Use Two Browsers, When Working With Multiple Google Accounts

Google has been providing single login access, to (almost all) Google services, for many years.

Properly maintained, we can have one Google account, which lets us access all services, using one login. The single login approach is a convenience, when all of the services, which we use, are part of the same Google account.

The single login approach becomes a challenge, when some of the services, which we use, are part of different Google accounts. As owners of Blogger blogs, there are some scenarios, where we have to deal with two different Google accounts simultaneously.

• Accessing non Blogger applications, like Google Apps.
• Recovering account / blog control.
• Transferring control of a blog.

When we have to deal with two Google accounts, simultaneously, the single login approach becomes a problem.

Frequently, when you request assistance with a problem which involves your Google account, we'll start by advising you to

Clear cache, cookies, and sessions (yes, all 3) - then restart the browser.

This advice is neither ceremonial, nor pedantic - it's practical. And, it solves more problems than you would believe.

That simple advice works - because many problems are caused by the Google account login cookie, which is used to retain login status from application to application, within the various Google services which we may use. This is how Google provides single login to their various services.

That simple advice works best when we care only about the Google service immediately visible - and it requires careful maintenance of cookies filters. In cases where two services - or two Google accounts - are involved, you'd need to switch between account / service, rapidly and repeatedly. Rapidly logging out of one account, to login to another account, is both exhausting and technically unsafe.

Rapidly logging out then back in, to various Google accounts, creates odd symptoms, like the well known monolithic error

You have logged out from another location. Do you want to log in again?

Who among us has been able to correctly answer this simple query properly, without undue rise in blood pressure?

Another problem with clearing cookies, routinely, is that not all browsers allow selective clearing of cookies. Many have observed problems with non Google websites, after solving a Google problem which involves

Clear cache, cookies, and sessions (yes, all 3) - then restart the browser.

Yes, there are websites outside the Googlesphere!

If we need to work with two Google accounts, simultaneously, the only safe technique is to use two browsers, simultaneously. Since the Google login cookie is created separately, in each different browser, use of two browsers lets us maintain two Google sessions, simultaneously, without interaction between the two.

Since no two browsers are alike, we know realistically, that using two different browsers should not be done routinely. Many blog owners have a most favourite, and a least favourite, browser - and won't willingly use a different browser except when absolutely necessary.

Fortunately, many modern browsers, to retain their own customer base, allow for multiple sessions - where cookies and other preferences and settings can be maintained separately. Chrome has the "Incognito Window", and Firefox has "Private Browsing" - both of which let you, temporarily, setup a second browser session, with separate cookies, preferences, and settings.

In most cases, then - and if you are using Chrome or Firefox - when we advise you to

Clear cache, cookies, and sessions (yes, all 3) - then restart the browser.

you should be able to, alternately,

Activate a second browser session, when you are not currently using a second session.

In cases where you are currently using a second browser session, the advice would be more correctly phrased

Close the current second browser session, then start a new second browser session.

This advice would flush all current cookies, preferences, and settings which could possibly involve multiple Google accounts, and avoid various problems with Blogger and non Blogger applications.

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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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Maintaining Auto-Renew Settings For Your Domain - 2013

Recently, Google Apps redesigned their desktop GUI. Now, it's easier to maintain auto-renew settings for your custom domain.

Of course, "easier" may not be the same as "more initially obvious".

Along with the GUI redesign of Google Apps, Google changed payment procedures for domain registrations.

Google recently removed Google Wallet from custom domain registration.

Google Apps (now,"Google Admin") handles domain registration payment, along with domain registration renewal. When you access Google Admin, and the new GUI, you will be invited to verify payment information, and replace your Google Wallet registration.

Start by accessing the Google Apps desktop, 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 desktop as

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

or possibly

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

You simply change "nitecruzr.net", to your domain URL, to access the desktop for your domain.

If Google Admin sends you to Google Apps for Business, see Google Apps: Cancel Google Apps for Business 30-day free trial, for instructions on removing Apps For Business from your domain.

"Google Admin" provides the "Admin console". Relevant to domain registration, you'll find two key dashboard links.

• Billing. How you pay for domain registration.
• Domains. How you maintain domain registration.

When your domain is currently setup to use Google Wallet for registration payment, and you click on "Billing", you will be invited to "Verify billing information".

The billing information verification process is reasonably straight forward, involving basic identification of your payment account - and uses data already entered in Google Wallet. When complete, you'll have Google Apps verified billing information.

Having verified billing information, you return to the dashboard, and click on "Domains". Right there, you'll have the usual option to "Automatically renew my domain registration".

No mess, no fuss.

• If you want to automatically renew, you leave the option checked.
• If you decide to manually renew, you un check the option.

And, you're done.

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The Google Apps "bloggeradmin" Password Reset May Be Broken, For Some Domains

We've been seeing reports from some frustrated blog owners, about problems with the limited access Google Apps accounts.

I've reset my password numerous times and it still doesn't work.

Even given the recently provided "bloggeradmin" username, and the standard Google account reset process, some blog owners still cannot access Google Apps to manage their Blogger custom domain published blogs.

We do have one bit of hope. One such problem report, recently forwarded to Google Apps Support, was noted by a Google Apps Engineer with the advice

We identified a recent change which may have affected the password reset flow for some users. We expect it to either be fixed or rolled out shortly.

So, there is some hope for a few unhappy new domain owners. It's possible that this problem has been resolved, with Google Apps now using the new comprehensive Google login screen.

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The Google Apps "bloggeradmin" Password Reset Uses A Standard Google Account Reset

As Google Apps updates their limited function ("bloggeradmin") account setup process, we see reports from confused Blogger blog owners.

After I reset my password, I still get

The username or password you entered is incorrect

when I try to login, later!

and

I reset my password - and it changed my Blogger and GMail account - but I still can't login to Google Apps!!

The Google Apps password reset uses a standard Google account reset process - and is subject to normal account reset behaviour. If you don't reset the right account, you won't be able to login, later.

We've been warning people for years, about the need to use two browsers, to transfer a Blogger blog from one Google (GMail) account to another.

The Google Apps "bloggeradmin" account setup, like the Blogger blog transfer, works best using two browsers. The password reset, for "bloggeradmin@mydomain.com" (as an example, here) involves a Google account reset.

1. You start the password reset from a Google Apps login screen, for "mydomain.com".
2. After clicking on the "Can't access your account?" link, you use a standard Google account reset process.

When you attempt to login to Google Apps, click on "Can't access your account?". That takes you into the Google Account Reset process.


Provide the full account name of your Apps account.

bloggeradmin@mydomain.com

instead of

myemail@gmail.com

The Google Apps password reset, like blog account transfer, is one more process where you may need to use two different browsers. And, to be safe, clear cache, cookies, and sessions (yes, all 3!) - then restart the second browser, before opening the password reset email.

The password reset will be more likely to be successful, if your Blogger account is based on an active and real email address - this is not a good time to be anonymous.

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

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Renewing Your Custom Domain Registration

Some Blogger blog owners, having experienced the anxiety of custom domain setup, intend to carefully maintain their domain registration.

We see a few queries, in Blogger Help Forum: How Do I?, about domain registration renewal.

How do I make sure my registration gets renewed?

or

How do I renew registration before it expires?

or, possibly

My blog now displays a search page! Have I been hacked?

Some registration issues will depend upon how the domain registration was originally purchased.

Domains purchased directly from a registrar - whether using eNom, GoDaddy, or a third party registrar, will have to be renewed directly from the registrar. It's not possible to migrate a direct purchase to Blogger / Google registration for payment, any more than to use the Blogger / Google automatic DNS setup. Once you purchase domain registration from a registrar, you are on your own.

If you used Blogger "Buy a domain", Google Apps, or Google Wallet, to purchase the domain registration, you should get email reminders when registration is expiring. However, this will depend upon whether your Blogger / Google account, under which you purchased the registration, uses an active and accessible email address.

If you choose to anonymise yourself by using a bogus or inactive email address for your Blogger or Google activities, don't expect to get email reminding you, or allowing you to renew domain registration.

The most reliable way to assure the domain remains registered is to use domain auto renewal. You can check your auto renewal settings using the Google Apps administrator account, for the domain (now called the "Admin Console").

For domains purchased before December 2012, you'll use email from Google Apps, or an entry in your Google Wallet log, to retrieve the token to setup your Google Apps account. For domains purchased after November 2012, you will have only a limited access Google Apps account, which you should reset the password, to access.

If you intend to use domain auto renewal, make sure that the bank account (credit, or debit) is active, and currently paid. If your bank rejects the payment, you should get a notice - but again, this will come reliably when the email account associated with the domain is active and accessible by you.

If you do not renew registration on time, depending upon the registrar, the domain may be changed to point to a domain parking server, where the registrar will serve ads. Some registrars will serve ads which you, or your readers, won't appreciate.

If the domain registration has expired, and the domain was purchased from Blogger / Google, you may be able to submit late payment, and renew now.

If your original charge fails and you’re unable to resolve the form of payment issue within 7 days, you may still be within the grace period for renewals. If you’re still within 19 days of the renewal date, you can try again using any Google Wallet account by visiting http://www.google.com/a/cpanel/domain/renew-domain/primary-domain-name, where primary-domain-name is the domain name you are trying to renew.

In some cases, once late payment has been processed, your registration may resume, with no long lasting ill effects. In other cases, you may end up having to setup the DNS addresses.

The best renewal experiences, of course, start with advance planning.

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How To Unmap Google Sites To Solve "Another blog or Google Site is already using this address."

The literal cause of the error "Another blog or Google Site is already using this address." is that the Google Sites service is mapped to the address in question, in the Google domain services mapping database.

Some help articles published on the Internet imply that Sites mappings are the only cause of this error. This misconception creates some of the confusion associated with the error. Sites is not the only service in the services mapping database - but it is the only service with web address mappings.

The Sites service contains both service address, and web address, mappings - and both mappings can cause this problem. This oddity creates complexity, and makes a linear check list impossible, when using Google Apps to clear the error - as well as diagnosing the error, in a typical dialogue in Blogger Help Forum: Something Is Broken.

When the Sites service is suspected as the cause of "Another blog or Google Site is already using this address.", one must check both the Service Address Mapping, and the Web Address Mappings, in the Sites service.

Note that the presence of the mappings is not directly affected by the presence of the service wizards, on the desktop of the Google Apps account which you are using. Neither deleting the Apps account, nor uninstalling a given service wizard from the desktop, will immediately reset the mappings for that service, from the database.

If not present on the desktop, the Sites service must be first installed and activated, using the dashboard "Get more apps and services" link.

The Sites service address mapping, like all other services, can be examined and reset using the CustomURL form in Google Apps, as well as "Change URL" in the "General" tab, in the Sites Settings menu. The web address mappings can only be examined and reset using the "Web Address Mapping" tab, in the Sites Settings menu.

1. Select the "Web Address Mapping" tab, in the Sites Settings menu.
2. Select all addresses mapped, and click on "Delete Mapping(s)".
3. Click on "Yes" in the "Are you sure" popup.

A Sites service address mapping, like other service address mappings, can sometimes be diagnosed in a simple "302 Moved Temporarily" redirect, in a typical HTTP trace.

Sending request:

GET / HTTP/1.1
Host: www.letthykingdomcome.com
User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 5.1; rv:18.0)
 Gecko/20100101 Firefox/18.0
Referer: http://www.rexswain.com/httpview.html
Connection: close

• Finding host IP address...
• Host IP address = 74.125.129.121
• Finding TCP protocol...
• Binding to local socket...
• Connecting to host...
• Sending request...
• Waiting for response...
Receiving Header:
HTTP/1.1·302·Moved·Temporarily(CR)(LF)
Content-Type:·text/html;·charset=UTF-8(CR)(LF)
Location:·http://sites.google.com/a/letthykingdomcome.com/
 sites/system/app/pages/meta/domainWelcome(CR)(LF)

A Sites web address mapping is not always so easy to diagnose - and may be the reason behind the fact that some HTTP traces end with the blog owner reporting "Another blog or Google Site is already using this address.", and an HTTP trace simply showing the generic 404 Not Found.

Sending request:

GET / HTTP/1.1
Host: www.markhamdesign.co.uk
User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0
 (Windows NT 5.1; rv:19.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/19.0
Referer: http://www.rexswain.com/httpview.html
Connection: close

• Finding host IP address...
• Host IP address = 216.239.32.21
• Finding TCP protocol...
• Binding to local socket...
• Connecting to host...
• Sending request...
• Waiting for response...
Receiving Header:
HTTP/1.1·404·Not·Found(CR)(LF)

A Sites "Web Address Mapping" can include an address which is mapped outside Google Apps. This creates a mapping which can't be managed using Google Apps.

If you own a domain and have access to change the CNAME record, you can map any site created in Google Sites outside of Google Apps (for example, sites.google.com/site) to a custom URL

Sending request:

GET / HTTP/1.1
Host: www.medtechpedia.com
User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 5.1; rv:19.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/19.0
Referer: http://www.rexswain.com/httpview.html
Connection: close

• Finding host IP address...
• Host IP address = 74.125.129.121
• Finding TCP protocol...
• Binding to local socket...
• Connecting to host...
• Sending request...
• Waiting for response...
Receiving Header:
HTTP/1.1·200·OK(CR)(LF)

<body·xmlns="http://www.google.com/ns/jotspot"·id="body"·class="·en············">(LF)
<script·src="//www.gstatic.com/caja/5246m/caja.js">·</script>(LF)
<script·src="http://www.gstatic.com/sites/p/926884/system/js/jot_caja.js">·</script>(LF)
<div·id="sites-page-toolbar"·class="sites-header-divider">(LF)
<div·xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"·id="sites-status"·class="sites-status"·style="display:none;"><div·id="sites-notice"·class="sites-notice"·role="status"·aria-live="assertive">·</div></div>(LF)
</div>(LF)
<div·id="sites-chrome-everything-scrollbar">(LF)
<div·id="sites-chrome-everything">(LF)
<div·id="sites-chrome-page-wrapper"·style="direction:·ltr">(LF)
<div·id="sites-chrome-page-wrapper-inside">(LF)
<div·xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"·id="sites-chrome-header-wrapper"·style="">(LF)
<table·id="sites-chrome-header"·class="sites-layout-hbox"·cellspacing="0"·style="">(LF)
<tr·class="sites-header-primary-row"·id="sites-chrome-userheader">(LF)
<td·id="sites-header-title"·class=""><div·class="sites-header-cell-buffer-wrapper"><h2>
  <a·href="http://sites.google.com/site/medtechpedia/"·dir="ltr"·id="sites-chrome-userheader-title">MedTechPedia</a></h2></div></td><td·class="sites-layout-searchbox·"><div·class="sites-header-cell-buffer-wrapper"><form·id="sites-searchbox-form"·action="/system/app/pages/search"><input·type="hidden"·id="sites-searchbox-scope"·name="scope"·value="search-site"·/><input·type="text"·id="jot-ui-searchInput"·name="q"·size="20"·value=""·aria-label="Search·this·site"·autocomplete="off"·/><div·id="sites-searchbox-button-set"·class="goog-inline-block"><div·role="button"·id="sites-searchbox-search-button"·class="goog-inline-block·jfk-button·jfk-button-standard"·tabindex="0">Search·this·site</div></div></form></div></td>(LF)
</tr>(LF)
<tr·class="sites-header-secondary-row"·id="sites-chrome-horizontal-nav">(LF)
<td·colspan="2"·id="sites-chrome-header-horizontal-nav-container">(LF)
<div·class="sites-header-nav"><ul·class="sites-header-nav-container-tabs"><li·class="current"><a·class="sites-navigation-link·current"·href="/home">Home</a></li><li·class="unselected"><a·class="sites-navigation-link·unselected"·href="/introduction-to-medical-technology">Introduction·to·Medical·Technology</a></li></ul><div·style="clear:·both;"></div></div>(LF)
</td>(LF)
</tr>(LF)
</table>·(LF)
</div>·

>> Top

How To Solve "Another blog or Google Site is already using this address."

Of all of the problems that are typically reported, in Blogger Help Forum: Something Is Broken, surely the most frustrating has to be

Another blog or Google Site is already using this address.

One of the reasons for the frustration is that this is not a descriptive error - it's more of a symptom - and this symptom has a number of causes. Since many Blogger blog owners don't understand the principles of problem solving, the solutions for this error may not be obvious.

The monolithic message "Another blog or Google Site is already using this address." is actually a symptom of a number of possible problems.

Some time ago, I identified three categories of problems, which cause the message to be displayed.

1. The URL in question is actually in use, with another blog already published to that domain URL.
2. The DNS addresses are improperly setup, and not pointing to the correct Google servers.
3. There are broken / duplicate pointers, which affect the domain, in the Google internal database.

Check For A Blog Already Published To The Address

If there is a blog already published to the URL, and you control both blogs, make a simple decision - which blog to publish, to the URL in question. If necessary, a second blog can be published to a different host in the domain, and setup a domain cluster. In some cases, a previous domain owner may have published a blog, which you won't control, to the domain.

Check The DNS Address Setup

Having eliminated or solved the possibility of multiple blogs, check and - if necessary - correct the DNS addresses setup for the domain. There are three DNS address models - with one, asymmetrical, being involved with over 99% of the blogs reported with this problem. There is simply no alternative to "CNAME" forwarding, when publishing a blog to a custom domain.

Check For Service Redirections

With the DNS addresses corrected - and DNS propagation latency allowed for - diagnose the problem using a series of HTTP traces. Here, we'll generally see a number of possible redirections.

1. Calendar.
2. Drive and Docs.
3. Email.
4. Sites.
5. Start Page.

If the HTTP traces do not indicate a specific service, you may have an indeterminate case of database corruption.

When dealing with service redirections, start by establishing access to the Google Apps domain administrator desktop. If the domain was purchased in 2013 or later, you'll have use of a basic function Apps account. You'll use two Apps desktop wizards - "Organization & users" and "Settings".

1. Use "Organization & users", to install and activate any service.
2. Use "Settings" to disable mappings, and to uninstall any service.

Named Service Redirection

For a named service redirection:

1. If necessary, install and activate the service.
2. Delete the mappings for the service.
3. Uninstall the service.

Database Corruption Or Unknown Service Redirection

If a specific service is not identified in the HTTP traces, check the "Change URLs for multiple services" display, which is accessible from any "Change URL" service wizard.

1. Select any service, in the "Settings" wizard, and the "Change URL" link for that service.
2. Click on "Change URLs for all domain services".
3. Examine the "Change URLs for multiple services" display, and select the custom mapping, for any service with the default mapping (top) address selected. If any service entry is changed, click "Continue".
4. For each service with mapping which was just changed:
   • If necessary, install and activate the service.
   • Uninstall the service.

Just read about the details, take it one step at a time - and allow time to complete the entire task, carefully.

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How To Use Google Apps To Solve "Another blog or Google Site is already using this address."

The Google domain services database lets one or more Blogger blogs, and / or various Google services, be packaged as part of a domain - giving your organisation its own virtual web server.

Google Apps is used to manage this virtual web server, as you install and un install various domain services. Sometimes a domain, newly setup in Google after the domain has been purchased from a registrar, will have one or more addresses unexpectedly mapped to various Google services. This will be inconvenient to the blog owner, who may wish to use a given URL for a Blogger blog.

The most common cause of the error "Another blog or Google Site is already using this address." involves unexpected mappings, in the Google domain database.

When your domain has unwanted mappings, you'll need to use the Google Apps domain administrator desktop, and various utilities there, to remove the mappings and reset the services. To start, you'll need access to the Google Apps desktop for the domain administrator. For domains recently purchased using Blogger or Google wizards, you'll have a limited function domain administrator desktop.

You'll use two Apps desktop wizards - "Organization & users" and "Settings".

• Use "Organization & users", to install and activate a service.
• Use "Settings" to disable / remove mappings, and to disable / uninstall a service.

Install And Activate Services

Use "Organization & users" - "Services", to activate the various services.

• To install a service, click on "Dashboard", find "Common tasks" at the bottom left, and click on "Get more apps and services". Click on "Add it now", for the needed service.
• To activate a service, go to "Organization & users" - "Services", and look under "Core Google Services" or "Additional Services", for the service in question - and click on the coloured toggle switch as necessary. Then click on "Save changes".

Remove Mappings

Use the Settings wizard, for the service in question - to add and remove address mappings, and to deactivate services. Each different service, listed in Settings, has a different set of menus, and different options.

We currently know of 5 services which can be mapped to a domain, which may interfere with publication of a Blogger blog to a domain address. Any problem service, currently mapped to the default (top) address, will need to be changed to map to the custom (bottom) address.

1. Calendar.
2. Drive and Docs.
3. Email.
4. Sites.
5. Start Page.

To remove address mappings for Calendar:

1. Click on "Calendar", then the "General" tab, then "Change URL" for "Web address".
2. If necessary, select the custom mapping (bottom) address, and click "Continue".
3. If you change the Calender mapping, remember to uninstall Calender.

To remove address mappings for Drive and Docs:

1. Click on "Drive and Docs", then the "General" tab, then "Change URL" for "Web address".
2. If necessary, select the custom mapping (bottom) address, and click "Continue".
3. If you change the Drive and Docs mapping, remember to uninstall Drive and Docs.

To remove address mappings for Email:

1. Click on "Email", then the "General Settings" tab, then "Change URL" for "Web address".
2. If necessary, select the custom mapping (bottom) address, and click "Continue".
3. If you change the Email mapping, remember to uninstall Email.

To remove address mappings for Sites, some extra effort may be required:

1. Click on "Sites", then the "General" tab, then "Change URL" for "Web address".
2. If necessary, select the custom mapping (bottom) address, and click "Continue".
3. Select the "Web Address Mapping" tab.
4. Select all addresses mapped, and click on "Delete Mapping(s)".
5. Some Sites mappings can only be diagnosed, and reset, outside Google Apps.
6. If you change any Sites mapping, remember to uninstall Sites.

To remove address mappings for Start Page:

1. Click on "Start Page", then "Change URL" for "Web address".
2. If necessary, select the custom mapping (bottom) address, and click "Continue".
3. If you change the Start Page mapping, remember to uninstall Start Page.

The CustomURL Wizard

Besides the multiple Sites mappings (in "Web Address Mapping"), it may be possible to use the "CustomURL" wizard, which will list all active services and current mappings. The CustomURL wizard is accessed from any "Change URL" wizard.

1. Click on "Change URLs for all domain services".
2. Examine the "Change URLs for multiple services" display, and disable any references to the default mapping. Select the custom mapping (bottom) address, for any service with the default mapping (top) address selected. If any service entry was changed, click "Continue".
3. For each service with mapping which was changed:
   • If necessary, install and activate the service.
   • Uninstall the service.

Disable / Uninstall Services After Changing Mapping

If you did change or delete any mappings, whether using CustomURL ("Change URLs for multiple services") or an individual service wizard ("Change URL" / "Web Address Mapping"), the final step is to disable or uninstall each service for which you changed or deleted mappings. If you do intend to use any named service, re install it later - after you get your custom domain working.

To uninstall Calendar, click on "Calendar", then the "General" tab. Click on "Uninstall Calendar", next to "Uninstall service".

To uninstall Drive and Docs, click on "Drive and Docs", then the "General" tab. Click on "Uninstall Drive and Docs", next to "Uninstall service".

To uninstall Email, click on "Email", then the "General Settings" tab. Click on "Uninstall Email", next to "Uninstall service".

To uninstall Sites, click on "Sites", then the "General" tab. Click on "Uninstall Sites", next to "Uninstall service".

To disable Start Page, click on "Start Page", then on "Disable Start Page", next to "Disable service".

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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.

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

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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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Google Apps Ends Availability Of Their Free Edition

Last week, Google dropped a bombshell on many small client developers.

Starting on December 6, 2012, Google will no longer offer new accounts for the free edition of Google Apps. Google Apps free edition is sometimes referred to as "Standard Edition."

This announcement will bring changes to Blogger, and to custom domain publishing. Many owners of Blogger blogs published using the Google Custom Domain feature have learned to use various Google Apps wizards, to setup and to maintain their domains.

Blogger blog owners have learned (some unwillingly) to use Google Apps for various tasks.

1. Access the registrar's Domain Manager wizard, after using "Buy a domain".
2. Deactivate service redirects, such as the Sites service.
3. Maintain domain "auto renew" settings.
4. Reset the ever painful "Another blog ..." symptom of database corruption.
5. Set the option to "Redirect mydomain.com to www.mydomain.com".
6. Setup email delivery for the domain.

Each of these tasks will have to be performed in different ways, for blog owners who purchased their domains after last week. Previously setup Apps accounts, for the immediate future, are safe.

If you already have the free edition, you can continue to use it for free. This change has no impact on existing users of the free edition.

So far, we've seen some new domain owners use the Trial version of Google Apps, to recycle domain settings, when dealing with "Another blog ...". We hope that this technique will allow temporary access to the domain root redirect, and to service redirect, settings also. We are also seeing a limited functionality free version, which requires some effort to setup, in some cases.

I'm still wondering where Google will hand out Registrar login instructions, and let us maintain domain renewal settings. The popular option to have custom email addresses, based on the domain URL, is most likely gone.

I'll update this article, as details are provided.

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Using The Google Apps Domain Root Redirect Setting

Recently, Google Apps added a setting to the domain administrator desktop GUI, which controls the redirect of the domain root (aka "naked domain"). We initially observed this setting, as an option in working around the problem of setting the domain root redirect, in the Blogger Publishing "Advanced Settings" wizard. It's also possible that this setting should be used in recycling the domain settings, when faced with the "dreaded "Another blog ..." error.

Use of the Google Apps Domain Redirect setting is not complicated. It starts with setup of the domain administrator account. For any newly purchased domain - as well as for domains purchased directly from a registrar, it's a fairly simple matter to setup a Google Apps domain administrator account - then to set (or reset) the redirect.

Having logged in to your new Google Apps account, as the domain administrator, you simply click on "Domain settings", then "Domain names". Under the Status column for your domain, you'll find the link to "Change redirect". Hoping that you have a standard asymmetrical DNS configuration for the domain, already setup, you can ignore the warning

To enable this redirect, you must change the A record with your domain host.

and simply click on "Redirect your naked domain" (for a new domain), or "Change redirect" (for an existing domain).

This is a new domain, with the domain root not yet redirected.
This is an existing domain, with the domain root redirected to "www.nitecruzr-test.net".
If the domain DNS addresses are not setup with both the source and target of the redirect (the "naked domain" and alias) pointing directly to the proper Google servers, as in either the symmetrical or asymmetrical DNS address configuration, the redirect setting is useless. The redirect only works within Google servers. This is another scenario where DNS addresses which use forwarding will not work.


The "Change how your naked domain is redirected" display simply lets you designate the "www" (or any alternate) alias as the target for the naked domain redirect.

Designate a web address to direct your users to when they access your naked domain.

Entering the target (defaulting, simply, to "www"), then hitting "Save changes", you are done with this procedure. Now, the domain root should redirect to the alias of your choice.

If you are recycling the domain settings, you'll want to change the redirect setting to something other than "www" - let us say "test" - then change back to "www".

1. Set the redirect to "test", and hit "Save changes".
2. Set the redirect to "www", and hit "Save changes".
3. You're done with this exercise.

If you are clearing the setting, so you can continue with the Blogger Publishing process, you may shorten the exercise a bit.

1. Set the redirect to "test", and hit "Save changes".
2. You're done with this exercise.

In either case, you now continue with the main task at hand, if necessary.

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Accessing The Registrar's Domain Manager, After Using "Buy a domain"

Setting up a custom domain, and publishing a blog to a non BlogSpot URL, is a simple enough task - when we are able to use the "Buy a domain for your blog" wizard. Sometimes, after using "Buy a domain ...", we may still have to access the registrar's Domain Manager wizard.

When we use "Buy a domain", along with setting up the domain for us, the Blogger / Google wizard sets up a new eNom or GoDaddy domain owner account. To let us later login to eNom or GoDaddy, the "Buy a domain" wizard saves the login information, for our new account - in a Google Apps desktop wizard. Here is yet one more reason why we absolutely must setup the provided Google Apps account, after receiving the Google Apps email.

The process of managing a domain, when setup using "Buy a domain", is not too complicated.

1. Setup a new Google Apps account. Since free Google Apps accounts are no longer offered, you'll have to setup a Trial - or limited function - account.
2. Login to Google Apps.
3. Retrieve the Google Apps registrar login information, from "Advanced DNS settings".
4. Login to the registrar (eNom or GoDaddy).

The domain owner registrar login information is right there, in "Advanced DNS settings".


The domain owner login information is in the Google Apps desktop.

1. Go to "Domain settings" - "Domain names" - "Advanced DNS settings".
2. Open a new browser tab or window, clicking on "Sign in to DNS console".
3. Copy the Sign-in name, and the Password, to the appropriate boxes on the sign-in dialogue, and click "Login".
4. This will put you into the Domain Manager wizard, for the new domain.

If you already had an eNom or GoDaddy account, that will be a separate account - but with this new account maintained for you, by Google. Just keep your new Google Apps account accessible and active, keep the domain registration up to date - and you'll have no problem accessing the Domain Manager wizard, and managing the domain, whenever you need.

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Enabling Blogger, If You Now Have An ISP Provided Email Account, That Uses Google Apps Based GMail

We're seeing problem reports from some confused blog owners, who are apparently customers of ISPs who have made the switch, from using a private email infrastructure, to using GMail based email (administered using Google Apps).

When I try to sign in I get this message.

Blogger has not been enabled by the administrator of the domain

How do I administer my blog?

We've known, for a while, that having a Blogger account based on a Google Apps provided GMail account may not be a good long term strategy - particularly if the Apps account is based on a domain which you own, and the domain was purchased to host one of your blogs.

Possibly considering the latter scenario, Blogger / Google now requires that you enable the Blogger service, for any new Google Apps controlled domain - if you wish to use email addresses in that domain to host Blogger accounts. This is a safety measure, helping to prevent you from having a Blogger account that you can't control - or can't recover access when you forget the password.

All of that is fine - when you control the domain that you wish to use to host your Blogger account. But what if you don't control the domain? What if you previously setup a Blogger account based on your ISP's email domain - then later the domain administrator decides to upgrade the domain, to use GMail based email? What happens to your Blogger account?

Short of convincing the domain administrators for your ISP that you have a genuine and urgent need to have a Blogger account, based on an email address that they provide, you're going to need a new email address - provided by someone other than Google, or your ISP (school, employer, what have you).

Start by setting up an email account in some third party web service - maybe "Yahoo.com". Then, you have two possibilities. If you're reading this article just before your ISP makes the switch, and you can still use your Blogger account, transfer control of your blog(s) to a new Blogger account that's based on your new email address.

If you just discovered the change by your ISP - maybe because you now see the bad news

Blogger has not been enabled by the administrator of the domain

you are going to have to recover control of your blog, based upon access to your ISP's email account - and setup a new Blogger account based on your new non ISP based email account.

1. Generate a new account recovery email message.
2. Setup a new email account, outside your current email service.
3. Clear cache, cookies, and sessions.
4. Restart the browser.
5. Login to your current email service, find, and open the email message.
6. Click on the link in the email message.
7. Setup a new Blogger account, based on the new email address.

Whatever you do when setting up your new Blogger account, please make sure to verify the email address - and setup recovery options, carefully.

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Enabling Blogger For Your Private Domain

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Blogger Accounts, And Domains Based On Google Apps

We've know, for a while, of the downsides of having a Blogger account that's based on an email address that's provided by a Google Apps based domain. Some people are unknowingly using email that is based on Google Apps administered service - and they are not even the administrators.

A few would be blog owners - or members (of a private or team blog) - are using Google Apps administered domains for their email. This detail never becomes relevant to them, until they try to join or setup a Blogger blog.

When I click on the invite link, and try to set up a new Google account, I get the message.

Blogger has not been enabled by the administrator of the domain xxxxxxx.edu.

What do I do, now?

When you are a prospective blog member or owner, and you are using a domain that you control and own - and are able to access the Google Apps administrator account for the domain - you may be able to enable the Blogger service, for the domain. If you are merely one user of the domain, where your email service is hosted, the situation won't be that simple.

If someone else controls the email domain, where you need to use Blogger, you have 2 choices.

• Convince the domain administrators to enable the Blogger service, in their domain.
• Setup a web based email account, outside your current service.
  • Recover control of the blog, using the current email address.
  • Transfer control of the blog, to a new Blogger account.

Neither solution is ideal.

Not all domain administrators, even for those domains which use GMail services for non "gmail.com" email addresses, believe Blogger blogs to be an essential service. Some believe blog publication to be a frivolous or insecure activity, and will intentionally block use of Blogger in their domains - possibly mandated by a Corporate Security Policy. These administrators are unlikely to attend to your need with any amount of urgency.

Some educational institutions or corporations, which are now using GMail in their private domains, may also consider use of non domain, or web based, email as suspicious activity. This may also present a challenge to you, when you need to use Blogger.

You'll have to make a personal decision, when you are faced with an email account that does not permit Blogger accounts. Just understand the possible reasons why the choice is necessary.

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