GoogleBot server response question

[chinkchink]

I was using a tool to check on my site and notice this in the "Response Codes", when GoogleBot2.1 (Newer Version) is used:

» HTTP/1.1 302 Found From http://example.com/MyFile/default.aspx To
http://example.com/(S(q3dd0rf0333yxe55abzgtpnh))/MyFile/default.aspx
» HTTP/1.1 200 OK

When GoogleBot2.1 (Older Version) is used, none of the 302 stuff appear, just the straight "200 OK" response.

I have not set up any 302 on the page I am checking.

Would anyone please enlighten me on what this "302" response is about? and where those code "S(q3dd0rf0333yxe55abzgtpnh))" come from?

Thank you very much in advance

[edited by: tedster at 9:30 pm (utc) on Nov. 7, 2008]
[edit reason] no tools names, thanks [/edit]

[tedster]

I've been trying to research this for you - to see what the exact differences are between the old and new versions of Googlebot. I've got nothing solid so far.

But one thing is clear - only your server can create a 302 http response. Some application installed on your server is apparently redirecting based on the user agent that is making the request. If it treats two versions of googlebot differently, you maught have some trouble from that.

Also it is your server that is adding in the long string of code when it creates the target for the 302 redirect. I'm guessing it is a way of embedding a session ID or other type of user tracking into the URL.

[chinkchink]

Thank you very much tedster, for looking things up for me, really appreciate it.

What you pointed out was right-on! It is indeed something related to session state, on the server/application end that caused the problem:

<sessionState cookieless="UseDeviceProfile" /> in the web.config file.

Deleting that line of code fixed the problem.

Now I just have to tell the rest of the team to find another cookies-work-around and we'll be all set...

Thank you again for your help.