Solution for duplicate content not working

[Joeuspe]

I'm getting a duplicate content error for:

http://www.website.com

http://www.website.com/default.htm

I searched for the Q&A for the solution and found:

Access the.htaccess file and add this line:

redirect 301 /default.htm http://www.website.com

I added the redirect to my .htaccess and then got the following error from Google when trying to access the http://www.website.com/default.htm page:

"This webpage has a redirect loop
The webpage at http://www.webpage.com/ has resulted in too many redirects. Clearing your cookies for this site or allowing third-party cookies may fix the problem. If not, it is possibly a server configuration issue and not a problem with your computer."

"Error 310 (net::ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS): There were too many redirects."

How can I correct this?

Thanks

[wissamdandan]

Hi joseph,

first investigate who is redirecting root to /default... is it htaccess or script?

try to use

redirectmatch 301 /default.htm http://www.website.com

please follow up

[Joeuspe]

Hi Wissam,

I'm not sure, there is no redirect set up for /default.htm in my .htaccess

I tried adding the redirectmatch 301 and got back the same error message as before...

[CPU]

Is there anything else in the .htaccess file that may be causing the loop?

If the file looks correct I would try copying and pasting the text into a new htaccess file and deleting the original and seeing if the problem remains.

I have fixed a random issue with htaccess before by effectively recreating the file.

[wissamdandan]

try to check your http header please.

http://web-sniffer.net/

add your http://www.website.com

and see what it will serve you. a 200 OK or a 301 to default.htm

[Joeuspe]

Ok, tried it and got a 200 OK

[wissamdandan]

Do you mind posting URL or PM me

[Joeuspe]

Hi Lewis,

I tried recreating the file as you said, but no luck yet... I sent you a pm with my .htaccess info, maybe you can see something I don't.

[Joeuspe]

PM sent...

[wissamdandan]

it wont harm to try this  and try to add it before all redirects

<code>Options +FollowSymLinks
RewriteEngine On
RewriteBase /
RewriteCond %{THE_REQUEST} ^/default.htm HTTP/
RewriteRule ^/(default.htm)$ http://www.otherdomain.com [R=301,L]</code>

[CPU]

Hi Joseph

The info you sent me looked fine. Have you seen if other users on other browsers or operating systems are having this issue? Also have you cleared your cookies as advised in the warning message?

If you upload a htaccess file with just one redirect do you still get the same issue? If so it would suggest that it may be a server issue. As such it may be worth talking to the relevant people within the organisation that deal with them or as may be the case if there is no one then it may be worth contacting the web host.