Why would googlebot check for a non-existent file?

[cameraman]

My 404 page logs info to a db table so that if I somehow have broken links I can fix them.

I just noticed that the googlebot tried to get a page that has a very odd name, has never existed, and that I certainly haven't referenced in sitemap or anywhere else. Why would they look for such a page?

[tedster]

Google sometimes checks to see if the server is handling "bad" urls properly. Some sites serve a "custom 404" page that actually returns a 302 http header instead of a 404. I think Google is hoping to protect such sites from their own bad use of technology, so they periodically give a "free health check-up" - especially for domains that are set up with a Webmaster Tools account.

[edited by: tedster at 1:12 am (utc) on Jan. 27, 2007]

[activeco]

It could be that someone linked to you in that way.
But, about a year ago, I noticed a lot of similar nonsense requests from googlebot.
I think they were trying to find out if I provide dynamic content or possible standard 404 redirection.

[soulful house]

it does happen more than often.
My website's url rewriting wasn't too picky and served also semi-incorrrect urls with the same content of the correct urls.
Just cured the problem verifying that the server URI is always correct, if it doesn't I send a 404 right away...
will see if my rankings will change!

[cameraman]

Thanks gang, all interesting answers.
Watching how search engines work on the webmaster side makes me wonder how, as a search engine user, I ever get to the site I want.

[appi2]

makes me wonder how, as a search engine user, I ever get to the site I want.

You don't you get to the site they want ;)

On the google requesting non existing pages. Watch out for G requesting non existing url parameters eg indexphp?blaa=foo and your server returning 200 ok.

[cameraman]

you get to the site they want ;)

ROFL yeah ain't that the truth!

Nonexistent url parameters? Are you serious? It would seem more robust to me for a page to successfully ignore extraneous information.