301 Redirects and Robots.txt

Consolidating domains

[Coral]

I've recently attempted to consolidate several domains into one - they were basically duplicate content sites, linking to one main site. One of the duplicate sites actually ranked higher for the business name phrase, which pushed the main site way down to 3rd or 4th page on Google (other SEs are listing the main site). I used a 301 redirect for each of the pages, except for some of the cgi scripts still in use. Now www-ex.google shows the site completely gone from the #1 spot for the business name phrase, rather than replacing it with the main site. The duplicate site had PR4, the main site PR1. Did I do something wrong,and
is it valid to use this?:

Redirect 301 /robots.txt

also, which is correct to use:

Redirect 301 /index.html [example.co...]
or
Redirect 301 /index.html [example.co...]

[dougmcc1]

This is merely a guess, but I wonder if your main site got penalized for being a duplicate. That would explain why it didn't move up after you applied the 301 redirects to the other site. And since the 301 redirects were applied, Google thinks that site no longer exists.

"Redirect 301 /index.html [example.co...]
or
Redirect 301 /index.html [example.co...]

I use Redirect 301 /index.html [example.co...]
The backslash indicates the default page in the root directory, so you don't have to worry about what it's named (index.htm, index.html, default.php...)

[killroy]

I think you would be better off redirecting like this:

Redirect 301 / [example.co...]

As then all pages would be properly redirected, not just the index file.

SN

[Coral]

I used a 301 on another group of domains, directing to the main domain (which was listed on the 3rd/4th page on google). This was something I posted here a few months ago. I used the recommended Server Header Checker which showed I had it done incorrectly. I was lucky to catch the error a few days before Googlebot came by! After a few weeks the main site replaced the old duplicate site in the results! The main domain went from being listed way down in the results, to within the first 5 results.
So, if there are duplicate domains and they are all removed (301), shoudn't the one that is left have the 'penalty' lifted?
Many of the duplicate domains we use were listed in DMOZ - I requested that the URLs be updated to the main URL, and this has happened.

Wondering... with duplicate sites does it matter which site came first?