Another blog is already hosted at this address

That's the old well known monolithic error, seen when you try to publish your blog to a Google Custom Domain, and possibly later too, when you try to setup the "www" alias of the blog to point to the root. This error is a symptom of several problems, it is not a problem in itself.

You now have to research why the wizard isn't seeing the DNS addresses, that you hopefully just setup.

In some cases, your DNS addresses may be incorrectly defined. Verify your DNS addresses, first. Then, proceed with the procedures below.

In other cases, the problem is a bug in the Blogger database, or maybe in the "ghs.google.com" database itself. Or possibly, in the custom domain concept in general.

A Problem With An Identified Service

If the problem is with an identified Google Apps service, with the service explicitly showing up in an HTTP trace, simply disabling the service in question may provide a solution. The Google Sites service is a commonly seen instance of this solution.

In rare cases, you may see your domain URL displayed as the service publishing address, in the Google Apps dashboard display. This is generally seen with either Sites, or with Start Page. After you login to Google Apps, execute Step 7, of the recycle procedure, from the service settings screen.

A Problem With An Unidentified Service

If simply disabling the identified service doesn't help, or if you're seeing a vaguer symptom, such as the well known

Server Not Found

Error 404

display, or the most recently seen advice

Blogs may not be hosted at naked domains

you're going to have to work harder. After you you login to Google Apps, you'll execute each step, enumerated below, for each service, enumerated below.

Even if you are not, intentionally, using a given Apps service, the settings for your blog may be corrupted by any service - so try resetting each service, one at a time, by executing the procedure enumerated below. It's possible that compound problems may require your executing the entire procedure more than once.

Login To Google Apps

Begin this process by logging in to Google Apps.

• If you're not registered for Google Apps, you'll have to register. Now that the Free Google Apps is not provided, you may have to setup a Trial version, to use Google Apps.
• If you just purchased your custom domain, using the "Buy A Domain For Your Blog" wizard, you're going to have to find your registration information and login to Google Apps.
• If you just bought your domain directly from eNom or GoDaddy (not using "Buy A Domain"), or from a third party registrar, you're going to have to setup a new Google Apps account, to start.
• When you login, you will be at the Google Apps Dashboard. If you're logged in using an account with administrative authority, you'll have the links that you need, there in front of you.
• You disable and enable a service, and set the publishing address, from the service settings screen.
• For most services, you create, publish, and delete pages using the service wizard.

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There are no shortcuts here. Some folks decide that deleting the Google Apps account will automatically stop all domain services, and immediately eliminate the problem. Deleting the Apps account, to shut down services, possibly makes sense when the domain is properly setup. When there is a database corruption problem - which is why you're here - deleting the Apps account simply delays resolution of your problem. If you delete the Apps account, you have to wait for up to 5 days to establish a new Apps account, then you have to start this procedure all over again. Please, do not delete your Google Apps account, as part of resetting the "Another blog" symptom.

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The Google Apps Services

Once logged in, you deal with each service in Google Apps, one service at a time. Sites and Start Page are the best known services that can cause problems, but they aren't the only ones. Look at your Google Apps dashboard, and look at additional services under the "Add more services" link. Each of these services can publish to a given URL, such as "www.mydomain.net", and each service can possibly contribute to your problem. Execute the service recycle procedure, for each service that you have.

• The domain root ("naked domain") redirect. This is a two minute task, so start there.
• Pages (You may, or may not, have Pages.).
• Sites.
• Start Page (Start Page is not the same as Pages!).
• Calendar.
• Docs.
• Email.
• FeedBurner (You will probably execute the FeedBurner wizard directly).
• Google Wave.
• Look on the dashboard, and under "Add more services", for newer possibilities.

The Service Recycle Procedure

In normal life, these steps would negate each other, and all would be a waste of time. This isn't normal life, so don't omit any steps, however silly it all appears. Unless you're familiar with the vagaries of custom domains, some of this will seem illogical. You're in an illogical situation right now, so follow these steps as written.

• For Steps #4 and #5, you'll use the service wizard.
• For each other step, you'll use the services settings screen.

Recycle the settings, for any given service, in proper order.

1. If the service in question is currently enabled, disable it.
2. Enable the service, and note the current publishing address.
3. Set the publishing address to the appropriate address .
4. Create, then Publish a page of content, using the service.
5. Delete the page just created.
6. Set the service publishing address back to its previous setting (as noted in step #2).
7. Disable the service.
8. If you want to use the service in question, re enable it.

The Service Settings Screen

You disable a service, and set the publishing address, from the service settings screen. Under the original Apps Desktop, you would access the service settings screen using the "Service settings" pull down menu in the upper right, or from the appropriate link on the Google Apps dashboard. Now, it's the "Settings" menu entry on the far right - or the "View all settings" dashboard link.

You may be able to use the "Organization & users" - Services tab, to disable and enable services that have already been installed. Look under "Core Google Services" for the service in question, and select the appropriate "ON / OFF" toggle button.

If a service is currently uninstalled, there won't be a selection on any menu, or an icon / link on the dashboard. From the "Already Purchased Services" screen, click on the "Add it now" button for the service desired, to install and enable a service.

Under the original Apps Desktop, "Already Purchased Services" was accessed from the "Add more services" dashboard link. Now, you click on the "Get more apps and services" dashboard link, under "Common tasks" - or "Click here to add more Google Services to your domain", from the "Organization & users" Services tab - to access "Already Purchased Services".

If the service is currently installed, and you wish to uninstall it, you use the Settings - General tab, and select the "Uninstall service" link.

You'll observe and set the "publishing address" from the "Web Address Mapping" tab.

The Service Wizard Screen

For most services, you create, publish, and delete pages using the service wizard. Under the original Apps Desktop, you would access the appropriate service wizard by clicking on the URL for that service, below the service label, on the Google Apps dashboard. Now, you click on the "Settings" link next to the service icon, on the dashboard - or click on the Settings link, in the menu.

You'll also find the service URL in the service settings screen, in the "Web Address Mapping" tab. Under the original Apps Desktop, you might find it at the top of the service settings screen, next to "Web address".

Observing And Setting The Service Publishing Address

You'll use the service settings screen to observe the service publishing address, and to set it to the appropriate address.

• Only do this after you have corrected any existing problems with the DNS addresses.
• If the problem is with the domain root, or the "www" alias, you'll do this twice. First set the service publishing address to the root of the domain (ie, "mydomain.com") and execute Steps 4 - 7. Then, do the same for the "www" alias (ie, "www.mydomain.com") and execute Steps 4 - 7.
• If the problem is with a virtual host (ie, "blog.mydomain.com"), set the service publishing address to the virtual host address (ie, "blog.mydomain.com").
• This may also apply for URLs with 2 level Top Level Domains, like "blog.mydomain.co.uk" and "www.blog.mydomain.co.uk". Think about this carefully, when domains with 2 level TLDs are involved - be sure to get the URLs right.
• When executing Step 6, set the address back to the setting noted in Step 2.
• Be persistent, don't skip steps because they are "silly". Your problem isn't silly.

The Reset Form

Blogger has provided a new problem reporting tool, that lets them fix the problems similar to those resolved by Google Apps, using the Magical Custom Domain Form. This requires manual human intervention, so don't anticipate immediate resolution of the problem. Note, too, that the Magical Custom Domain Form is known to not provide resolution for all custom domain problems.

If the Custom Domain Form doesn't provide acceptable results, use Blogger Contact, and let them know of the problem.

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