Not found error for sitemap.xml

Discussion in 'Google Sitemaps' started by Huligan, Apr 8, 2007.

  1. #1
    Hello. In my Google Webmaster Tools account, I was reviewing my web crawl errors and don't understand this one. It says the Googlebot had trouble crawling this URL.

    http://www.domain.com/sitemap.xml%3Cbr

    My robots.txt file does not have a link to my sitemap. There is not link to it on any of my pages either. My sitemap doesn't reference itself either. So my question is, why is Googlebot getting a Not Found error. Should my sitemap.xml file be named differently?

    Huligan
     
    Huligan, Apr 8, 2007 IP
  2. 3POWER

    3POWER Peon

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    #2
    What is %3Cbr in end of the sitemap.xml?
     
    3POWER, Apr 9, 2007 IP
  3. Huligan

    Huligan Peon

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    #3
    I don't know what it is. It's a character code for something. It is part of the URL in Google's error.

    Huligan
     
    Huligan, Apr 9, 2007 IP
  4. websitetools

    websitetools Well-Known Member

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    #4
    Someone somewhere must have at some point in time linked to that address


    If Google says your sitemap itself is ok, I think you are alright.
     
    websitetools, Apr 10, 2007 IP
  5. Huligan

    Huligan Peon

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    #5
    Yeah, Google says my sitemap is OK. I doubt anyone has linked to my sitemap because the website is only a couple weeks old. Are there any search engines or spiders that would automatically look for a sitemap will such a name? Similar to how they look for robots.txt?

    Huligan
     
    Huligan, Apr 10, 2007 IP
  6. Huligan

    Huligan Peon

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    #6
    I figured out what the character code is. Here is the URL some is looking for.

    http://www.domain.com/sitemap.xml<br

    Anyone seen this bad request on their site?

    Huligan
     
    Huligan, Apr 13, 2007 IP
  7. odysseus

    odysseus Peon

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    #7
    It is important to place your site URl in the robots.txt file. I had similar problem with crawler until I added the URL. After this everything seem fine.
     
    odysseus, Apr 13, 2007 IP