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Mysterious Google File Appears

File appears on the host server not on my PC.

         

Old_Honky

4:07 pm on Nov 7, 2006 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member Top Contributors Of The Month



On several of my sites (all hobby sites hosted on the same server) a file called "google2466626da1394b17.html" has suddenly appeared.

I use an html editor called Matrix Y2K and the file says it was created on the 3rd November using that editor. I didn't create it, there doesn't appear to be a way for the editor to automatically create it and I have emailed the creator of Matrix Y2K who says he doesn't know what could be causing it.

Can anybody help please? I have been using Y2K for about 3 years with no problems.

I upload using WS Ftp.

I have searched online and can find nothing of relevance.

The html on the page is as follows.


<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN">
<html>
<head>
<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
<title></title>
<meta name="description" content="">
<meta name="keywords" content="">
<meta name="author" content="">
<meta name="generator" content="Matrix Y2K">
</head>
<body>
Hello
this is google2466626da1394b17.html

<!-- ** file created on 03/09/2006 01:01:59 ** -->
<!-- ** file created by Matrix Y2K - Website Studio 2005 -->

</body>
</html>

[edited by: encyclo at 4:33 pm (utc) on Nov. 7, 2006]

encyclo

4:39 pm on Nov 7, 2006 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member 10+ Year Member



The file relates to the Google Webmaster Central verification process - usually when you sign up to the progrma, Google requests that you put a file with a unique filename to identify you as the true owner of the site in order to get the crawl statistics.

Did you sign up to Google Webmaster Central (sitemaps, etc.)?

Old_Honky

4:51 pm on Nov 7, 2006 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member Top Contributors Of The Month



I did, but I didn't add any files. Do Google do this automatically?

leadegroot

4:53 am on Nov 8, 2006 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member 10+ Year Member



No, someone with ftp access has to have done it.
Are you verified in sitemaps? If so, then I would guess that you created the files and have forgotten about it :) Easy enough - they are very quick to do!

if you are not verified, then I would suggest that someone else has verified themself against your sites.
if in doubt, delete the files and whoever put them there will lose verification and thus access to your data :)
If you think someone else did it then I would suggest you change passwords immediately

Old_Honky

11:48 am on Nov 8, 2006 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member Top Contributors Of The Month



I am embarrassed to admit you are right. I did it and forgot it, just found the evidence. I am a complete pratt! Must be my age, next thing you know I'll be found wandering around Sainsburys asking people who I am.

My apologies for wasting your time.

andye

12:19 pm on Nov 8, 2006 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



Must be my age, next thing you know I'll be found wandering around Sainsburys asking people who I am.

heh. :)

That's why Unix is better than Windows, you get a 'whoami' command which saves you the walk to Sainsbury's. ;)

best, a.

leadegroot

1:39 am on Nov 9, 2006 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member 10+ Year Member



I wouldn't be too embarrassed - they are *so* fast to create and upload that its easy to forget in the course of a busy day :)