HTTP errors in Google Sitemaps control panel

[rkeefe]

We were recently reviewing the 'Diagnostic' section of the Google Sitemaps control panel for our site, and noted several 404 errors for pages that a) No longer exist and b) are not even in the sitemap.

The HTTP Error explanations state that "Some of the URLs may be linked from external sites and are listed here for informational purposes." I'm having trouble fathoming that because these pages were once (when they existed) deeper within our site and not landing pages or any page that we used for linking purposes. Is there any way of finding out just where / how these outdated links were located/ accessed so that they ended up included in an HTTP error diagnostic???

Thanks to all for your help.

RKeefe

[airtravelcenter]

We have the same and similar situation with G trying to find url that no longer exist or moved long ago. Makes a person wonder what the site map effort is for. Our sitemap is accurate and it gets downloaded 3 or 4 times every week yet G keeps on looking for old old stuff and can't find it and claims it is in the sitemap even though never was or removed long ago. Go figure.

[Brian M]

...and noted several 404 errors for pages that a) No longer exist and b) are not even in the sitemap.
A 404 error is actually a very good thing in the long run. However, any site on the web that has a link to those old pages provides a link that the robots can follow in and try to index. If the page no longer exists, a 404 in the server header should be delivered (which is good), and this is why you are seeing these in the sitemaps interface.

First, make sure that no page in your site still has a link to those old pages (it's really easy to overlook these if you have a large site...).

Then, if the link is external, try contacting the owner of the site and ask them to change or remove the link. If they do not respond (which is usually the case), there is nothing you can do except wait for the 404 to do its job, and you will eventually stop seeing the error in sitemaps. But as long as that external link exists, the robots will find it and follow it into your site, expecting a page to be there, and you will continue to see the error in sitemaps.