Purchased, No DNS Hosting

• The domain will not be setup, nor the blog published to the domain.
• This will follow domain registration, purchased from a third party registrar.
• The primary symptom will be the query "What are the DNS servers for Google?", "I need 2 IP addresses for my domain!", or "I can only change NameServer1, NameServer2 in my domain setup!".
• This will be an issue for newly purchased domains.
• It will be diagnosed by the stated symptom, with the blogger confirming the diagnosis by checking the registrar's invoice to see what services were paid for.
• The blogger will have to arrange for DNS hosting - free or paid - but choose the right DNS hosting service. A free third party DNS hosting service may be useful, in this case.

Domain Addresses Not Defined

• The blog will not be successfully published to the domain.
• This will follow domain registration using "Buy a domain".
• The primary symptom will be "Another blog is already hosted at this address", in the Settings - Basic - Publishing display.
• This will occur for new custom domains.
• It will be diagnosed using an excerpted Dig log, for both domain URLs.
• Here, the blogger will be advised to contact Google Apps Support, for any domain purchase issues.

Domain Ownership Not Verified

• The blog will not be successfully published to the domain.
• The primary symptom will be an "Error 12" or variant (we have observed "Error 12", "Error 13", "Error 14", and "Error 32", in reported various forum topics), when using the the Settings - Basic - Publishing wizard.
• This may follow domain registration, purchased from a third party registrar, or using "Buy a domain".
• This will occur for new custom domains - as well as for mature domain being re published.
• This will be diagnosed using an excerpted Dig log, for both domain URLs. Base DNS addresses should also be verified, to ensure a righteous setup.
• The blog owner will be advised to add or verify presence of the proper domain ownership verification "CNAME". This may involve adding an updated "CNAME", and / or carefully examining the format of the "CNAME", as entered in the "Zone Edit" registrar display. Some blog owners may need to use a free third party DNS hosting service, to allow for registrars who cannot support the necessary "CNAME".

Non Google DNS server Part Of Configuration

• The blog may, or may not, be successfully published to the domain.
• This will follow domain registration, purchased from a third party registrar.
• The primary symptom may be "Another blog is already hosted at this address" (for new custom domains, in the Settings - Basic - Publishing display), or conversely "404 Not Found" (for long existing custom domains, when viewing the blog). The symptoms will be observed intermittently, when the non Google server is referenced.
• Possible secondary symptoms:
  • Blog feeds, intermittently not redirected from the native BlogSpot URL.
  • Commenting problems.
• It will be diagnosed using an excerpted Dig log, for the domain root.
• It is typically resolved by a 4 step process. For best results, follow this procedure religiously.
  1. Publish the blog back to BlogSpot.
  2. Correct the DNS addresses.
  3. Wait for the DNS latency period to expire. This is important. Failure to consider DNS latency may later lead to Internal Database Corruption. This period will vary, as a result of the TTL setting in the "A" / "CNAME" referral.
  4. Republish to the domain URL.

Domain Addresses Not Properly Chosen

• The blog may, or may not, be successfully published to the domain.
• This will follow domain registration, purchased from a third party registrar.
• The primary symptom may be "Another blog is already hosted at this address" (for new custom domains, in the Settings - Basic - Publishing display), or conversely "404 Not Found" (for long existing custom domains, when viewing the blog).
• Possible secondary symptoms:
  • Blog feeds, unreliably redirected from the native BlogSpot URL.
  • Commenting problems.
• It will be diagnosed using an excerpted Dig log, for both domain URLs.
• It is typically resolved by a 4 step process. For best results, follow this procedure religiously.
  1. Publish the blog back to BlogSpot.
  2. Correct the DNS addresses.
  3. Wait for the DNS latency period to expire. This is important. Failure to consider DNS latency may later lead to Internal Database Corruption. This period will vary, as a result of the TTL setting in the "A" / "CNAME" referral.
  4. Republish to the domain URL.

Domain Previously Registered, And Used In Blogger

• A Blogger blog was successfully published to the domain, at one time - by a different person. It is now not successfully published.
• This may follow domain registration, purchased from a third party registrar, or using "Buy a domain".
• The primary symptom will be "Another blog ...", when attempting to publish / re publish the blog to the domain.
• It will be diagnosed using an excerpted Dig log, for the BlogSpot, and both domain, URLs.
• It will be resolved using the Custom Domain Reset form - and much patience by the current domain owner.

Domain Registration Expired

• The blog was successfully published to the domain, at one time.
• This may follow domain registration, long ago purchased from a third party registrar, or using "Buy a domain".
• The primary symptom may be unexpected content, displayed by the blog. The nature of the unexpected content will vary.
  1. In most cases, and when the blog owner is lucky, the domain will be dead, or maybe display a page of ads or an "Offsite Warning" interstitial display.
  2. In rare cases, and when the blog owner is not lucky, the blog will display contents of another blog, another website, or an "Offsite Warning" interstitial display.
• It will be diagnosed using a WhoIs log, which shows expiry and last update dates, for the domain.
• There are two possible resolutions (see two primary symptoms, above, for possible variants).
  1. With the blog owner being lucky, it is in the control of the registrar. After domain registration is renewed, the problem is resolved by the 4 step process. For best results, follow this procedure religiously.
     1. Publish the blog back to BlogSpot.
     2. If necessary (and possible), contact the registrar, and renew the registration. Then, correct the DNS addresses.
     3. Wait for the DNS latency period to expire. This is important. Failure to consider DNS latency may later lead to Internal Database Corruption. This period will vary, as a result of the TTL setting in the "A" / "CNAME" referral.
     4. Republish to the domain URL.
  2. If the blog owner was not lucky, the domain may now be in the hand of an unknown party. This will be a subject for another article.

Blog Published To Domain, Using Mixed Case URL

• The blog will be successfully published to the domain, but will not be visible from either BlogSpot or domain URLs.
• This may follow domain registration, purchased from a third party registrar, or using "Buy a domain".
• The primary symptom will be a "404 Not Found", when attempting to view the blog using either the BlogSpot or domain URLs.
• This will, typically, occur for new custom domains, immediately after the end of the 3 Day Transition Period.
• It will be diagnosed using a RexSwain HTTP Trace set, starting from the BlogSpot URL.
• It is typically resolved by publishing the blog back to BlogSpot, then re publishing to the correct URL, using all lower case letters.

Blog Published To Domain Root, But Asymmetrical DNS Used

• The blog will not be successfully published to the domain.
• This may follow domain registration, purchased from a third party registrar, or using "Buy a domain" - though "Buy a domain" will be far more commonly seen.
• The primary symptom will be a "404 Not Found", when attempting to view the blog using either the BlogSpot or domain URLs - or the warning "Blogs may not be hosted at naked domains." or "Another blog or Google Site is already using this address.", when trying to publish or re publish the blog to the domain.
• This will, typically, occur for new custom domains.
• It will be diagnosed using a RexSwain HTTP Trace set, starting from the BlogSpot URL, and confirmed with a screen print of the Publishing wizard display, taken as the blog owner sees the error message in question.
• It is typically resolved by publishing to the "www" alias.

Domain Redirected To Google Ad Services, Sites, or Start Page URL

• The blog will not be successfully published to the domain.
• This may follow domain registration, purchased from a third party registrar, or using "Buy a domain".
• The primary symptom will be "Another blog is already hosted at this address", in the Settings - Basic - Publishing display.
• This will typically occur for new custom domains.
• It will be diagnosed using a RexSwain HTTP Trace, starting from either domain URL.
• It is typically resolved by deactivating or resetting the Ad Services, Sites, or Start Page service, using Google Apps.

Blog Published Partially, To The Custom Domain URL

• The blog will appear successfully published to the domain.
• This may follow domain registration, purchased from a third party registrar, or using "Buy a domain".
• The primary symptom will be "404 Not Found", when viewing the blog using one of the domain URLs - and the blog will still be published to the BlogSpot URL.
• It will be diagnosed using an excerpted Dig log, for the BlogSpot, and both domain, URLs. If each of the above diagnoses are eliminated, one by one, and "404 Not Found" is still observed, internal database corruption is the only remaining possibility.
• It is typically resolved by re publishing the blog to the domain. This symptom may mask a Service Redirect, or Internal Database Corruption.
• As you diagnose the problem, re publish the blog to the domain, and / or recycle the domain settings, please do not delete the Apps desktop account.

Internal Blogger Database Corruption

• The blog will not be successfully published to the domain.
• This may follow domain registration, purchased from a third party registrar, or using "Buy a domain".
• The primary symptom will be "Another blog or Google Site is already using this address." (or a similar phrasing), in the Settings - Basic - Publishing display.
• It will be diagnosed using an excerpted Dig log, for both domain URLs. If the above diagnoses are all eliminated, one by one, and "Another blog ..." is still observed, database corruption is the only remaining possibility.
• It is typically resolved by recycling the domain settings in Google Apps, and / or use of the Custom Domain Reset form.
• As you diagnose the problem and / or recycle the domain settings, please do not delete the Apps desktop account.

The Blog And Domain Are In Transition

• The domain will be setup - but will not redirect. The blog will be published to the domain URL.
• This will follow use of "Buy a domain".
• The primary symptom will be seen only by the owner (when properly logged in to Blogger). When clicking on the "View Blog" dashboard button / link, the owner will see an "In Transition" display.
• This will be a temporary issue, for newly purchased domains, successful purchased.
• It will be diagnosed using an excerpted Dig log, for the BlogSpot, and both domain, URLs.
• It will go away, when Transition expires, 72 to 96 hours after successful domain purchase and registration. The blog, and the domain, will then redirect properly.
• While you wait for Transition to expire, spend time reading what you will want to do, when Transition is complete.

All Issues May Not Be Yet Discussed Here
You could, occasionally, have a problem which is not diagnosed in this Guide - and in that case, please ask for help, politely, in Blogger Help Forum: Something Is Broken.

Before asking for help, you can help the helpers if you have tried some affinity diagnostics or maybe some differential diagnostics - and if you are aware that not all problems may be exclusively caused by Blogger.

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And if it's not too late, read Setting Up A Custom Domain, before you start.

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A Blog Published To A Custom Domain Has A New URL - And No More

We see occasional signs of naivete, in Blogger Help Forum: How Do I?, about custom domain publishing.

Can I publish to a custom domain - and still use the Blogger dashboard?

and

Can I publish to a custom domain - and keep my comments and posts?

and

Can I publish to a custom domain - and avoid TOS restrictions?

Some blog owners seem to see custom domain publishing as more than it actually is.

When you publish your blog to a non BlogSpot URL (aka custom domain), using a proper setup, your blog now has a new URL.

The BlogSpot URL continues to work - and to direct search engines bots, search query results, and visitors, to the blog.

If your blog uses Google+ Comments, you won't see the comments published to the BlogSpot URL - although the comments will still exist, and be visible, in Google+.

Some accessory gadgets will stop working, temporarily, shortly after the new URL starts working. This is an unavoidable result of the Internet address lookup infrastructure, aka DNS.

Other than those details, you'll have the same blog as before - just with an extra URL, that may be more valuable to the search engines.

• The Blogger blog will still be hosted by Blogger / Google, and will use the Blogger dashboard for maintenance and publishing.
• The blog will be served subject to Auto Pagination.
• The blog will be subject to the same content restrictions - both porn labeling, and malware / spam deletion, will be consequences of any infractions.
• The blog will be subject to the same deletion recovery restrictions.

Just as any time you change the URL of your blog, you'll face changes in external relationships, such as with your readers, and with search engines and other services. Don't do this without careful planning, and methodical execution!

For the few times when your domain fails, see my troubleshooting check list - but prevent problems best, by first setting it up properly, and by observing your own limitations.

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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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Is A Custom Domain URL More Valuable Than A BlogSpot URL?

We see the question, about relative value of a custom domain, periodically in Blogger Help Forum: How Do I?.

Does a custom URL actually have value, over a normal BlogSpot URL?

Some people wonder if a custom URL isn't similar to a custom ("vanity") license plate, for your car.

Personally, I can think of 3 reasons why a custom domain might be more valuable, for your Blogger blog.

• Some people believe that having your own domain makes your blog more individual and interesting - and they may be more likely to visit your blog when presented to them, in a search list.
• Since domains are not free, there are less dormant domains than dormant BlogSpot subdomains. It may be easier for you to get the relevant domain of your choice, than the relevant BlogSpot subdomain.
• A properly chosen domain URL may be easier for people to remember, than a BlogSpot URL.

Some people believe that their car is more fun, if it has a license plate that properly reflects their personality.

We know that Blogger blogs, published to a custom domain, have no special qualities. Is the address so special?

Maybe the belief makes the value. People who buy non BlogSpot URLs are not doing so to waste time or money, they do so because they believe that they will benefit. Many people, who read the advice / content of the people who buy non BlogSpot URLs, will also believe that non BlogSpot URLs have value.

Those people will pay more attention to a non BlogSpot URL, than to a BlogSpot URL, when they see a SERP entry that references a non BlogSpot URL - simply because they believe that a non BlogSpot URL has more value than a BlogSpot URL.

Why did Blogger provide the custom domain publishing feature, originally? They did so because:

1. Non BlogSpot URLs are more valuable than BlogSpot URLs.
2. People believe that Non BlogSpot URLs are more valuable than BlogSpot URLs.
3. People who buy Non BlogSpot URLs believe that Non BlogSpot URLs are more valuable than BlogSpot URLs.

Possibly, #3 makes the whole issue self fulfilling.

People believe - therefore, it is true.

That said, a custom URL will have more value if you set it up properly, and if you manage the new URL, aggressively.

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New Custom Domains Purchased From A Registrar, And Lacking The Transition Period For New Domains

We've known about the Transition period, which has applied to domains purchased through Blogger, for a few years.

Under Transition, domains purchased using "Buy a Domain" were only partially published, immediately after the domain purchase - with the publishing process completed, several days later. The Transition period allowed for the domain, newly setup by "Buy a Domain", to become fully visible on the Internet, before blogs subject to Transition were re published.

The Transition period was originally applied to blogs re published using "Buy a Domain", to delay redirection of the BlogSpot URL to the domain URL, until after a new domain was fully visible, to all Internet DNS servers.

Transition was designed to apply to new domains, purchased using "Buy a Domain", with the hope that domains purchased outside "Buy a Domain" would not need Transition.

When "Buy a Domain" was active, most blogs being published to domains not just purchased using "Buy a Domain" did not require Transition.

• Blogs published to domains, purchased directly from a registrar, would be owned by people with experience setting up domains. People with experience would be able to cope better with the DNS Latency, and inherent instability, involved with new domains.
• Some blogs would be published to mature domains, which would not need Transition at all.

With the ending of the "Buy a Domain" feature, we now have every new domain owner, experienced and not, purchasing domains directly from registrars.

In many cases, Transition is not needed for newly purchased domains, when the owner is not experienced. Inexperienced domain owners make mistakes, when setting up their domains. The domain setup process creates its own limited length "Transition" period, for inexperienced domain owners.

Recently, some domain owners have reported a new symptom, when using the Publishing wizard, to publish their blogs to their newly purchased domains.

This operation failed. Try again later. If the problem persist, please file a post on the help forum.

This new symptom may be replacing the long dreaded "Another blog or Google Site is already using this address.".

Most domain owners, seeing "This operation failed.", have domains with bad DNS addresses. They are generally instructed

You need to correct your DNS addresses.

Those not instructed to correct their DNS addresses should probably be advised

Your DNS addresses are righteous. You now need to wait 24 to 48 hours, for the newly purchased domain to be visible, everywhere on the Internet.

The latter advice will be necessary, simply because the domain was properly setup, immediately - even with the domain not fully visible across the entire Internet.

What happens with gadgets, which need updating, is yet to be observed.

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Blog Owners Reporting Custom Domain Setup Showing "This operation failed."

This week, we're seeing a few reports, in Blogger Help Forum: Something Is Broken from blog owners, trying to publish their blogs to custom domains.

I'm trying to use the Publishing wizard - and I'm seeing a new error.

This operation failed. Try again later. If the problem persist, please file a post on the help forum.

What has Blogger changed, recently?

It appears that we are now seeing a new phrasing of the well known error

Another blog is already hosted at this address

The majority of the domains showing this error, when checked, have bogus or missing DNS addresses. We see the usual demurrals.

I just got off the phone with the registrar. They say everything is fine on their end.

This is simply more of the same - registrars that still do not understand the importance of using referral, as opposed to forwarding, for custom domain publishing.

Once again, I cannot over emphasise the importance of righteous DNS addresses, when setting up a custom domain. It appears that, contrary to current instructions from Blogger Help, there is still just one working DNS address model, for custom domain publishing.

If you try to publish your blog to a custom domain, and the domain has any DNS addresses defined, the addresses must be righteous. If the defined addresses do not match the one known DNS model, expect now to see a new monolithic error.

This operation failed.

In some cases, it's possible that newly purchased domains, not subject to the Transition period earlier provided by "Buy a Domain", may display this error because of DNS propagation latency. New domain owners, even when they are able to setup a domain properly, may see this error because the new domain is simply not visible to all Internet DNS servers.

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Click On The "X" (If You Can Find It - And If You Mean To Do It)

The custom domain publishing form, in the dashboard Publishing wizard, causes confusion.

Occasionally, we see evidence of the confusion, in Blogger Help Forum: Something Is Broken.

I need to cancel my domain - but Blogger won't let me!

or

I clicked on my dashboard, and now my blog isn't published to my domain!

These blog owners, and more, are perplexed by the Publishing overlay form, displayed for a blog published to a custom domain.

The custom domain overlay, in the dashboard Basic - Publishing wizard, is very elegant. The overlay design is similar to forms used by Blogger and Google+, to display photos.

The "overlay" form is appropriately designed, for its use. The form follows the function - and reflects the status of the blog. For all that, it's diabolically subtle.

The normal display, for a blog published to BlogSpot, is a simple box, containing the current BlogSpot URL - and an "Edit" link, used to change the published BlogSpot URL. If this blog were still published as "bloggerstatusforreal.blogspot.com", for instance, I would see

bloggerstatusforreal.blogspot.com Edit

Clicking on the "Edit" link, I would get the wizard, to re publish the blog under a different BlogSpot URL.

The display for a custom domain published blog overlays the normal BlogSpot URL box. With this blog published as "blogging.nitecruzr.net" (but still retaining the BlogSpot URL "bloggerstatusforreal.blogspot.com"), I see a simple box.

blogging.nitecruzr.net Edit X
bloggerstatusforreal.blogspot.com redirects

This simple box "overlays" the previous box.

bloggerstatusforreal.blogspot.com Edit

This justifies the use of the "overlay" design, I suspect.

If I want to return the blog to the "bloggerstatusforreal.blogspot.com" published URL, I have to simply click on the "X", to the right of "Edit". The "overlay" box closes - as the blog is re published, to the BlogSpot URL.

It's that simple.

• When I can see the "X".
• When I understand what the "X" is intended for.
• When I intend to return the blog to the BlogSpot URL.

At other times, not so simple - not so obvious to everybody - and not so appreciated.

If you were to request assistance, in the forum.

How do I publish the blog back to BlogSpot?

The answer should be very simple.

Click on the "X".

How elegant - and how non useful. In strict online etiquette, it's rude. Since you are requesting assistance, it's possible that you don't see the "X" or do not understand its function.

To avoid causing more frustration, I provide some detail.

Click on the "X", to the right of the "Edit" link".

To make sure that I am instructing you properly, I first must make sure that the blog is properly published to the domain. I request verification of what you are seeing.

Please provide a screen print, showing the Publishing wizard, in the dashboard Settings - Basic display.

Later seeing the properly produced screen print, which indicates the blog properly published to the domain, I can then reply, confidently.

Click on the "X".

Such is life, in the Blogger elegance.

And, if you "accidentally" happen to click on the "X" without meaning to do so, your domain promptly (within limits of cache expiration) goes offline, as the blog only responds to a BlogSpot URL.

Oh yes, the "Edit" link, visible when the blog is published to the domain, does lead to an essential function - the ability to select the option.

Redirect nitecruzr.net to blogging.nitecruzr.net

Again, not always a good idea.

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Custom Domain Instability Caused By Using Unacceptable Servers

A few blog owners become confused by the necessary configuration of the domain root, when setting up their custom domains.

Some blog owners, who do not have a good understanding of DNS principles, make mistakes when setting up the domain root (aka "naked" domain). From good intentions (trying to ensure that the domain performs better or differently), their naivete may actually make the domain perform worse - or not at all.

With more blog owners unable to buy a domain through Blogger, and forced to setup their own DNS addresses, this will become an increasingly critical issue.

Blogger designed the custom domain feature to use "A" / "CNAME" referral, instead of DNS / frame forwarding.

The most obvious referral configuration - dual "CNAME" aka "symmetrical" DNS - is not supported by all registrars. Some registrars refuse to allow "CNAME" definition of the domain root, by policy.

To make custom domain publishing more globally usable, Blogger provided an alternative to dual "CNAME" referral - a hybrid configuration which uses 4 x "A" referral, for the domain root. This configuration is also known as "asymmetrical" DNS.

Asymmetrical DNS uses 4 Google servers, accessed in a round robin sequence, to define the domain root.

mydomain.com.  3600 IN A 216.239.32.21
mydomain.com.  3600 IN A 216.239.34.21
mydomain.com.  3600 IN A 216.239.36.21
mydomain.com.  3600 IN A 216.239.38.21
www.mydomain.com. 3600 IN CNAME ghs.google.com.

Round robin DNS is pretty simple. Each server in the set is queried by the DNS client on the readers computer, in sequence, until one server responds. The first responding server is required to provide a suitable answer. If the first responding server provides an unsuitable answer, the DNS client has no alternative but to display yet another version of

Server Not Found
Error 404

Google uses the 4 servers to provide quadruple redundancy. One server is designed to handle the entire workload, at any time - with 4 servers, and each server running at 25% of full load. If any one server has to be temporarily taken out of service, they still have 3 servers - with each server running at 33% of full load.

During scheduled maintenance - and with triple redundancy, even two simultaneous emergencies (with 2 servers out of service, unscheduled) will not cause an immediate, major problem. This allows Google Engineers to schedule routine network maintenance as mutually convenient for everybody in their group - even considering the global need for Blogger services, on a 3600 x 24 x 7 x 56 basis.

There is one weakness of round robin DNS. All servers, in the set, have to be equally capable of performing reliably. A naive blog owner, including any additional or different server, in the set, risks having one server, responding to the round robin access - but providing an unsuitable answer.

mydomain.com.  3600 IN A 50.63.202.39
mydomain.com.  3600 IN A 216.239.32.21
mydomain.com.  3600 IN A 216.239.34.21
mydomain.com.  3600 IN A 216.239.36.21
mydomain.com.  3600 IN A 216.239.38.21
www.mydomain.com. 3600 IN CNAME ghs.google.com.

What is 50.63.202.39?

ip-50-63-202-39.ip.secureserver.net (50.63.202.39)

50.62.0.0 - 50.63.255.255
GoDaddy.com, LLC GO-DADDY-COM-LLC (NET-160-153-0-0-1) 160.153.0.0 - 160.153.255.255

GoDaddy uses forwarding - not referral - to direct traffic. Here, some (not all, and not always) prospective blog readers see

Server Not Found
Error 404

Some blog owners make a second mistake - which compounds the first mistake.

mydomain.com.  3600 IN A 50.63.202.39
mydomain.com.  3600 IN A 216.239.32.21
mydomain.com.  3600 IN A 216.239.34.21
mydomain.com.  3600 IN A 216.239.36.21
mydomain.com.  3600 IN A 216.239.38.21
www.mydomain.com. 3600 IN CNAME mydomain.com.

Here we see the "www" alias - which is what 95% of your direct traffic accesses - using the domain root for obtaining the address. Add to that the bogus server (in this example, "50.63.202.39"), and you will get a lot of complaints about sporadic connectivity problems.

Server Not Found
Error 404

This is so simple - if you only believe.

mydomain.com.  3600 IN A 216.239.32.21
mydomain.com.  3600 IN A 216.239.34.21
mydomain.com.  3600 IN A 216.239.36.21
mydomain.com.  3600 IN A 216.239.38.21
www.mydomain.com. 3600 IN CNAME ghs.google.com.

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Custom Domains Purchase - "Buy a domain" Lacks The "Check Availability" Option

We're seeing a few reports from confused blog owners, in Blogger Help Forum: Something Is Broken, who want a non BlogSpot URL for their blog.

I have tried to follow the guide, but my page does not say the same as the guide.

Several blog owners, in trying to use "Add a custom domain" to buy a domain, are observing that there is no "Check Availability" sequence.

Right now, the "Add a custom domain" link in the Publishing wizard simply goes straight to the "Advanced settings" option. This conflicts with Blogger supplied instructions.

In Blogger, locate the Publishing area under the Settings tab. Settings to Publishing.

Then, click the link to add a custom domain name, enter the domain name you'd like, and click Check Availability.

Clicking on "Add a custom domain", we are immediately presented with "Advanced settings".

Right now, we're getting very terse advice from Blogger Support.

Blogger still supports custom domain hosting, though no longer offer an option to purchase domains within the product. To purchase a custom domain, please visit a third party registrar such as GoDaddy or eNom.

Until we hear more, I'll suggest use of eNom or GoDaddy, as advised. If you choose GoDaddy, you may be able to use the Blogger / GoDaddy DNS Setup wizard, to approximate the convenience of "Buy a domain". If you can't use the GoDaddy wizard, please note that the normal rules remain in full effect.

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URL Availability Competition, During "Buy a Domain", Is Similar To "Create a Blog"

Some Blogger blog owners, trying to setup a new blog, discover the hard way that other people are trying to do the same thing.

When I try to use "Create a blog", I keep seeing

This name is not available.

or

Blogger is saying it's available - but as I begin to register, it says that it has already received a request for this name.

Other blog owners discover that the competition between Blogger blog owners, when using "Create a blog", also applies to "Buy a domain". And worse yet, "Buy a domain" involves competition with would be website owners outside Blogger / Google.

Besides the competition with other buyers, there's a problem that the domain purchase process takes time - and during the purchase process, someone else can be purchasing the same domain also.

The longer the purchase process takes you, the greater the possibility that someone else may "steal" the domain from you. You, and the unseen other person, may start the purchase at the same time - but the person who gets the money to their registrar first gets the domain.

Let's use "Create a blog" as a simple example of an address selection process.

1. You type the blog name, of your choice.
2. With every character you type, Blogger checks for availability.
3. Initially, with not enough characters typed, you see bad news.

   Sorry, this blog address is not available.

4. When you have typed enough characters so you are now requesting a unique name, you see good news.

   This blog address is available.

5. Since you have, hopefully, already entered a Title and selected a Template, you now hit the "Create blog!" button.
6. Hoping that you were fast enough, the address which was available half a second previously is available as you hit the button - and the blog name of your preference becomes your new blog name.
7. If you were not fast enough, someone else might have snuck in front of you. Instead of seeing your new blog, you now see the bad news.

   Sorry, this blog address is not available.

The "Create a blog" wizard is simple.

1. You see good news.
2. You hit "Create blog!".
3. You are done.

Even with a "Create a blog" selection period of 1 second - and if your reflexes are not that good, it could take you longer - you could lose out. What if the selection process was longer - instead of 1 second, say 5 minutes? The "Buy a domain" process is a bit more complicated, than "Create a blog".

1. You enter an available domain URL.
2. You hopefully see the good news.
3. Now, you pay for the purchase.
4. You enter all of the details, about your bank account.
5. Google charges your bank a token amount, to verify that you actually entered a valid bank account number.
6. You hopefully see more good news.
7. Now, Google passes the purchase to the registrar.
8. The registrar sends the actual purchase to your bank.
9. Your bank credits the account of the registrar.
10. The registrar then registers the domain, in your name.
11. Google can then setup the addresses in the domain.
12. Blogger can then publish the blog, to the domain.
13. And hopefully, the blog is now live (and In Transition) with the domain URL.

The "Buy a domain" wizard is not simple.

1. You enter an available domain URL.
2. ...
3. The registrar registers the domain, in your behalf.
4. You are done.

Unfortunately, during the amount of time that it takes your bank to pay your registrar, somebody else could be buying the same domain, from another registrar. The longer that it takes your registrar to get paid, the greater the chance that someone else may register the domain, which you have supposedly paid for, before your purchase is complete.

Unfair? Certainly. But, based on the worldwide Internet based domain registry system, it can happen. What's worse, the symptoms of an unsuccessful domain purchase are similar to an attempted purchase restart.

And that leaves you with the uncertainty, when you post in Blogger Help Forum: Something Is Broken.

Blogger is saying it's available - but as I begin to register, it says that it has already received a request for this name.

And sometimes, after you wait the legendary 2 to 3 days, you find that someone else bought the domain, while you were waiting.

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Adding Ownership Verification For Your Custom Domain? Examine The Error Display

Sometimes, you have to step outside the box, to complete a Blogger blog task.

The task of adding domain ownership verification, to a custom domain purchased using "Buy a domain", is one example of stepping outside the box. I advise people that tweaking DNS settings, in general, is a task best undertaken by someone with "Advanced" experience with Blogger custom domain publishing.

Unfortunately, domains purchased using "Buy a domain" are occasionally subject to incomplete setup - and correction of an incomplete setup involves republishing the domain. And republishing the domain requires verification of domain ownership.

To a first time domain owner, the task of verifying domain ownership is surely a bit scary.

We have not been able to verify your authority to this domain.

This initial accusation is followed by the instructions

On your domain registrar's website, locate your Domain Name System (DNS) settings and enter the following two CNAMEs:

The challenge, for many, is getting to the Domain Name System (DNS) settings, aka the Zone Editor.

1. Login to Google Apps.
2. Find the instructions for logging in to the registrar's website.
3. Login to the registrar's website.
4. Find the registrar's Zone Editor wizard.

Having completed Steps #1 - #4, adding the "CNAME" is almost an anticlimax. See the instructions?

On your domain registrar's website, locate your Domain Name System (DNS) settings and enter the following two CNAMEs:

  Name, Label, or Host field    Destination, Target, or Points To field

  www                           ghs.google.com

  i7vgls457wxc                  gv-fbz2zptam3ucji.dv.googlehosted.com

Once you have access to the Zone Editor, look for "www", added by "Buy a domain". See how it's formatted, in the display?

• Add the second "CNAME", mirroring the format and syntax of the first.
• Note the example of the second, shown here as "i7vgls457wxc" - though when you setup your domain, you will surely see different values for both "i7vgls457wxc" and "gv-fbz2zptam3ucji.dv.googlehosted.com")
• Refresh the Zone Editor list, and compare the "www" and "i7vgls457wxc" entries.
• If you added the new entry properly, the format and syntax, of the two entries, will be identical.

Having successfully added your new "CNAME", go back to the Blogger Publishing wizard, and publish the blog to the domain. Finally, wait a few days for Transition to expire - and while you wait, plan what to do, next.

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The Task Of Forwarding A Domain Requires Experience, Persistence, And Research

I constantly advise Blogger blog owners to avoid forwarding, when setting up custom domain publishing.

In the rare cases where forwarding is actually required, not every blog owner reports success.

My blog now displays a non Google search page!

or worse

My blog now displays

404 Not Found

What did I do wrong??

Depending upon what setup work was done by the blog / domain owner, and what effort is required by the registrar, one may expect to see, quite predictably, either of the above errors.

When you just publish your blog to the primary domain, you're using the Blogger Publishing wizard.

When you forward a secondary domain to the primary domain, you're using the DNS Manager wizard provided by the registrar, for that secondary domain. Frequently, this is a 2 step process.

1. You use the DNS Manager for the secondary domain, and designate the primary domain as the forwarding target for this domain.
2. You setup a DNS address for the secondary domain URL, and target the redirection server - as provided by the DNS host.

Some wizards will handle both steps for you automatically, while others will require that you do both steps separately. I have had both experiences, when forwarding different domains using the GoDaddy DNS manager. You may need to experiment, here - or ask an experienced technician at the registrar, for advice.

If your registrar requires that you perform both steps separately, and you only do the first, your domain gets redirected to the redirection server. If you don't define a redirection target, you have a parked domain, similar to an expired domain - and your domain will serve the ads display page provided by the registrar.

If your registrar requires that you perform both steps separately, and you only do the second, your domain will be properly redirected from the redirection server - but the redirection server will not be defined, for your domain. If the redirection server isn't defined, the domain will be "404".

If your registrar does not provide explicit instructions - or if you use the domain manager wizard and get either of the above results, it may be time to contact a customer service representative. Using a third party registrar, or a third party DNS hosting service, you may have to improvise.

Forwarding a domain - when you must serve two domains (or more) from one blog - is simply not a task for the inexperienced.

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When You Setup A Custom Domain, Please Know And Observe Your Limits Of Expertise

Too many blog owners, when they setup a custom domain for their blog, do not consider the details.

We see signs of the problem, too often, in Blogger Help Forum: Something Is Broken.

Can someone give me step by step instructions for setting up a custom domain with xxxxxxx registrar? I contacted xxxxxxx customer service - and they told me a lot of things I didn't understand! Would it be easier just to transfer the domain to GoDaddy?

The short answer here would be

Yes, it would be easier just to transfer the domain to GoDaddy.

Unfortunately, that answer is not completely correct - and the correction may leave you with a broken domain.

Too many blog owners, eager to setup a non BlogSpot URL for their blog, do not consider the details involved, when they bypass "Buy a domain".

Part of the blame, for this problem, has to fall onto Blogger's head. People using "Buy a domain", for their first domain purchase, see the domain purchase as such a simple process. They never become aware of the complexities involved in a domain purchase, until they setup their second domain, and decide to "roll their own".

Let's look at the levels of experience needed.

• Beginner: Use "Buy a domain".
• Intermediate: Use the Google Apps or Google Wallet wizard - or alternately, buy a domain from one of the 8 identified registrars.
• Advanced: Buy a domain, directly, from any of the thousands of registrars, worldwide.

---

As of 2013 June, "Buy a domain" is not offered, as part of "Add a custom domain". This will leave everybody with one option - "Advanced".

---

Beginner blog owners are strongly advised to use "Buy a domain". Choose an available domain, provide payment details, and your domain is setup. Wait until Transition expires, and get to work referring your readers, search engines, and other Internet services, to your new, non BlogSpot URL.

Intermediate blog owners, able to understand simple instructions, should be able to use the wizards provided by Google Apps or Google Wallet. Alternately, Blogger provides reasonably complete and simple instructions for setting up a domain with the 8 most popular registrars.

Advanced blog owners are free to choose any registrar, of the thousands out there. But beware! You are on your own, when you do this.

• Use of any non designated registrar does not free you from the constraints of the three custom domain models.
• It will be your responsibility to determine the syntax used by the Zone Editor, that's provided by the registrar.
• It will be your responsibility to ensure that the registrar, that you choose, can provide the required DNS address entries.
• It will be your responsibility to verify the precise sequence used, in any DNS host / registrar setup task.
• It will be your responsibility to research the details, before you start.
• Once you have purchased the domain of your choice, that domain will remain with that registrar, for 30 to 60 days. Very few registrars let you buy a domain - then immediately transfer registration.

So choose your registrar according to your needs - and according to your skill level. Don't start a custom domain project, before verifying that your experience is complete. Make the right choice, before you sign on the dotted line.

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Confusion About Advice "If you bought your domain name from Blogger, you won't need to create a CNAME record."

To Blogger blog owners who want their new non BlogSpot URLs to display their blogs, this conflicting bit of advice provides only confusion and doubt.

If you bought your domain name from Blogger, you won't need to create a CNAME record.

That advice was written to advise the use of the Blogger "Buy a domain" wizard, which provides non BlogSpot URLs for Blogger blogs, through a simple 15 minute purchase process. In September 2012, that simple process changed, slightly.

If you are trying to re publish your blog to a non BlogSpot URL - and you are seeing an "Error 12" / "Error 32", or similar message in the Publishing wizard display - you need to add a second "CNAME" address to your domain.

The new "CNAME", added in September 2012, allows you to verify ownership of the domain to the Publishing wizard. Any time you re publish your blog to a non BlogSpot URL, you have to verify ownership. This prevents people who are not you from deviously publishing their Blogger blog to your domain.

If you are reading this, and you are the owner of any website which provides advice on how easy it is to purchase a non BlogSpot URL for a Blogger blog - and part of your advice mentions

If you bought your domain name from Blogger, you won't need to create a CNAME record.

Please, edit your instructions to reflect the reality of domain ownership verification.

If you are reading this, and you know of a blog or website which provides the confusing advice

If you bought your domain name from Blogger, you won't need to create a CNAME record.

let us know, below.

Try and reduce the confusion, when people have to re publish their blog, after using the Blogger Publishing wizard - or possibly after buying directly from a registrar. Help us, to help you.

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When You Publish Your Blog To A Custom Domain, Almost Always Publish To The "www" Alias

Of all of the known problems with Blogger, in general - and of the known problems with Blogger / Google Custom Domain Publishing, specifically - surely the most frustrating single problem starts with the well known monolithic error

Another blog or Google Site is already using this address.

The most frequently seen solution to this problem, contrary to the opinions expressed in some blogs and websites, starts with correction of the domain DNS addresses. But even after careful DNS address correction, some blog owners still report the well known "Another blog ..." error.

Maybe 99.99% of the custom domain published blogs use what I call an asymmetrical DNS address configuration.

mydomain.com. 3600 IN A 216.239.32.21
mydomain.com. 3600 IN A 216.239.34.21
mydomain.com. 3600 IN A 216.239.36.21
mydomain.com. 3600 IN A 216.239.38.21
www.mydomain.com. 3600 IN CNAME ghs.google.com.

Note the restriction with the asymmetrical configuration, sometimes overlooked.

With an asymmetrical configuration, you may not publish to the domain root. Your only valid choice is to publish to "www.mydomain.com", and select "Redirect mydomain.com to www.mydomain.com". If you publish to "mydomain.com", you will eventually see

Blogs may not be hosted at naked domains.

or maybe a well known monolithic error

Another blog or Google Site is already using this address.

The conclusion is simple. Unless you intentionally created a symmetrical or non root virtual host address configuration, always publish to the "www" alias.

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Adding The Domain Ownership Verification "CNAME", For A Non Root Virtual Host

Now that the new required custom domain publishing ownership verification feature has been out for several months, we are seeing it used in domains with multiple virtual hosts.

A few blog owners are even publishing their blogs to non root virtual hosts - and here we are seeing a new reason for a persistent Error 12 / 32, which just can't be solved.

I have followed all of the instructions, and I am still seeing Error 12. Help!

The "Advanced settings" Error 12 instructions - now provided on screen instead of requiring the blog owner to open an external "Settings instructions" document - require careful examination.

We have to look very closely at this variation on the publishing instructions, when publishing to a non root virtual host.

Advanced settings

http://www.blog.mydomain.com

We have not been able to verify your authority to this domain. Error 12.
On your domain registrar's website, locate your Domain Name System (DNS) settings and enter the following CNAMEs:

  Name, Label, or Host field    Destination, Target, or Points To field

  www                           ghs.google.com

  xxxxxxxxxxxx               gv-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.domainverify.googlehosted.com.

See our detailed instructions on providing CNAMEs for various registrars or see the full settings instructions for more details.

Taking these instructions at face value, and adding a "CNAME" record of relative Name value "xxxxxxxxxxxx" to verify the publishing address of "www", the blog owner is going to continue to see an "Error 12" or "Error 32" for a long time.

We have to look, very carefully, at the "Advanced settings" publishing address - in this case

www.blog.mydomain.com

In the registrar's Zone Editor (aka "Domain Manager" wizard), we see the Name value entered as an address relative to the domain root.

• With "www" entered for the Name, this provides a published address of "www.mydomain.com".
• With "www.blog" entered, this provides a published address of "www.blog.mydomain.com".

The Name value, for both "CNAME"s, as specified in the "Advanced settings" instructions, is relative to the domain root.

• A Name of "www", to provide a published address of "www.blog.mydomain.com", should be entered as "www.blog" in the Zone Editor.
• Similarly, a Name of "xxxxxxxxxxxx", to provide a published address of "www.blog.mydomain.com", should be entered as "xxxxxxxxxxxx.blog" in the Zone Editor.

Entering the domain ownership verification "CNAME" relative to the published URL allows non root virtual hosts to be used, in the domain, without chance of conflict.

• To publish to "blog.mydomain.com", we add a domain ownership verification "CNAME" of "xxxxxxxxxxxx.mydomain.com" (with the proper value of "xxxxxxxxxxxx").
• To publish to "www.mydomain.com", we add a domain ownership verification "CNAME" of "xxxxxxxxxxxx.mydomain.com" (with the proper value of "xxxxxxxxxxxx").
• To publish to "www.blog.mydomain.com", we add a domain ownership verification "CNAME" of "xxxxxxxxxxxx.blog.mydomain.com" (with the proper value of "xxxxxxxxxxxx").

We simply have to read the "Advanced settings" instructions, and enter the Name values in the Zone Editor, considering the context of the instructions.

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After Using "Buy a domain", Blog Owners Are Seeing "Server error" From Google Apps

Ever since Google ended its free Google Apps accounts, we've been seeing reports in Blogger Help Forum: Something Is Broken, about problems encountered when setting up a new Google Apps account, to administer a newly purchased custom domain.

Every time I try to login to Google Apps, using instructions in the email message, I get

Server Error: We could not process your request at this time, please try again later.

The limited function free Google Apps accounts, which can be only used for domain maintenance, do not work with the Google Apps account setup wizard, which is generally used after using "Buy a domain". When you see "Invalid request" or "Server error", you need to reset the password for the "bloggeradmin" account, for your domain.

Start by accessing the Google Apps administrative account reset wizard, for your domain. If you use GMail for your email, or other Google products, try to use a different browser for Google Apps. Alternately, use an "Incognito" window, in Chrome - or a "Private" window, in Firefox. Or, clear cache, cookies, and sessions - then restart the browser, when possible.

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

You simply change "nitecruzr.net", to your domain URL, to reset the administrative password for your domain.

---

(Update 2013/11/03): This process should be slightly simplified, with Google Apps now using the new integrated Google login screen.

---

Having solved the CAPTCHA in the reset screen, Google will send a password reset email message, for the "bloggeradmin" account for your domain, to the email address used by your Blogger account. Once again, this is a bad time to be using Blogger anonymously.

Open your email, then open and execute the email message, to reset the bloggeradmin Google Apps account. Be sure to enter the complete Google Apps account name, in the Google account reset screen.

Once the password is reset, login to Google Apps. Then retrieve the login tokens, from the Google Apps desktop, to access eNom or GoDaddy.

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