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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Confusion From The Message "You have logged out from another location."

This month, we have a small flood of reports, from blog owners who are seeing the latest monolithic error.

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

This error has actually been reported previously - but in smaller volume - for some time. It appears to be similar in nature to a previously reported problem, "Conflicting Edits".

The problem appears to possibly affect anybody who has logged in to Blogger - and it appears to be persistent, and has inspired imaginative measures, from some blog owners.

The basic error condition, "You have logged out from another location.", has actually been around for many months.

Advice from Blogger Support staff, as occasionally provided, is reasonably simple.

If you are still receiving this error please clear and cookies, refreshing the page and log-in again.

Observing a lack of consistent success, from the latter advice, I recommend a more deliberate procedure.

1. Check cookie and script filters.
2. Clear cache, cookies, and sessions (all 3).
3. Restart the browser.
4. Click on the link below, to login to Blogger.

https://www.blogger.com

However one attacks the problem, when seen, it's not producing a lot of happy blog owners. Unfortunately, until Blogger Engineering permanently fixes the underlying problem, the temporary solution requires action by the blog owners affected.

If you follow the above advice, and continue to see this error, I suggest that you try a combination of affinity testing and of differential testing - then report the problem and a summary of your diagnostic tests, in Blogger Help Forum: Something Is Broken.

The anger expressed by some blog owners, repeatedly seeing "You have logged out from another location.", appears to resemble what was seen after the Blogger melt down of May 2011. That problem started during the week of May 9 - 13, when Blogger blog maintenance was impossible for over a week.

I, myself, am used to seeing this message - once or twice a week. I almost always have one or more browsers logged in to Blogger / Google, with various tabs opened to Blogger, FeedBurner, GMail, Google Groups, and / or Webmaster Tools.

With multiple tabs opened to various Google applications, it's a fairly simple (though not enjoyed) task to simply close all Blogger tabs, open one new tab targeting "http://www.blogger.com", and watch as the login session present under FeedBurner, GMail, Google Groups, and / or Webmaster Tools, refreshes into the newly opened Blogger tab.

The problem this month appears to be more persistent than my personal observations - and supposedly continues even through browser, and computer, restarts. Follow the above advice, please - then report your observations in detail. And please, be patient with the helpers who respond.

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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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