Please help! I recently reorganised / restructured a client's website (it was a real mess) and uploaded the changes. 158 pages have changed their URL. I of course decided to use 301-redirects in the .htaccess file to handle this, and preserve the client's SEO. Much to my surprise, when I enter more than 23 of these in the .htaccess file the whole site goes down with an error 500!! I have tried redirect 301, RedirectMatch permanent (even tried entering via CPanel), etc. Different syntax has no effect. I launched a support ticket with my webhost but they're stumped, and have launched their own support ticket with CPanel. It's been several days now and I am getting very concerned about my client's SEO. Any ideas please?????
I don't think 23 is a limit any sysadmin would buid in. remember they are bin wizzards: 32 or 16 would be more logical to them. So I think your last entry is just wrong, which also causes a 500 error. can you post that line here? sure someone can help you with that!
Here's the HTACCESS file that DOES WORK. This is the syntax generated by CPanel via the "Redirects" button. If I add just one more redirect, of any syntax, I get the dreaded 500 error. It doesn't matter what syntax I use for all the lines. I have tried several types, all with the same result. I get the 500 error even if I generate the next line using CPanel, which presumably would generate the correct syntax. Also doesn't matter if I have the "RewriteEngine on" at beginning or not. ====.HTACCESSS file follows ====== RedirectMatch permanent ^/index.htm$ http://systemhorse.com/index.html RedirectMatch permanent ^/pages/barnhardware.htm$ http://systemhorse.com/pages/barnhardware/index.html RedirectMatch permanent ^/pages/clientconnections/clientconnections.htm$ http://systemhorse.com/pages/clientconnections/index.html RedirectMatch permanent ^/company/company.htm$ http://systemhorse.com/pages/company/index.html RedirectMatch permanent ^/index.htm$ http://systemhorse.com/index.html RedirectMatch permanent ^/pages/barnhardware.htm$ http://systemhorse.com/pages/barnhardware/index.html RedirectMatch permanent ^/pages/calendar_events.htm$ http://systemhorse.com/pages/calendarofevents/index.html RedirectMatch permanent ^/pages/catalogue.htm$ http://systemhorse.com/pages/catalogue/index.html RedirectMatch permanent ^/pages/catalogue_download.htm$ http://systemhorse.com/pages/catalogue/index.html RedirectMatch permanent ^/pages/clientconnections.htm$ http://systemhorse.com/pages/clientconnections RedirectMatch permanent ^/pages/company.htm$ http://systemhorse.com/pages/company/index.html RedirectMatch permanent ^/pages/contact.htm$ http://systemhorse.com/pages/contact/contact.htm RedirectMatch permanent ^/pages/contact_cdn.htm$ http://systemhorse.com/pages/contact/contact.htm RedirectMatch permanent ^/pages/contact_cdn_win.htm$ http://systemhorse.com/pages/contact/contact.htm RedirectMatch permanent ^/pages/directions.htm$ http://systemhorse.com/pages/directions/index.html RedirectMatch permanent ^/pages/download.htm$ http://systemhorse.com/pages/download/index.html RedirectMatch permanent ^/pages/download_product_info.htm$ http://systemhorse.com/pages/download/index.html RedirectMatch permanent ^/pages/exerciser.htm$ http://systemhorse.com/pages/exerciser/index.html RedirectMatch permanent ^/pages/faq.htm$ http://systemhorse.com/pages/faq/index.html RedirectMatch permanent ^/pages/fence1inch.htm$ http://systemhorse.com/pages/fence1inch/index.html RedirectMatch permanent ^/pages/fence4_25inch.htm$ http://systemhorse.com/pages/fence425inch/index.html RedirectMatch permanent ^/pages/fence4inch.htm$ http://systemhorse.com/pages/fence4inch/index.html RedirectMatch permanent ^/pages/fence5inch.htm$ http://systemhorse.com/pages/fence5inch/index.html RedirectMatch permanent ^/pages/fenceaccessories.htm$ http://systemhorse.com/pages/fenceaccessories/index.html RedirectMatch permanent ^/pages/fencebraid.htm$ http://systemhorse.com/pages/fencebraid/index.html
But just now, I have continued to fiddle with this, as I have all evening. And NOW, adding more than 23 works! What's going on here??? I assure you I am not doing anything different!! Not smoking anything either! I am adding bunches of about 10 at a time, expecting it to break any moment. Perhaps the webhost got a reply and have fixed whatever the problem was? I'm up to 62 now and no problem. Thanks for the replies and starting to help me!! I will post if I have success or not when I get them all in. Although I am very puzzled as to why it now works, i am very relieved as well!
I have now placed all 159 301 redirects into the file and it's now working ok. Perhaps there was a subtle syntax error that I overlooked? I have abolsutely no idea. I'm simply glad it's working now.